Career as System Analyst
A System Analyst is a person who is responsible for maintaining a company’s technology process and making sure that it is running smoothly and efficiently. He or she will be responsible for upgrading or recommending new and emerging trends or technology that can benefit the company. With the global computer industry running into billions, this segment of the IT industry is becoming a critical post in all kinds of the sector. If the IT world is your primary area of interest, and you like to be ahead of everyone when it comes to new technology and software, then this is the perfect career for you. The prospect of this career is quite bright; with computer System Design and Related Services being the top industry that employs System Analyst. When it comes to salary, the top-paying industries for System Analysts are oil and gas extraction, aerospace product and parts manufacturing and audio and video equipment manufacturing industries.
- About System Analyst :
- Job Profile |
- How do I get there?
Job Profile
The main job of a System Analyst is to build a bridge between the technical aspect and the business aspect of a company. A System Analyst will gather all data regarding the smooth running of the business and integrate it into the best technology that can make it more efficient. To be proficient, an analyst needs to not only programming languages but also the configuration of the system and various operating systems. If they are working in the financial or health care system, they additionally need to know about the business as well as the health management part of the company.
System analysts will typically work full time and must move between various departments because they are the liaison between IT persons, customers, and shareholders. They will be the person to propose changes to the information system to facilitate business operations. They have the tough job of explaining emerging technology to people with zero knowledge about it; and so, they must have very good communication skills. Along with it, they must monitor the existing system while gathering data and facts from people using the system. When a problem arises, they must provide a solution. So, the time of work can often be hectic and not regular. Be ready for a midnight emergency if you are a System Analyst.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for System Analysts in the coming 10 years is growing at a rate of 9%. In India, this is the fourth largest growing sector within the IT sector. The meridian pay scale of an entry-level System Analyst is around Rs 439, 162 while an expert with nearly 20 years of experience can expect something around Rs 1, 377, 778 annually. Plus they get benefits like shares, perks as well as comprehensive medical coverage.
Future Growth Prospects and How to get there faster
Pros and Cons of being a System Analyst
Pros
-
Perfect for those people who love to analyze and solve the problem.
-
Great job security and excellent working conditions.
-
Most of the work is indoors in an office.
-
It is one of the top 25 highest paid jobs.
Cons
-
Very hard to get into a career. You must study for many years before you can even get an entry-level job.
-
Working hours can be long and erratic.
How do I get there?
Most System Analysts are Post Graduate and above. To study B.E./B. Tech in computer science or information technology, the student must pass standard 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as subjects with a minimum of 45% marks. Plus, they must qualify the entrance exam like JEE or individual state joint exam for engineering courses. For BCA in these subjects, they also need PCM in standard 12; most colleges have their eligibility criteria for admission in these courses. All these courses are of 4 years duration and full-time courses.
The Postgraduate degree along with an MBA is useful if the person plans to work in the finance sector. Similarly, a person interested in working in the health care sector should pursue a postgraduate degree in health management along with M.E./M. Sc or M. Tech in Computer Science or Information Technology. Most companies will prefer a candidate with a dual postgraduate degree (MBA plus M.E. or M. Tech) or B.E./B. Tech/ BCA graduate with an MBA or master’s in healthcare management. The post-graduation courses are of 2 years duration mostly.
Those who like to study further can pursue M. Phil or Ph. D on computer science or information technology.
How much does it cost?
What are the Top Colleges where one should be studying to become a System Analyst?
When it comes to B.E. or B. Tech in Information technology or computer science, IITs rule the list. The same goes for post-graduation in these subjects. As for the MBA, the top choices are obviously the IIMs.
- For B.E. or B. Tech/M.E. or M. Tech in Computer Science the best colleges are:
|
Rank of College |
Name of College, City |
Program Fees |
|
1 |
IIT, Kharagpur |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 82000 for 1st year M.E./M. Tech– Rs 231,500 for 1st year |
|
2 |
IIT, New Delhi |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 225000 for 1st year M.E./M. Tech--- Rs 224,900 for 1st year. |
|
3 |
IIT, Madras |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 75,116 for 1st year M. Tech --- Rs 23,070 |
|
4 |
Manipal University, Manipal |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 335000 for 1st year M. Tech --- Rs 210,000 |
|
5 |
IIT, Kanpur |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 214,050 for 1st year M.E./M. Tech – Rs 214,050 |
|
6 |
BITS, Pilani |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 423,475 for 1st year M. Tech – Rs 423,475 for 1st year |
|
7 |
IIT, Roorkee |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 221,700 for 1st year. M.E./M. Tech –Rs 220,500 |
|
8 |
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore |
M.E./ M. Tech- Rs 29, 200 for 1st year. M.Phil./Ph.D. –Rs 35,200 |
- For B.E or B. Tech/M.E. or M. Tech in Information Technology, the best colleges are:
|
Rank of College |
Name of College, City |
Program Fees |
|
1 |
IIT, Kharagpur |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 82,070 for 1st year M.E./M. Tech– Rs 231,500 for 1st year |
|
2 |
IIT, New Delhi |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 224,900 for 1st year M.E./M. Tech--- Rs 224,900 for 1st year. |
|
3 |
IIT, Mumbai |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 211, 400 for 1st year M. Tech --- Rs 218, 800 for 1st Year |
|
4 |
Manipal University, Manipal |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 335, 000 for 1st year M. Tech --- Rs 210,000 |
|
5 |
IIT, Hyderabad |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 280, 000 for 1st year M.E./M. Tech – Rs 280, 000 |
|
6 |
IIT, Dhanbad |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 230,120 for 1st year M. Tech – Rs 200, 000 for 1st year |
|
7 |
DTU, New Delhi |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 166, 000 for 1st year. M.E./M. Tech –Rs 166, 000 |
|
8 |
NITK, Surathkal |
B.E./B. Tech– Rs 151, 426 for 1st year. M.E./M. Tech –Rs 99, 926 |
Apart from these colleges, students pursuing a System Analyst career often include an MBA as one of the educational qualifications. For that, IIM institutes are the best and the course costs between Rs 9 lakh to Rs 22 lakh.
Books and other Study Material
Here are some books to read if you want to
become a System Analyst.
-
Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware by Andy Hunt.
-
The Practice of System and Network Administration" by Thomas Limoncelli and Christine Hogan.
-
Real-Time Systems Design and Analysis by Phillip A. Laplante, Steppo J. Ovaska.
-
How To Do System Analysis by John. E. Gibson, William T. Scherer, William F. Gibson
What if this career does not work out for me? What are the other options for a person with these credentials?
Since being a System Analyst requires many preliminary degrees, choosing any of them as an alternate career choice is possible. For example, those with B.E./B. Tech in Computer Science can always get into programming. Data mining is another sector of IT which can be a good alternative to System Analyst.
Other careers of your interests
 |
Content on this page is by Career Expert Mrs. Kum Kum Tandon MA (Psychology), M.Ed, Diploma in Educational Psychology, Vocational Guidance & Counseling (NCERT, Delhi) | View Complete Profile |