What Does a Programmer Analyst Do?

Daily routines are seldom the same in the role, and you can be sure that life as a programmer analyst is rarely dull.

There are many misconceptions about what a programmer analyst does because your day-to-day tasks may vary significantly. One day, you might be developing and maintaining the software used by your company and flexing your coding skills to create interactive websites. The next day, you might meet with different department managers to get feedback on what they need from programs, applications, and software.

As a programmer analyst, you’ll work closely with the IT department, but you'll also work with other departments across the company. It's a position that requires coding experience and the ability to test and maintain programs, adjust existing programs and develop new ones, and execute cybersecurity measures to keep the company's information safe. There’s no single path to becoming a computer programmer analyst, although gaining some formal education and experience is a plus.

What does a programmer analyst do?

As a programmer analyst, you can expect to engage in various job duties and responsibilities, which may vary depending on the company you're working for. Programmer analysts typically have solid coding skills and can test and troubleshoot applications and software programs. You'll likely work for a corporation or a business to develop company-specific programs and systems.

You'll probably also be repairing and maintaining software and systems. Ultimately, your goal will be to assess what the company needs and then to develop programs and systems to help the company maximize its operations. Some of the common job duties you may perform as a programmer analyst include:

• Debugging programs when problems arise

• Designing software programs for new systems

• Developing front and back ends of websites

• Managing and updating scripts for reporting purposes

• Using programming languages to create programs to move business objectives forward

• Analyzing, coding, testing, and documenting programs

• Updating user web pages

• Executing custom software requests

What is the difference between a programmer and a programmer analyst?

Before designing and creating a system, a programmer analyst generally meets with a client to understand their specific needs. A programmer, however, is different because even though they can do the coding jobs of both a programmer and systems analyst, they are unlikely to engage directly with clients. A programmer usually focuses more on actual coding.

Typical work environment

If you’re unsure whether life as a programmer analyst is a good fit, considering your typical work environment is a good first step. As a programmer analyst, you’ll be able to work with various organization types in industries such as software, computer system design, manufacturing, finance, and insurance. 

Depending on the company, you might have a lot of flexibility in your workflow if you get everything done on time. Since a supervisor might not watch over you closely, it's important that you remain organized and motivated and set your own deadlines.

Collaboration

Because of the nature of the job, you’ll typically find yourself working across departments with many other teams. You'll frequently work with supervisors and management as you assess company needs. You'll also often work with the IT department and project managers as you start working on proposed systems, programs, and applications.

You can also expect to work with the rest of the IT department as you design and test new systems before implementation. During that phase and downtime, when you’re drafting documentation or assessing business needs, you’ll likely interact with other employees across the organization. 

• Common teammates: IT department, project managers, upper management

• Common supervisor: IT Director, CIO, or CEO

• Common interactions: Company-wide

Understand the common challenges of a programmer analyst

Like most technical careers, working as a programmer analyst can be incredibly fulfilling while presenting you with a few challenges. For example, this can be a stressful position, depending on the company you’re working for and the nature of the job itself. You'll likely have to deal with periods of pressure and work against tight deadlines. You may also have to solve challenging problems quickly, or your code might not work exactly as expected. You’ll need to be ready for anything.

Choosing to work somewhere with a company culture that resonates with you and with managers who manage projects in a way that suits your style can go a long way to helping you best manage potential stress. Other common challenges you might come up against include the following:

• Experience is usually a plus. Employers often like to see that you’ve got experience, which you can gain by working as a computer programmer, software developer, or another coding or analyst-related position. Internships can also help you gain proficiency in the necessary technical skills, such as coding and developing test cases, and workplace skills, such as flexibility, problem-solving, and stellar interdepartmental communication. 

• You'll likely spend a lot of time sitting at a desk. Like many jobs in computers and IT, as a programmer analyst, you’ll usually spend a lot of time sitting and working on computers. Exercising regularly outside of work, practicing good posture, and outfitting your workstation with ergonomics can help keep you comfortable and safe.

• It’s a fast-paced field. As a programmer analyst, you won’t be able to just coast on what you've already learned. But it is the ideal field for you if you are passionate about learning and open to continually pushing yourself to keep your skills sharp. You can do this by taking advantage of opportunities to read and learn on your own, take online courses, and gain certifications to stay up on all the latest and greatest. 

Programmer analyst salary and job outlook

As a programmer analyst, you can expect steady job growth. The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) estimates that computer systems analyst positions will grow 11 percent between 2023 and 2033 [1]. Additionally, Zippia projects that programmer analyst jobs will increase 9 percent between 2018 and 2028 [2].

You’ll find that there are a variety of factors that impact your salary, including experience and location. According to ZipRecruiter, programmer analysts' national average annual salary is $91,378 [3]. Salaries typically range between $39,000 and $129,000 [3].

How to become a programmer analyst

Launching your career as a programmer analyst without formal higher education is possible. However, many employers look for candidates with a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field like information systems, business, or information technology. 

Zippia estimates that 64 percent of programmer analysts hold a bachelor's degree, with another 20 percent having an associate degree [4]. According to Indeed, having a master's degree in information technology or pursuing certifications in Azure, AWS, Red Hat, APEX, Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA), Cloudera Certified Developer for Apache Hadoop (CCDH), or other similar platforms and applications is also a plus.

Experience can also help in your job search, although the amount of experience you'll need will vary depending on the needs of each company or organization. Some businesses look for candidates with a few years of experience developing applications, coding, or programming. Many hiring managers look for candidates who have worked with wire protocol debugging, MySQL, and HTTP protocol.

Take action: Empower yourself

Empowering yourself with education and experience is an effective way to launch your career. Whether you work toward a degree or take a self-taught path, the choice is entirely up to you. Either way, you'll have a few decisions to make before you can launch your career as a computer programmer analyst. Some questions to ask yourself include:

• What is your current level of experience?

• Would you prefer to start with online courses to build up the necessary skills, such as designing databases, coding, software development, and working with mainframes?

• Do you want to pursue a formal degree? If so, do you want an on-campus or online experience?

Creating a portfolio you can share with prospective employers is also helpful. Use projects you've completed during your studies to highlight your key skills and showcase your best work if you don’t have formal work experience yet. Consider choosing projects that emphasize your skills in areas like:

• Multitasking

• Taking a proactive approach to applications, security, and software

• Strong communication skills

• Self-motivation

• Coding skills

• Creating effective documentation

Learn programmer analyst skills on Coursera

If you're looking to transition into a career in software engineering, consider earning your IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn about computer programming, cloud computing, security engineering, and other topics. With this Professional Certificate, you can develop the skills companies are hiring for at your own pace.