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Computer Systems Analysts

Analyze science, engineering, business, and other data processing problems to develop and implement solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions, improve existing computer systems, and review computer system capabilities, workflow, and schedule limitations. May analyze or recommend commercially available software.

519,530 people do this job in the US. $105,850 a year.

now
10%

of the working time. Estimate.

Kinds of work
  • 91%
  • 7%
  • 2%
28%

Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.

Half the desk work within reach
March 2028

On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.

Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030

0%25%50%75%100%2027202820292030NowDesk work: 91% of the time
Chosen to Ceiling: the share
DateNow
NowEnd of 2030

What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .

At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.

How far this has come

With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 7%. Today's estimate: 10%.

0%5%10%15%20%2023202420252026GPT-4, March 2023: 0% within reachGPT-4 Turbo (Nov 2023), November 2023: 0% within reachGPT-4o, May 2024: 0% within reachClaude 3.5 Sonnet (June 2024), June 2024: 0% within reacho1-preview, September 2024: 0% within reachClaude 3.5 Sonnet (Oct 2024), October 2024: 0% within reacho1, December 2024: 0% within reachClaude 3.7 Sonnet, February 2025: 0% within reacho3, April 2025: 1% within reachGPT-5, August 2025: 1% within reachGemini 3 Pro, November 2025: 1% within reachClaude Opus 4.5, November 2025: 1% within reachGPT-5.2, December 2025: 2% within reachClaude Opus 4.6, February 2026: 2% within reachClaude Mythos Preview (early), April 2026: 7% within reachToday (estimate), September 2026: 10% within reach
Each step is a new best model measured by METR, four in five; the dashed end is today's estimate. Point at a dot for the model.

A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.

The tasks

Sorted by . 22 tasks from .

TaskKind
Use the computer in the analysis and solution of business problems, such as development of integrated production and inventory control and cost analysis systems.Done daily by most who do it. AI observed on this task.14%1.7 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks2%Half by Jul 2028
Use object-oriented programming languages, as well as client and server applications development processes and multimedia and Internet technology.Done several times a day by most who do it. AI observed on this task.14%1.7 work days2.5 h to 1.7 work weeks2%Half by Oct 2028
Analyze information processing or computation needs and plan and design computer systems, using techniques such as structured analysis, data modeling, and information engineering.Done daily by most who do it. 14%2.5 work days6.7 h to 2.1 work weeks1%Half by Jul 2028
Coordinate and link the computer systems within an organization to increase compatibility so that information can be shared.Done more than weekly by most who do it. 8%6.7 h1.7 h to 4.2 work days6%Half by Jan 2028
Test, maintain, and monitor computer programs and systems, including coordinating the installation of computer programs and systems.Done daily by most who do it. AI observed on this task.6%2.5 h50 min to 1.7 work days29%Half by Mar 2027
Troubleshoot program and system malfunctions to restore normal functioning.Done more than monthly by most who do it. 5%1.7 h25 min to 6.7 h43%Half by Nov 2026
Expand or modify system to serve new purposes or improve work flow.Done more than monthly by most who do it. 5%2.1 work days3.3 h to 1.7 work weeks1%Half by Sep 2028
Review and analyze computer printouts and performance indicators to locate code problems, and correct errors by correcting codes.Done more than monthly by most who do it. AI observed on this task.5%2.5 h50 min to 1.3 work days35%Half by Jan 2027
Prepare cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses to aid in decisions on system implementation.Done more than yearly by most who do it.4%1.3 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days4%Half by Dec 2027
Supervise computer programmers or other systems analysts or serve as project leaders for particular systems projects.Done daily by most who do it.4%3.3 h50 min to 1.7 work daysStays with people
Develop, document, and revise system design procedures, test procedures, and quality standards.Done more than monthly by most who do it. 4%1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days2%Half by Feb 2028
Specify inputs accessed by the system and plan the distribution and use of the results.Done more than weekly by most who do it. AI observed on this task.3%6.7 h1.7 h to 2.5 work days8%Half by Sep 2027

Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.

Jobs that share skills with this one

From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.