Skip to content
Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Computer Systems Engineers/Architects

Part of Information Technology, in the Information Support and Services pathway.

Bright outlookJob zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 15-1299.08

What the work is

Design and develop solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions.

On a typical day

  • Communicate with staff or clients to understand specific system requirements.
  • Provide advice on project costs, design concepts, or design changes.
  • Document design specifications, installation instructions, and other system-related information.
  • Verify stability, interoperability, portability, security, or scalability of system architecture.
  • Collaborate with engineers or software developers to select appropriate design solutions or ensure the compatibility of system components.
  • Evaluate current or emerging technologies to consider factors such as cost, portability, compatibility, or usability.

What it pays

$110,440
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $58,410
Experienced workers reach $157,980
  1. $58k10th
  2. $82k25th
  3. $110kMedian
  4. $135k75th
  5. $158k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $58,410, 25th $81,870, Median $110,440, 75th $134,780, 90th $157,980

About 5,100 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+27.4%

employment change in the Alamo region, 5,961 to 7,596 jobs · U.S. +8%

542

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 31,300

5,961

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 472,000

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Reading Comprehension4.0
  2. Active Listening4.0
  3. Critical Thinking4.0
  4. Systems Evaluation4.1
  5. Writing4.0
  6. Speaking4.0
  7. Systems Analysis4.0
  8. Operations Analysis4.4

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. Certificate41%
  2. Some college5%
  3. Associate degree27%
  4. Bachelor's degree23%
  5. Master's degree5%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • Northeast Lakeview
  • Northwest Vista
  • St. Philip's
  • San Antonio
  1. Computer Science

    Transfer pre-major · Science & Technology

  2. Cyber Investigator; Level I Certificate

    Certificate · Science & Technology

  3. Computer Science

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  4. Health Information Technology

    Degree · Online option · Health & Biosciences

  5. Computer Information Systems

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Science & Technology

  6. Computer Science

    Transfer pre-major · Science & Technology

Apply to Alamo Colleges

Does this fit you?

Six questions rank every career here by how closely its interest profile follows yours.

Check my interests
  1. Software Developers

    Zone 413 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $128kSan Antonio median
  2. Computer Systems Analysts

    Zone 33 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $101kSan Antonio median
  3. Database Architects

    Zone 410 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $136kSan Antonio median
  4. Information Security Engineers

    Zone 46 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $110kSan Antonio median
  5. Computer Network Architects

    Zone 413 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $128kSan Antonio median
  6. Blockchain Engineers

    Zone 46 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $110kSan Antonio median
  7. Database Administrators

    Zone 44 Alamo programs Bright outlook

    $107kSan Antonio median
  8. Computer Hardware Engineers

    Zone 4 Bright outlook

    $127kSan Antonio median