<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000718976 <NAME> BGS SYSTEMS, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> JAN-31-1996 <PERIOD-START> FEB-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> OCT-31-1995 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 11,013,194 <SECURITIES> 6,295,000 <RECEIVABLES> 9,394,623 <ALLOWANCES> 365,000 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 28,600,532 <PP&E> 7,859,238 <DEPRECIATION> 6,189,427 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 30,920,343 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 13,624,076 <BONDS> 0 <COMMON> 321,486 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <OTHER-SE> 16,958,724 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 30,920,343 <SALES> 14,458,851 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 28,621,888 <CGS> 19,533,277 <TOTAL-COSTS> 20,623,612 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <INCOME-PRETAX> 8,770,237 <INCOME-TAX> 3,051,385 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 0 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 5,718,852 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.83 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.83