<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000718976 <NAME> BGS SYSTEMS, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> JAN-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> FEB-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> JUL-31-1996 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 12,701,654 <SECURITIES> 1,700,000 <RECEIVABLES> 10,684,294 <ALLOWANCES> 365,000 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 26,632,203 <PP&E> 14,104,835 <DEPRECIATION> 6,945,831 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 34,622,457 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 17,513,102 <BONDS> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 321,486 <OTHER-SE> 16,787,869 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 34,622,457 <SALES> 11,553,299 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 21,806,934 <CGS> 14,814,188 <TOTAL-COSTS> 15,868,108 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 <INCOME-PRETAX> 6,460,079 <INCOME-TAX> 2,184,332 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 0 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 4,275,747 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.36 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.36