Systems Administrator Salary Guide

The role of the systems administrator is to make sure that everyone’s computer is updated as needed. These upgrades include software installation and patch downloads as well as hardware maintenance. The systems administrator also works to ensure that local and wide networks stay up and running. Because of the nature of the job, systems administrators often have to be on-call on nights or weekends to correct any major problems that arise. A final component of the system administrator’s job is to make sure that a company’s computer network uses the best system to keep all of the computers running well. Knowing how to connect the computers and what software and hardware will best benefit the particular company is part of the administrator’s job.

 

Systems administrators overall are well-paid, but they are not among the highest-paid workers in the information technology field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average pay in 2008 for systems administrators was $61,310 with the range two standard deviations outside the average being $51,690 to $104,070. The biggest factors influencing the salary of a specific systems administrator include the education, length of service, certification, and company for which the person works.

 

 

Systems administrators with bachelor’s degrees make the most money, especially early in one’s career. People who work as systems administrators without a bachelor’s degree often start as computer support specialists, or tech support workers. These jobs typically pay above minimum wage but only by 20 percent or so. People who do well in this field are then able to advance to higher levels within tech support until they are able to move into systems administrator jobs.

 

Aspiring systems administrators who have a bachelor’s degree often can bypass some of the legwork required to prove one’s tech knowledge. These people, who typically have degrees in computer science, information management or similar fields, can begin as assistants to systems administrators or by doing hands-on support work for networked computers. Moving into management of a company’s information technology infrastructure typically requires several years of work.

 

 

As with any field, the length of time one works as a systems administrator affects that person’s pay. A Payscale.com survey of systems administrator salaries shows that newly-minted SAs may make less than $40,000 per year, though this figure rises fairly rapidly in the first few years. By two years on the job in a full systems administrator capacity, Salary.com reports average pay around $71,000.

 

 

Should one want to advance in the field, getting certification is the best way to do so. Some vendor-specific certifications, such as the array of CISCO training programs available, will allow systems administrators to earn more money because they have greater proof of the depth of their knowledge. Someone working as a systems administrator who would like to move beyond that job to general IT management or Chief Technical Officer of a large corporation should consider pursuing a master’s degree in addition to technical certifications.

 

 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting reveals that the highest median wages went to systems administrators who worked in the private sector managing all of a company’s systems' needs. The median pay for these systems administrators was $70,680 while SAs who worked for computer design firms made slightly less at $70,490. Systems administrators who worked in education made the least with people who worked for elementary and secondary schools earning a median wage of $56,320, or about 20 percent less pay.

 

 At the higher ends of the field, some systems administrators can make six-figure salaries, though this pay range is less likely for SAs as for other technology workers, such as applications architects or programmers. Systems administrators who hope to climb to the heights of industry pay should prepare to become experts in security and be able to provide cutting-edge solutions to a company’s problems. Aspiring network administrators who want to earn more money also will need to accept that they will have more weekend and evening hours. Workplaces, such as hospitals, need their computers online all of the time, and systems administrators who work at those locations must be available to handle emergency situations efficiently and effectively. The career overall, however, is highly stable with solid pay and excellent job prospects for qualified systems administrators.