Network and computer systems administrators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,640 | $30.11 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $99,130 | $47.66 |
| Mean (average) | $103,680 | $49.85 |
| 90th percentile | $155,050 | $74.55 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Network and computer systems administrators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $81,400 | $51,690 | $135,080 | 5,040 | 1.18 |
| Alaska | $97,500 | $68,530 | $122,410 | 920 | 1.39 |
| Arizona | $90,280 | $63,210 | $137,670 | 5,810 | 0.89 |
| Arkansas | $81,590 | $52,190 | $131,140 | 1,750 | 0.66 |
| California | $106,440 | $72,400 | $166,730 | 26,170 | 0.71 |
| Colorado | $103,370 | $74,110 | $155,050 | 8,360 | 1.44 |
| Connecticut | $105,880 | $69,930 | $161,450 | 2,170 | 0.63 |
| Delaware | $94,200 | $60,530 | $144,570 | 850 | 0.87 |
| District of Columbia | $110,970 | $80,850 | $150,580 | 1,320 | 0.93 |
| Florida | $95,200 | $59,340 | $143,140 | 26,890 | 1.34 |
| Georgia | $97,170 | $62,470 | $148,700 | 9,190 | 0.93 |
| Guam | $59,820 | $38,600 | $93,090 | 90 | 0.64 |
| Hawaii | $101,450 | $72,230 | $145,790 | 1,490 | 1.17 |
| Idaho | $91,880 | $62,970 | $133,460 | 1,010 | 0.58 |
| Illinois | $100,080 | $65,650 | $157,800 | 9,820 | 0.8 |
| Indiana | $84,550 | $58,630 | $128,670 | 4,310 | 0.67 |
| Iowa | $84,500 | $59,800 | $130,530 | 3,110 | 0.99 |
| Kansas | $83,340 | $58,720 | $129,910 | 4,100 | 1.41 |
| Kentucky | $87,020 | $55,920 | $171,770 | 2,800 | 0.69 |
| Louisiana | $90,160 | $60,200 | $131,910 | 1,790 | 0.46 |
| Maine | $83,890 | $61,530 | $121,430 | 920 | 0.71 |
| Maryland | $118,290 | $71,990 | $177,720 | 9,230 | 1.65 |
| Massachusetts | $110,980 | $76,750 | $168,910 | 8,270 | 1.13 |
| Michigan | $92,750 | $63,100 | $133,900 | 6,900 | 0.78 |
| Minnesota | $101,870 | $69,360 | $152,760 | 4,550 | 0.76 |
| Mississippi | $79,990 | $51,410 | $136,950 | 1,380 | 0.58 |
| Missouri | $80,870 | $52,190 | $129,610 | 5,810 | 0.98 |
| Montana | $80,950 | $60,890 | $108,290 | 850 | 0.82 |
| Nebraska | $84,700 | $57,350 | $136,810 | 1,560 | 0.75 |
| Nevada | $103,440 | $63,640 | $150,020 | 1,980 | 0.63 |
| New Hampshire | $100,230 | $73,470 | $135,240 | 1,660 | 1.21 |
| New Jersey | $116,420 | $73,990 | $166,690 | 9,280 | 1.07 |
| New Mexico | $90,790 | $64,100 | $125,580 | 1,220 | 0.69 |
| New York | $105,810 | $69,930 | $166,810 | 18,220 | 0.93 |
| North Carolina | $95,230 | $50,680 | $149,650 | 13,850 | 1.39 |
| North Dakota | $86,450 | $60,980 | $120,650 | 930 | 1.08 |
| Ohio | $97,570 | $62,170 | $143,780 | 15,130 | 1.35 |
| Oklahoma | $83,990 | $59,460 | $135,420 | 2,580 | 0.75 |
| Oregon | $102,000 | $72,790 | $138,210 | 4,880 | 1.23 |
| Pennsylvania | $86,140 | $61,380 | $130,160 | 7,750 | 0.63 |
| Puerto Rico | $54,200 | $36,150 | $90,710 | 890 | 0.47 |
| Rhode Island | $103,100 | $71,200 | $154,790 | 1,060 | 1.05 |
| South Carolina | $92,520 | $63,310 | $151,210 | 3,580 | 0.77 |
| South Dakota | $75,010 | $56,640 | $107,240 | 1,690 | 1.83 |
| Tennessee | $88,100 | $60,530 | $128,920 | 5,070 | 0.77 |
| Texas | $101,240 | $63,650 | $155,430 | 34,840 | 1.22 |
| Utah | $95,820 | $64,280 | $141,010 | 2,050 | 0.58 |
| Vermont | $86,020 | $66,060 | $117,460 | 560 | 0.92 |
| Virginia | $109,610 | $69,580 | $170,110 | 12,430 | 1.5 |
| Washington | $103,910 | $67,500 | $154,620 | 8,600 | 1.2 |
| West Virginia | $74,490 | $53,640 | $112,410 | 1,510 | 1.06 |
| Wisconsin | $83,650 | $58,950 | $128,580 | 8,470 | 1.42 |
| Wyoming | $75,220 | $52,760 | $109,860 | 610 | 1.08 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for network and computer systems administrators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 13,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for network and computer systems administrators
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Computer and Information Sciences, General CIP 11.0101
- Network and System Administration/Administrator CIP 11.1001
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance CIP 11.1003
Licenses and certifications
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Cisco Certified Network Associate
Cisco
CompTIA A+
CompTIA
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA
Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
Google Cloud
Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
Microsoft
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Plan, coordinate, and implement network security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
- Perform data backups and disaster recovery operations.
- Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, or other network and system problems, and replace defective components when necessary.
- Maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations.
- Configure, monitor, and maintain email applications or virus protection software.
- Confer with network users about solutions to existing system problems.
- Operate master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks and to coordinate computer network access and use.
- Maintain logs related to network functions, as well as maintenance and repair records.
Technology skills
- Amazon Web Services AWS software (in demand)
- Ansible software (in demand)
- Bash (in demand)
- Linux (in demand)
- Microsoft Active Directory (in demand)
- Microsoft Azure software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerShell (in demand)
- Microsoft SharePoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Windows Server (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (in demand)
- ServiceNow (in demand)
- Structured query language SQL (in demand)
Transferable skills for career changers: Troubleshooting, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Complex Problem Solving, Programming.
Common job titles: LAN Administrator (Local Area Network Administrator), LAN Specialist (Local Area Network Specialist), Network Administrator (Network Admin), Network Analyst, Network Coordinator, Network Engineer, Network Manager, Network Specialist, Systems Engineer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do network and computer systems administrators make?
The national median annual wage for network and computer systems administrators was $99,130 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $62,640 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $155,050. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do network and computer systems administrators need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is network and computer systems administrators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of network and computer systems administrators to change -4.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 13,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay network and computer systems administrators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Maryland ($118,290), New Jersey ($116,420), Massachusetts ($110,980). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.