What do Network and Computer Systems Administrators Do

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Work Environment

Network and computer systems administrators held about 350,300 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of network and computer systems administrators were as follows:

  • Computer systems design and related services - 19%
  • Educational services; state, local, and private - 10%
  • Information - 10%
  • Finance and insurance - 10%
  • Management of companies and enterprises - 7%

Although many network and computer systems administrators are employed by firms in the computer systems design and related services industry, they work in a variety of settings. Some might administer systems and networks for financial firms, and others work in hospitals or local government offices.

Network and computer systems administrators work with many types of workers, including other IT workers, such as computer support specialists, database administrators, computer network architects, and computer and information systems managers.

Work Schedules

Most network and computer systems administrators work full time. Organizations depend on their computer networks, so administrators may need to work overtime to ensure that the networks are operating properly around the clock.

Job Outlook

Employment of network and computer systems administrators is projected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations.

Despite limited employment growth, about 24,900 openings for network and computer systems administrators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Demand for information technology (IT) workers should continue to grow as firms invest in newer, faster technology and mobile networks. Employment growth also is expected as the use of IT in healthcare increases. However, an increase in cloud computing could raise the productivity of network administrators, slowing their employment growth across many industries.

Earnings

The median annual wage for network and computer systems administrators was $80,600 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $49,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $130,830.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for network and computer systems administrators in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

  • Management of companies and enterprises - $98,320
  • Finance and insurance - $96,860
  • Information - $94,980
  • Computer systems design and related services - $83,760
  • Educational services; state, local, and private - $77,620

Most network and computer systems administrators work full time. Organizations depend on their computer networks, so administrators may need to work overtime to ensure that the networks are operating properly around the clock.

Academic Programs of Interest


Computer and Information Science
Information and Computer Science (ICS) or Computer and Information Science (CIS) is a field that emphasizes both computing and informatics, upholding the strong association between the fields of information sciences and computer sciences and treating computers as a tool rather than a field. Some universities teach computer science as a theoretical study of computation and algorithmic reasoning. These programs often feature the theory of computation,... more
Computer Systems Analysis
Computer programmers design and create software applications. You may analyze, design, develop, test and maintain computer and Internet-based applications. Possibly, you'll write specialized applications or make custom programs to satisfy a user's particular needs. Not all programmers write code all day. You may evaluate the project requirements, participate in design meetings, determine the best solution to a problem or feature, and develop detailed design specifications.... more
Information Technology
Information Technology encompasses many aspects of computing and technology, and the term is more recognizable than ever before. The information technology umbrella can be quite large, covering many fields. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer... more
Network Design and Administration
Network technicians make sure the network hardware and software are operating properly so people in your organization get the information they need when they need it. Using cable, fiber optics or even wireless communication, you connect users to your company's computer system. You will thoroughly understand networking technology for local area networks (LANs), and for connecting to larger networks and the Internet. You learn to... more
Webmaster and Web Management
The Webmaster, also called the system administrator, the author, or the website administrator, is the person responsible for designing, developing, marketing, or maintaining a website. Webmasters are practitioners of web communication. Typically, they are generalists with HTML expertise who manage all aspects of Web operations. On a smaller site, the webmaster will typically be the owner, developer and/or programmer, in addition to the author of... more