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Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Install, configure, and maintain an organization's local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers. Perform system monitoring and verify the integrity and availability of hardware, network, and server resources and systems. Review system and application logs and verify completion of scheduled jobs, including system backups. Analyze network and server resource consumption and control user access. Install and upgrade software and maintain software licenses. May assist in network modeling, analysis, planning, and coordination between network and data communications hardware and software.

SOC: 15-1244.00

Common Job Titles

  • Information Technology Specialist (IT Specialist)
  • Local Area Network Administrator (LAN Administrator)
  • Network Administrator
  • Systems Administrator

What You'll Need to Succeed

AI-generated

Key competencies for this occupation at a glance

  • KnowledgeDesign network architecture and infrastructure solutions coordinating between hardware and software requirements for organizational scalability.
  • KnowledgeDevelop automation scripts and system configuration tools using PowerShell, Python, Bash, and Ansible to streamline administrative tasks.
  • Hands-onConfigure local area networks, wide area networks, and virtual servers using network switches, load balancers, and RAID systems to ensure optimal performance.
  • KnowledgeAnalyze network and server resource consumption patterns using protocol analyzers and network monitoring tools to optimize system performance.
  • KnowledgeEvaluate system and application logs for security threats and performance issues working independently to verify integrity and availability of hardware and network resources.
  • KnowledgeDiagnose complex network and server failures using network analyzers and diagnostic tools under time-critical conditions.
  • Hands-onOperate virtualization platforms and cloud computing environments using VMware, AWS, and Microsoft Azure to maintain physical and virtual servers.
  • KnowledgeApply security controls and access management policies implementing firewall configurations, VPN protocols, and Active Directory to control user access.
  • MindsetPrioritize competing system maintenance and upgrade requests balancing organizational needs with resource constraints and regulatory compliance requirements.
  • Hands-onExecute system backups and disaster recovery procedures following established protocols using tape libraries and backup software.
  • MindsetSupport end users and technical teams during system outages and technical issues demonstrating service orientation while communicating with interdisciplinary stakeholders.
  • Hands-onCalibrate network performance monitoring systems using SNMP, SolarWinds, and Splunk Enterprise to establish baseline metrics.

Wage Data According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Annual wage data for Network and Computer Systems Administrators (2024)

Estimated Total Employment (U.S.)

318,570

Wage Distribution by Percentile

Line chart of annual wages by percentile. U.S. is the solid line. 10th percentile: U.S. $60,320. 25th percentile: U.S. $75,860. 50th percentile: U.S. $96,800. 75th percentile: U.S. $123,390. 90th percentile: U.S. $150,320. Use the left and right arrow keys to move between percentiles.

  • U.S.
MetricU.S.
10% of workers earn the following or less$60,320
10% of workers earn the following or more$150,320
Workers on average earn$101,190

+ indicates wage is at or above the BLS reporting cap ($239,200/year)

Skills & Requirements

Key competencies for this occupation, ranked by importance

  • Computers and Electronics4.9/5
  • English Language3.8/5
  • Customer and Personal Service3.6/5
  • Engineering and Technology3.6/5
  • Telecommunications3.2/5
Skills & Requirements: Knowledge

Tools & Technology

Equipment and software commonly used in this occupation

In-Demand Technology

Frequently requested by employers in job postings

  • AJAX
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Amazon DynamoDB
  • Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2
  • Amazon Redshift
  • Amazon Simple Storage Service S3
  • Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation
  • Amazon Web Services AWS software
  • Ansible software
  • Apache Cassandra
  • Apache Hadoop
  • Apache Hive
  • Apache Kafka
  • Apache Maven
  • Apache Spark
  • Apache Subversion SVN
  • Apache Tomcat
  • Apple macOS
  • Atlassian Confluence
  • Atlassian JIRA
  • Bash
  • Border Gateway Protocol BGP
  • C
  • C#
  • C++
  • Chef
  • Cisco Webex
  • Django
  • Docker
  • Drupal
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Eclipse IDE
  • Elasticsearch
  • Epic Systems
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • Git
  • GitHub
  • Go
  • Hibernate ORM
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • JavaScript
  • JavaScript Object Notation JSON
  • Linux
  • Marketo Marketing Automation
  • Microsoft .NET Framework
  • Microsoft ASP.NET
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Active Directory
  • Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
  • Microsoft Azure software
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft PowerShell
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services SSIS
  • Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Microsoft Visual Basic
  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA
  • Microsoft Visual Studio
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Windows Server
  • MongoDB
  • MySQL
  • NoSQL
  • Node.js
  • Oracle Database
  • Oracle Java
  • Oracle PL/SQL
  • Oracle PeopleSoft
  • Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
  • PHP
  • Perl
  • PostgreSQL
  • Puppet
  • Python
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Red Hat OpenShift
  • Ruby
  • SAP software
  • SAS
  • ServiceNow
  • Shell script
  • Splunk Enterprise
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Swift
  • Tableau
  • Teradata Database
  • Transact-SQL
  • UNIX
  • UNIX Shell
  • jQuery

Technology Skills

  • Access management software
  • Active directory software
  • Adexa eGPS Suite
  • Adobe ActionScript
  • Adobe Dreamweaver
  • Advanced business application programming ABAP
  • Apache Ant
  • Apache Groovy
Tools & Technology: Technology Skills

Tools & Equipment

  • Asynchronous transfer mode ATM analyzers
  • Bit error rate testers BERT
  • Cable verifiers
  • Communications analyzers
  • Computer tool kits
  • Desktop computers
  • Load balancers
  • Mainframe computers
Tools & Technology: Tools & Equipment