Operating Systems Administrator I Salary in the United States
How much does an Operating Systems Administrator I make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Operating Systems Administrator I in the United States is $73,700 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.
However, an Operating Systems Administrator I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,106
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $67,300 to $78,100
Key Factors That Influence Operating Systems Administrator I Salaries
An Operating Systems Administrator I's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Operating Systems Administrator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Operating Systems Administrator I's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Operating Systems Administrator I (0-2 years): $73,662
Operating Systems Administrator II (2-4 years): $93,835
Operating Systems Administrator III (4-7 years): $111,123
Operating Systems Administrator IV (7+ years): $129,117
Operating Systems Administrator V (7-10 years): $151,735
Job Role
Years of Experience
Average Salary
Operating Systems Administrator I
0-2 years
$73,662
Operating Systems Administrator II
2-4 years
$93,835
Operating Systems Administrator III
4-7 years
$111,123
Operating Systems Administrator IV
7+ years
$129,117
Operating Systems Administrator V
7-10 years
$151,735
$73,662Operating...
$93,835Operating...
$111,123Operating...
$129,117Operating...
$151,735Operating...
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Operating Systems Administrator I Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Operating Systems Administrator Is.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Top Paying Cities for Operating Systems Administrator Is
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $93,000
San Francisco: $91,900
Oakland: $90,000
San Jose, CA$93,000
San Francisco, CA$91,900
Oakland, CA$90,000
New York, NY$84,900
Paramus, NJ$83,800
Queens Village, NY$83,800
Passaic, NJ$83,800
Bergenfield, NJ$83,800
Huntington, NY$83,600
Stamford, CT$83,600
Newark, NJ$83,000
Bridgeport, CT$82,900
Vallejo, CA$82,700
New Brunswick, NJ$82,700
Petaluma, CA$82,600
Middlesex, NJ$82,500
Santa Cruz, CA$82,400
Somerset, NJ$82,400
Boston, MA$81,900
Monterey, CA$81,600
Seattle, WA$81,500
Santa Rosa, CA$81,500
Los Angeles, CA$81,400
Juneau, AK$81,200
Washington, DC$81,200
Orange, CA$80,900
Santa Ana, CA$80,700
Anaheim, CA$80,600
Anchorage, AK$80,600
Long Beach, CA$80,600
Santa Maria, CA$80,400
Everett, WA$80,300
Danbury, CT$80,100
Bremerton, WA$80,000
Tacoma, WA$79,700
New Suffolk, NY$79,700
Sacramento, CA$79,700
Santa Barbara, CA$79,600
Brockton, MA$79,500
Trenton, NJ$79,500
San Diego, CA$79,500
Fairbanks, AK$79,300
Lompoc, CA$79,100
Lowell, MA$79,000
Ventura, CA$79,000
Nashua, NH$79,000
Stockton, CA$79,000
Modesto, CA$78,500
Poughkeepsie, NY$78,300
Olympia, WA$78,200
Kennewick, WA$78,200
New Haven, CT$78,100
Lawrence, MA$77,900
Hartford, CT$77,800
Riverside, CA$77,800
New Bedford, MA$77,700
Richland, WA$77,700
Atlantic City, NJ$77,600
New Britain, CT$77,600
Bakersfield, CA$77,600
San Bernardino, CA$77,600
New London, CT$77,500
Norwich, CT$77,500
Portsmouth, NH$77,500
Boulder, CO$77,300
Portland, OR$77,200
Worcester, MA$77,200
Minneapolis, MN$77,000
Philadelphia, PA$76,900
Honolulu, HI$76,700
Saint Paul, MN$76,600
Vineland, NJ$76,600
Providence, RI$76,400
Chicago, IL$76,200
Bellingham, WA$76,100
Springfield, MA$76,000
Baltimore, MD$76,000
Chico, CA$75,800
Pittsfield, MA$75,600
Manchester, NH$75,500
Spokane, WA$75,200
Denver, CO$75,100
Albany, NY$74,800
Troy, NY$74,800
Nassau, NY$74,700
Schenectady, NY$74,600
Wilmington, DE$74,600
Burlington, VT$74,500
Salem, OR$74,400
Portland, ME$74,200
Yakima, WA$74,100
Rochester, MN$73,900
Reno, NV$73,900
Fresno, CA$73,900
Milwaukee, WI$73,800
Detroit, MI$73,700
Ann Arbor, MI$73,700
Allentown, PA$73,700
Colorado Springs, CO$73,600
Carson City, NV$73,500
Syracuse, NY$73,500
Houston, TX$73,400
Eugene, OR$73,400
Gary, IN$73,300
Springfield, OR$73,200
Bismarck, ND$73,200
Galveston, TX$73,200
Medford, OR$73,100
Austin, TX$73,000
Concord, NH$73,000
Fort Collins, CO$73,000
Mesa, AZ$72,800
Reading, PA$72,800
Phoenix, AZ$72,800
Dallas, TX$72,800
Saint Cloud, MN$72,700
Madison, WI$72,600
Utica, NY$72,400
Raleigh, NC$72,300
Des Moines, IA$72,300
Rochester, NY$72,300
Atlanta, GA$72,200
Battle Creek, MI$72,200
Salt Lake City, UT$72,100
Lancaster, PA$72,000
Harrisburg, PA$71,900
Pittsburgh, PA$71,800
Boca Raton, FL$71,800
Columbus, OH$71,800
Fort Worth, TX$71,800
Champaign, IL$71,800
Kansas City, KS$71,800
Kansas City, MO$71,800
Richmond, VA$71,700
Indianapolis, IN$71,700
Cleveland, OH$71,700
Las Vegas, NV$71,600
Cincinnati, OH$71,600
Petersburg, VA$71,500
Lansing, MI$71,400
Huntsville, AL$71,400
Lebanon, PA$71,300
Pueblo, CO$71,300
Appleton, WI$71,300
Buffalo, NY$71,300
Dayton, OH$71,300
Racine, WI$71,300
Gastonia, NC$71,200
York, PA$71,200
Elkhart, IN$71,200
Charlotte, NC$71,200
Saint Louis, MO$71,200
Billings, MT$71,100
Beaumont, TX$71,100
Lorain, OH$71,100
Benton Harbor, MI$71,100
Toledo, OH$71,100
Elyria, OH$71,000
Fargo, ND$71,000
Springfield, IL$71,000
Rock Hill, SC$71,000
Rockford, IL$71,000
Binghamton, NY$71,000
Flagstaff, AZ$70,900
Fort Lauderdale, FL$70,900
Duluth, MN$70,800
Miami, FL$70,800
Grand Forks, ND$70,800
Cheyenne, WY$70,800
Bangor, ME$70,600
Cedar Rapids, IA$70,500
Durham, NC$70,500
Louisville, KY$70,500
Grand Rapids, MI$70,500
Hialeah, FL$70,500
Casper, WY$70,400
Scranton, PA$70,300
New Orleans, LA$70,300
Akron, OH$70,200
Virginia Beach, VA$70,200
Peoria, IL$70,100
Sarasota, FL$70,100
Nashville, TN$70,100
Omaha, NE$70,100
Green Bay, WI$70,100
Jamestown, NY$70,000
Davenport, IA$70,000
Baton Rouge, LA$70,000
Charleston, SC$70,000
Tucson, AZ$69,900
Saint Petersburg, FL$69,900
Tampa, FL$69,900
Bradenton, FL$69,800
Evansville, IN$69,800
Port Arthur, TX$69,800
Santa Fe, NM$69,700
Orlando, FL$69,500
Clearwater, FL$69,500
Canton, OH$69,400
La Crosse, WI$69,400
Albuquerque, NM$69,300
Newport News, VA$69,300
High Point, NC$69,300
Ogden, UT$69,200
Corpus Christi, TX$69,200
Salisbury, NC$69,100
Jacksonville, FL$69,100
Saginaw, MI$69,100
Laramie, WY$69,100
Norfolk, VA$69,100
Rock Island, IL$69,100
Boise, ID$69,000
Moline, IL$69,000
Fort Myers, FL$69,000
Memphis, TN$69,000
Tulsa, OK$68,900
Waterloo, IA$68,900
Provo, UT$68,800
Lincoln, NE$68,800
Spartanburg, SC$68,800
Fort Wayne, IN$68,800
Cedar Falls, IA$68,700
San Antonio, TX$68,600
Greensboro, NC$68,600
South Bend, IN$68,600
Winston Salem, NC$68,500
Savannah, GA$68,500
Muskegon, MI$68,500
Birmingham, AL$68,500
Lake Charles, LA$68,300
Anderson, IN$68,300
Lima, OH$68,200
Greenville, SC$68,200
Wichita, KS$68,200
Lexington, KY$68,200
Augusta, GA$68,200
Tuscaloosa, AL$68,200
Columbia, SC$68,100
Springfield, OH$68,100
Asheville, NC$68,000
Bloomington, IN$67,900
Knoxville, TN$67,600
Shreveport, LA$67,600
Wilmington, NC$67,500
Roanoke, VA$67,500
Topeka, KS$67,400
Frankfort, KY$67,400
Melbourne, FL$67,300
Longview, TX$67,300
Oklahoma City, OK$67,300
Chillicothe, OH$67,300
Sioux Falls, SD$67,200
Mobile, AL$67,200
Terre Haute, IN$67,100
Altoona, PA$67,100
Fayetteville, AR$67,000
Amarillo, TX$67,000
Killeen, TX$67,000
Idaho Falls, ID$66,900
Chattanooga, TN$66,900
Sioux City, IA$66,900
Lynchburg, VA$66,800
Gainesville, FL$66,700
Portsmouth, OH$66,700
Little Rock, AR$66,700
Clarksville, TN$66,600
Lafayette, LA$66,600
Youngstown, OH$66,600
Daytona Beach, FL$66,600
Pensacola, FL$66,600
Temple, TX$66,600
Hopkinsville, KY$66,300
Erie, PA$66,300
Florence, SC$66,300
Charleston, WV$66,200
Great Falls, MT$66,100
Helena, MT$66,000
Waco, TX$66,000
Tallahassee, FL$66,000
Fayetteville, NC$66,000
Macon, GA$66,000
Pine Bluff, AR$65,900
Vincennes, IN$65,800
Lubbock, TX$65,800
Alamogordo, NM$65,800
Twin Falls, ID$65,700
Rapid City, SD$65,700
Parkersburg, WV$65,500
Greenville, MS$65,500
Huntington, WV$65,500
Jackson, MS$65,500
Montgomery, AL$65,400
Wichita Falls, TX$65,400
Springfield, MO$65,400
Biloxi, MS$65,300
Monroe, LA$65,300
Columbus, GA$65,200
Sumter, SC$65,200
Johnstown, PA$65,200
Pascagoula, MS$65,000
Abilene, TX$65,000
Kingsport, TN$64,800
Albany, GA$64,800
Gulfport, MS$64,800
Alexandria, LA$64,600
Fort Smith, AR$64,400
El Paso, TX$64,200
Las Cruces, NM$63,900
Harlingen, TX$63,700
Pocatello, ID$63,700
Florence, AL$63,600
Brownsville, TX$63,600
Mcallen, TX$63,400
Dothan, AL$63,300
Columbus, MS$62,900
Altus, OK$62,500
Lawton, OK$62,400
Pierre, SD$62,100
What Skills Can Increase an Operating Systems Administrator I's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 6.75% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Azure (Mentioned in 2.62% Job Postings): Microsoft Azure, often referred to as Azure, is a cloud computing service operated by Microsoft for application management via Microsoft-managed data centers.
Cisco (Mentioned in 1.75% Job Postings): Cisco Systems, Inc., commonly known as Cisco, is an American-based multinational technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting
6.75%
Azure
2.62%
Cisco
1.75%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Operating Systems Administrator I's salary.
Long Term Care: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Cisco: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
AWS: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Long Term Care
$80,333
9%
Cisco
$78,122
6%
AWS
$78,122
6%
VMware
$76,648
4%
Azure
$76,648
4%
Coordination
$76,648
4%
Get Latest Data
Operating Systems Administrator I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Operating Systems Administrator I salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $82,503.
While startup companies pay approximate $69,796.
Operating Systems Administrator I Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$69,796
Growth Stage
51~500
$73,817
Established
501~5000
$79,671
Enterprise
5000+
$82,503
Operating Systems Administrator I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Operating Systems Administrator I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Biotechnology
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Operating Systems Administrator positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Operating Systems Administrator I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an Operating Systems Administrator I
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$95,810
$46.0
30%
Biotechnology
$89,914
$43.0
22%
Pharmaceuticals
$86,966
$42.0
18%
Internet
$84,755
$41.0
15%
Software & Networking
$84,755
$41.0
15%
Operating Systems Administrator I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Operating Systems Administrator I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$67,300
Average$73,700/year
$78,100
$5,608
Average$6,142/month
$6,508
$1,294
Average$1,417/week
$1,502
$32
Average$35/hour
$38
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$78,100
$6,508
$1,502
$38
Average
$73,700
$6,142
$1,417
$35
25th Percentile
$67,300
$5,608
$1,294
$32
Operating Systems Administrator I Salary Growth & Career Path
Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings.
As an Operating Systems Administrator I, you have the following paths for advancement.
The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles.
By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.
Operating Systems Administrator I Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role
Estimate Salary
Projected Raise
Linux- Red Hat Administration
$93,900
27%
Email Server Administrator
$99,300
35%
Operating Systems Administrator II
$93,900
27%
Systems Administrator - Intermediate - UNIX
$110,900
50%
Salaries of jobs related to Operating Systems Administrator I
Salary Trends for Operating Systems Administrator I
Salaries for an Operating Systems Administrator I can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $64,354 in 2023
to around $63,342 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Operating Systems Administrator I salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Operating Systems Administrator I Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$64,354
2024
$63,587
2025
$63,342
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$64,354
2024
$63,587
2025
$63,342
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Operating Systems Administrator I
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Operating Systems Administrator I
Here are companies hiring for Operating Systems Administrator I and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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FAQ about Operating Systems Administrator I
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Operating Systems Administrator I?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Operating Systems Administrator I roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
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