Systems Administrator - Entry Salary in the United States
How much does a Systems Administrator - Entry make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Systems Administrator - Entry in the United States is $73,670 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.
However, a Systems Administrator - Entry's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $81,980
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $67,290 to $78,020
Key Factors That Influence Systems Administrator - Entry Salaries
A Systems Administrator - Entry'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 Systems Administrator - Entry Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Systems Administrator - Entry'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:
Systems Administrator - Entry (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
Systems Administrator - Entry
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
$73,662Systems A...
$93,835Operating...
$111,123Operating...
$129,117Operating...
$151,735Operating...
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Systems Administrator - Entry 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 Systems Administrator - Entries.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Top Paying Cities for Systems Administrator - Entries
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: $92,910
San Francisco: $91,900
Oakland: $89,960
San Jose, CA$92,910
San Francisco, CA$91,900
Oakland, CA$89,960
New York, NY$84,820
Paramus, NJ$83,790
Queens Village, NY$83,780
Passaic, NJ$83,710
Bergenfield, NJ$83,710
Stamford, CT$83,550
Huntington, NY$83,510
Newark, NJ$82,970
Bridgeport, CT$82,820
Vallejo, CA$82,670
New Brunswick, NJ$82,640
Petaluma, CA$82,590
Middlesex, NJ$82,450
Somerset, NJ$82,400
Santa Cruz, CA$82,310
Boston, MA$81,860
Monterey, CA$81,600
Seattle, WA$81,430
Santa Rosa, CA$81,420
Los Angeles, CA$81,390
Juneau, AK$81,200
Washington, DC$81,120
Orange, CA$80,860
Santa Ana, CA$80,660
Long Beach, CA$80,590
Anaheim, CA$80,580
Anchorage, AK$80,540
Santa Maria, CA$80,320
Everett, WA$80,300
Danbury, CT$80,040
Bremerton, WA$79,940
Tacoma, WA$79,680
New Suffolk, NY$79,680
Sacramento, CA$79,660
Santa Barbara, CA$79,570
Trenton, NJ$79,490
San Diego, CA$79,490
Brockton, MA$79,410
Fairbanks, AK$79,230
Lompoc, CA$79,040
Lowell, MA$78,980
Ventura, CA$78,970
Nashua, NH$78,960
Stockton, CA$78,950
Modesto, CA$78,410
Poughkeepsie, NY$78,250
Olympia, WA$78,110
Kennewick, WA$78,110
New Haven, CT$78,080
Lawrence, MA$77,810
Hartford, CT$77,740
Riverside, CA$77,730
New Bedford, MA$77,650
Richland, WA$77,650
Bakersfield, CA$77,550
San Bernardino, CA$77,520
New Britain, CT$77,510
Atlantic City, NJ$77,510
New London, CT$77,480
Norwich, CT$77,460
Portsmouth, NH$77,450
Boulder, CO$77,290
Portland, OR$77,190
Worcester, MA$77,180
Minneapolis, MN$76,950
Philadelphia, PA$76,850
Honolulu, HI$76,610
Saint Paul, MN$76,570
Vineland, NJ$76,550
Providence, RI$76,340
Chicago, IL$76,130
Bellingham, WA$76,040
Springfield, MA$75,980
Baltimore, MD$75,960
Chico, CA$75,770
Pittsfield, MA$75,570
Manchester, NH$75,430
Spokane, WA$75,110
Denver, CO$75,100
Albany, NY$74,760
Troy, NY$74,730
Nassau, NY$74,650
Schenectady, NY$74,570
Wilmington, DE$74,510
Burlington, VT$74,410
Salem, OR$74,380
Portland, ME$74,150
Yakima, WA$74,080
Rochester, MN$73,850
Reno, NV$73,810
Fresno, CA$73,810
Milwaukee, WI$73,750
Detroit, MI$73,670
Ann Arbor, MI$73,660
Allentown, PA$73,650
Colorado Springs, CO$73,530
Syracuse, NY$73,490
Carson City, NV$73,490
Houston, TX$73,390
Eugene, OR$73,350
Gary, IN$73,260
Springfield, OR$73,200
Bismarck, ND$73,190
Galveston, TX$73,140
Medford, OR$73,030
Fort Collins, CO$73,000
Concord, NH$72,960
Austin, TX$72,940
Mesa, AZ$72,780
Reading, PA$72,780
Phoenix, AZ$72,770
Dallas, TX$72,750
Saint Cloud, MN$72,680
Madison, WI$72,580
Utica, NY$72,380
Rochester, NY$72,260
Des Moines, IA$72,250
Raleigh, NC$72,250
Atlanta, GA$72,130
Battle Creek, MI$72,110
Salt Lake City, UT$72,090
Lancaster, PA$71,980
Harrisburg, PA$71,880
Kansas City, MO$71,800
Champaign, IL$71,790
Kansas City, KS$71,790
Fort Worth, TX$71,780
Columbus, OH$71,770
Boca Raton, FL$71,750
Pittsburgh, PA$71,720
Richmond, VA$71,690
Indianapolis, IN$71,680
Cleveland, OH$71,670
Las Vegas, NV$71,580
Cincinnati, OH$71,580
Petersburg, VA$71,470
Huntsville, AL$71,360
Lansing, MI$71,310
Lebanon, PA$71,300
Pueblo, CO$71,300
Appleton, WI$71,270
Buffalo, NY$71,240
Dayton, OH$71,220
Racine, WI$71,210
Charlotte, NC$71,200
Saint Louis, MO$71,180
York, PA$71,130
Elkhart, IN$71,130
Gastonia, NC$71,120
Billings, MT$71,100
Beaumont, TX$71,080
Lorain, OH$71,070
Benton Harbor, MI$71,050
Toledo, OH$71,040
Binghamton, NY$71,000
Rock Hill, SC$70,990
Rockford, IL$70,960
Springfield, IL$70,930
Elyria, OH$70,920
Fargo, ND$70,920
Flagstaff, AZ$70,870
Fort Lauderdale, FL$70,820
Duluth, MN$70,780
Miami, FL$70,780
Cheyenne, WY$70,730
Grand Forks, ND$70,730
Bangor, ME$70,570
Cedar Rapids, IA$70,480
Durham, NC$70,450
Louisville, KY$70,450
Grand Rapids, MI$70,430
Hialeah, FL$70,430
Casper, WY$70,320
Scranton, PA$70,230
New Orleans, LA$70,210
Virginia Beach, VA$70,200
Akron, OH$70,170
Peoria, IL$70,070
Sarasota, FL$70,060
Nashville, TN$70,010
Omaha, NE$70,010
Green Bay, WI$70,010
Baton Rouge, LA$69,970
Charleston, SC$69,950
Jamestown, NY$69,920
Davenport, IA$69,920
Tucson, AZ$69,880
Saint Petersburg, FL$69,840
Tampa, FL$69,820
Evansville, IN$69,780
Port Arthur, TX$69,780
Bradenton, FL$69,750
Santa Fe, NM$69,620
Orlando, FL$69,480
Clearwater, FL$69,460
Canton, OH$69,310
La Crosse, WI$69,310
Albuquerque, NM$69,260
Newport News, VA$69,250
High Point, NC$69,230
Ogden, UT$69,200
Corpus Christi, TX$69,140
Norfolk, VA$69,100
Laramie, WY$69,100
Rock Island, IL$69,060
Saginaw, MI$69,040
Jacksonville, FL$69,030
Salisbury, NC$69,020
Boise, ID$69,000
Moline, IL$68,970
Fort Myers, FL$68,950
Memphis, TN$68,930
Tulsa, OK$68,890
Waterloo, IA$68,850
Spartanburg, SC$68,780
Lincoln, NE$68,740
Fort Wayne, IN$68,720
Provo, UT$68,720
Cedar Falls, IA$68,630
San Antonio, TX$68,600
Greensboro, NC$68,570
South Bend, IN$68,560
Savannah, GA$68,480
Muskegon, MI$68,450
Birmingham, AL$68,440
Winston Salem, NC$68,410
Lake Charles, LA$68,230
Anderson, IN$68,220
Lexington, KY$68,190
Augusta, GA$68,170
Greenville, SC$68,170
Lima, OH$68,110
Wichita, KS$68,110
Tuscaloosa, AL$68,110
Columbia, SC$68,040
Springfield, OH$68,020
Asheville, NC$67,910
Bloomington, IN$67,860
Knoxville, TN$67,590
Shreveport, LA$67,580
Wilmington, NC$67,490
Roanoke, VA$67,490
Topeka, KS$67,350
Frankfort, KY$67,350
Oklahoma City, OK$67,300
Chillicothe, OH$67,270
Longview, TX$67,260
Melbourne, FL$67,250
Sioux Falls, SD$67,130
Mobile, AL$67,130
Terre Haute, IN$67,100
Altoona, PA$67,050
Amarillo, TX$67,000
Killeen, TX$66,980
Fayetteville, AR$66,920
Chattanooga, TN$66,900
Sioux City, IA$66,830
Idaho Falls, ID$66,820
Lynchburg, VA$66,760
Gainesville, FL$66,660
Portsmouth, OH$66,620
Little Rock, AR$66,610
Lafayette, LA$66,580
Youngstown, OH$66,580
Daytona Beach, FL$66,540
Clarksville, TN$66,530
Pensacola, FL$66,520
Temple, TX$66,520
Hopkinsville, KY$66,300
Erie, PA$66,290
Florence, SC$66,260
Charleston, WV$66,140
Great Falls, MT$66,100
Macon, GA$66,000
Tallahassee, FL$65,990
Fayetteville, NC$65,980
Waco, TX$65,960
Helena, MT$65,910
Pine Bluff, AR$65,880
Vincennes, IN$65,790
Lubbock, TX$65,760
Alamogordo, NM$65,720
Twin Falls, ID$65,650
Rapid City, SD$65,630
Jackson, MS$65,500
Greenville, MS$65,490
Huntington, WV$65,490
Parkersburg, WV$65,420
Montgomery, AL$65,400
Wichita Falls, TX$65,330
Springfield, MO$65,330
Biloxi, MS$65,290
Monroe, LA$65,220
Johnstown, PA$65,170
Sumter, SC$65,140
Columbus, GA$65,130
Pascagoula, MS$64,990
Abilene, TX$64,990
Kingsport, TN$64,800
Albany, GA$64,800
Gulfport, MS$64,780
Alexandria, LA$64,530
Fort Smith, AR$64,350
El Paso, TX$64,150
Las Cruces, NM$63,820
Harlingen, TX$63,630
Pocatello, ID$63,620
Florence, AL$63,520
Brownsville, TX$63,510
Mcallen, TX$63,350
Dothan, AL$63,250
Columbus, MS$62,810
Altus, OK$62,470
Lawton, OK$62,330
Pierre, SD$62,070
What Skills Can Increase a Systems Administrator - Entry'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 a Systems Administrator - Entry'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
$80,300
9%
Cisco
$78,090
6%
AWS
$78,090
6%
VMware
$76,617
4%
Azure
$76,617
4%
Coordination
$76,617
4%
Get Latest Data
Systems Administrator - Entry Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise
Systems Administrator - Entry salary potential scales significantly with company size.
Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $82,469.
While startup companies pay approximate $69,767.
Systems Administrator - Entry Salary by Company Size
Company Size
Employees
Average Salary
Startup
1~50
$69,767
Growth Stage
51~500
$73,787
Established
501~5000
$79,639
Enterprise
5000+
$82,469
Systems Administrator - Entry Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Systems Administrator - Entry 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, Systems Administrator - Entry positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Systems Administrator - Entry as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Systems Administrator - Entry
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$95,771
$46.0
30%
Biotechnology
$89,877
$43.0
22%
Pharmaceuticals
$86,931
$42.0
18%
Internet
$84,720
$41.0
15%
Software & Networking
$84,720
$41.0
15%
Systems Administrator - Entry Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Systems Administrator - Entry'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
$67,290
Average$73,670/year
$78,020
$5,608
Average$6,139/month
$6,502
$1,294
Average$1,417/week
$1,500
$32
Average$35/hour
$38
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$78,020
$6,502
$1,500
$38
Average
$73,670
$6,139
$1,417
$35
25th Percentile
$67,290
$5,608
$1,294
$32
Systems Administrator - Entry Salary Growth & Career Path
Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings.
As a Systems Administrator - Entry, 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.
Systems Administrator - Entry 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
51%
Salaries of jobs related to Systems Administrator - Entry
Salaries for a Systems Administrator - Entry 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 Systems Administrator - Entry salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Systems Administrator - Entry 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 Systems Administrator - Entry
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Systems Administrator - Entry
Here are companies hiring for Systems Administrator - Entry 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 Systems Administrator - Entry
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Systems Administrator - Entry?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Systems Administrator - Entry 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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