What are the main factors that influence a Linux Administrator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Linux Administrator's salary?

A Linux Administrator's salary grows with experience: starting around $79,309 for beginners, reaching about $81,065 at mid-level, and approach $83,808 for experts.

What are the highest paying cities for a Linux Administrator?

Linux Administrator salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in Virginia for Linux Administrator roles are San Jose $118,360, San Francisco $117,197, Oakland $114,597.

How much do different types of Linux Administrator roles make?

Salaries for Linux Administrator level roles vary by specialization: Senior Linux Administrator: $96,565; Senior Linux System Administrator: $96,076; Senior Linux Systems Administrator: $95,592; Linux Operating Systems Administrator: $93,890; Linux Systems Administrator: $93,840.

What specialized skills increase a Linux Administrator's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Cisco (up to 3% premium), Collaboration (up to 3% premium), Risk Management (up to 3% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Linux Administrator Salary in Birchleaf, VA

How much does a Linux Administrator make in Birchleaf, VA?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Linux Administrator in Birchleaf, VA is $81,885 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

However, a Linux Administrator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $88,920
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,040 to $85,567
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $66,898

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Linux Administrator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$85,567	$7,131	$1,646	$41
Average	$81,885	$6,824	$1,575	$39
25th Percentile	$74,040	$6,170	$1,424	$36

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Check out Linux Administrator Job Openings in Birchleaf, VA

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Bowhead / UIC Technical Services - Dahlgren, VA

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Key Factors That Influence Linux Administrator Salaries

A Linux Administrator'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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Linux Administrator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Linux Administrator'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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $79,309
Early Career (1-2 years): $79,543
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $81,065
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $83,259
Expert (over 8 years): $83,808

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Linux Administrator	$79,309
Intermediate Level Linux Administrator	$79,543
Senior Level Linux Administrator	$81,065
Specialist Level Linux Administrator	$83,259
Expert Level Linux Administrator	$83,808

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Linux Administrators

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: $118,360
San Francisco: $117,197
Oakland: $114,597

San Jose, CA $118,360

San Francisco, CA $117,197

Oakland, CA $114,597

New York, NY $108,751

Queens Village, NY $108,047

Paramus, NJ $107,297

Passaic, NJ $107,203

Bergenfield, NJ $107,109

Stamford, CT $106,968

Huntington, NY $106,874

Newark, NJ $106,264

Bridgeport, CT $106,077

New Brunswick, NJ $105,767

Vallejo, CA $105,570

Middlesex, NJ $105,514

Somerset, NJ $105,429

Petaluma, CA $105,213

Santa Cruz, CA $104,847

Boston, MA $104,660

Monterey, CA $104,191

Fairbanks, AK $104,125

Los Angeles, CA $103,947

Washington, DC $103,900

Seattle, WA $103,731

Santa Rosa, CA $103,712

Juneau, AK $103,440

Orange, CA $103,130

Anchorage, AK $102,961

Anaheim, CA $102,896

Santa Ana, CA $102,755

Nassau, NY $102,698

Long Beach, CA $102,661

Danbury, CT $102,633

Santa Maria, CA $102,314

Everett, WA $102,295

Bremerton, WA $101,835

Trenton, NJ $101,657

Sacramento, CA $101,619

San Diego, CA $101,572

Brockton, MA $101,535

Tacoma, WA $101,497

Santa Barbara, CA $101,366

Lowell, MA $100,991

New Suffolk, NY $100,953

Nashua, NH $100,840

Lompoc, CA $100,690

Ventura, CA $100,596

Stockton, CA $100,568

New Haven, CT $100,381

Atlantic City, NJ $100,137

Hartford, CT $99,930

Modesto, CA $99,883

Poughkeepsie, NY $99,677

New Britain, CT $99,630

Olympia, WA $99,499

Kennewick, WA $99,499

New London, CT $99,480

Norwich, CT $99,452

Lawrence, MA $99,405

Bakersfield, CA $99,142

Riverside, CA $99,011

New Bedford, MA $99,011

Richland, WA $98,917

Portsmouth, NH $98,842

Vineland, NJ $98,823

San Bernardino, CA $98,748

Boulder, CO $98,485

Worcester, MA $98,410

Portland, OR $98,326

Saint Paul, MN $98,213

Minneapolis, MN $98,213

Philadelphia, PA $98,082

Honolulu, HI $97,584

Springfield, MA $97,256

Providence, RI $97,246

Chicago, IL $96,974

Bellingham, WA $96,862

Baltimore, MD $96,758

Chico, CA $96,524

Wilmington, DE $96,364

Pittsfield, MA $96,270

Manchester, NH $96,092

Spokane, WA $95,679

Denver, CO $95,670

Albany, NY $95,229

Troy, NY $95,191

Schenectady, NY $94,994

Burlington, VT $94,788

Portland, ME $94,459

Salem, OR $94,384

Yakima, WA $94,366

Ann Arbor, MI $94,337

Rochester, MN $94,075

Fresno, CA $94,028

Reno, NV $94,028

Milwaukee, WI $93,943

Detroit, MI $93,849

Allentown, PA $93,821

Carson City, NV $93,812

Houston, TX $93,671

Colorado Springs, CO $93,662

Syracuse, NY $93,615

Eugene, OR $93,436

Bismarck, ND $93,324

Gary, IN $93,324

Galveston, TX $93,324

Springfield, OR $93,249

Medford, OR $93,024

Fort Collins, CO $92,986

Austin, TX $92,911

Mesa, AZ $92,714

Phoenix, AZ $92,695

Dallas, TX $92,667

Reading, PA $92,611

Saint Cloud, MN $92,573

Concord, NH $92,489

Madison, WI $92,451

Utica, NY $92,198

Raleigh, NC $92,123

Las Vegas, NV $92,113

Rochester, NY $92,048

Des Moines, IA $92,038

Atlanta, GA $91,888

Battle Creek, MI $91,860

Salt Lake City, UT $91,832

Lancaster, PA $91,691

Champaign, IL $91,672

Harrisburg, PA $91,560

Durham, NC $91,475

Kansas City, MO $91,466

Kansas City, KS $91,447

Fort Worth, TX $91,438

Boca Raton, FL $91,400

Cleveland, OH $91,391

Columbus, OH $91,372

Pittsburgh, PA $91,363

Richmond, VA $91,325

Indianapolis, IN $91,306

Cincinnati, OH $91,184

Petersburg, VA $91,044

Billings, MT $90,837

Lansing, MI $90,837

Huntsville, AL $90,837

Lebanon, PA $90,828

Dayton, OH $90,818

Pueblo, CO $90,818

Appleton, WI $90,790

Buffalo, NY $90,753

Racine, WI $90,706

Charlotte, NC $90,696

Saint Louis, MO $90,668

Springfield, IL $90,631

Elkhart, IN $90,612

York, PA $90,612

Gastonia, NC $90,603

Benton Harbor, MI $90,603

Beaumont, TX $90,546

Lorain, OH $90,527

Toledo, OH $90,490

Binghamton, NY $90,443

Rock Hill, SC $90,434

Rockford, IL $90,387

Fargo, ND $90,340

Elyria, OH $90,340

Flagstaff, AZ $90,274

Fort Lauderdale, FL $90,218

Miami, FL $90,161

Duluth, MN $90,011

Bangor, ME $89,889

Cedar Rapids, IA $89,786

Louisville, KY $89,739

Grand Rapids, MI $89,720

Hialeah, FL $89,711

Casper, WY $89,580

Scranton, PA $89,467

New Orleans, LA $89,439

Virginia Beach, VA $89,430

Akron, OH $89,383

Peoria, IL $89,261

Sarasota, FL $89,242

Green Bay, WI $89,176

Baton Rouge, LA $89,129

Charleston, SC $89,110

Nashville, TN $89,082

Jamestown, NY $89,064

Davenport, IA $89,064

Tucson, AZ $89,017

Cheyenne, WY $88,988

Saint Petersburg, FL $88,960

Tampa, FL $88,942

Omaha, NE $88,923

Port Arthur, TX $88,885

Evansville, IN $88,885

Bradenton, FL $88,848

Santa Fe, NM $88,679

Orlando, FL $88,585

Clearwater, FL $88,482

Canton, OH $88,285

La Crosse, WI $88,285

Grand Forks, ND $88,257

Albuquerque, NM $88,228

Tulsa, OK $88,228

Newport News, VA $88,219

High Point, NC $88,191

Ogden, UT $88,153

Corpus Christi, TX $88,078

Laramie, WY $88,022

Norfolk, VA $88,022

Rock Island, IL $87,966

Saginaw, MI $87,947

Jacksonville, FL $87,937

Salisbury, NC $87,919

Memphis, TN $87,900

Moline, IL $87,853

Fort Myers, FL $87,825

Waterloo, IA $87,703

Spartanburg, SC $87,609

Lincoln, NE $87,562

Fort Wayne, IN $87,543

Birmingham, AL $87,440

Cedar Falls, IA $87,421

Provo, UT $87,412

Springfield, OH $87,403

San Antonio, TX $87,384

Greensboro, NC $87,346

South Bend, IN $87,337

Winston Salem, NC $87,328

Boise, ID $87,299

Savannah, GA $87,234

Muskegon, MI $87,065

Lima, OH $86,952

Lake Charles, LA $86,915

Anderson, IN $86,896

Lexington, KY $86,868

Augusta, GA $86,840

Greenville, SC $86,840

Wichita, KS $86,755

Tuscaloosa, AL $86,755

Columbia, SC $86,671

Bloomington, IN $86,436

Roanoke, VA $86,380

Asheville, NC $86,258

Knoxville, TN $86,098

Shreveport, LA $86,089

Wilmington, NC $85,967

Frankfort, KY $85,789

Oklahoma City, OK $85,723

Chillicothe, OH $85,685

Longview, TX $85,676

Topeka, KS $85,648

Mobile, AL $85,507

Terre Haute, IN $85,469

Erie, PA $85,460

Altoona, PA $85,413

Melbourne, FL $85,385

Amarillo, TX $85,347

Killeen, TX $85,319

Fayetteville, AR $85,244

Sioux Falls, SD $85,179

Chattanooga, TN $85,122

Idaho Falls, ID $85,113

Gainesville, FL $84,916

Portsmouth, OH $84,869

Little Rock, AR $84,850

Lynchburg, VA $84,850

Lafayette, LA $84,813

Youngstown, OH $84,813

Temple, TX $84,775

Daytona Beach, FL $84,756

Clarksville, TN $84,747

Pensacola, FL $84,738

Hopkinsville, KY $84,456

Charleston, WV $84,447

Florence, SC $84,400

Sioux City, IA $84,343

Macon, GA $84,071

Tallahassee, FL $84,062

Fayetteville, NC $84,043

Waco, TX $84,024

Wichita Falls, TX $84,024

Pine Bluff, AR $83,987

Vincennes, IN $83,809

Lubbock, TX $83,771

Great Falls, MT $83,715

Alamogordo, NM $83,705

Abilene, TX $83,630

Rapid City, SD $83,508

Monroe, LA $83,508

Albany, GA $83,452

Huntington, WV $83,443

Jackson, MS $83,433

Greenville, MS $83,424

Parkersburg, WV $83,330

Montgomery, AL $83,311

Johnstown, PA $83,292

Springfield, MO $83,217

Biloxi, MS $83,170

Sumter, SC $82,973

Columbus, GA $82,964

Twin Falls, ID $82,908

Pascagoula, MS $82,786

Kingsport, TN $82,542

Gulfport, MS $82,514

Alexandria, LA $82,204

Fort Smith, AR $81,969

El Paso, TX $81,716

Helena, MT $81,594

Las Cruces, NM $81,294

Harlingen, TX $81,031

Pocatello, ID $80,946

Florence, AL $80,918

Brownsville, TX $80,899

Dothan, AL $80,749

Mcallen, TX $80,702

Columbus, MS $80,008

Altus, OK $79,576

Lawton, OK $79,398

Pierre, SD $79,060

What Skills Can Increase a Linux Administrator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 7.93% 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.
Computer Science (Mentioned in 2.95% Job Postings): Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.
Cisco (Mentioned in 1.85% 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	7.93%
Computer Science	2.95%
Cisco	1.85%

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 Linux Administrator's salary.

Cisco: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Cisco	$84,341	3%
Collaboration	$84,341	3%
Risk Management	$84,341	3%
AWS	$83,522	2%
Innovation	$83,522	2%
Insight	$83,522	2%

Get Latest Data

Linux Administrator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Linux Administrator'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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$74,040

Average $81,885/year

$85,567

$6,170

Average $6,824/month

$7,131

$1,424

Average $1,575/week

$1,646

$36

Average $39/hour

$41

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$85,567	$7,131	$1,646	$41
Average	$81,885	$6,824	$1,575	$39
25th Percentile	$74,040	$6,170	$1,424	$36

Linux Administrator Salary Growth & Career Path

Linux Administrator

Systems Administrator III

UNIX Systems Administrator III

SVP of Systems Administration

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Linux Administrator, 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.

Linux Administrator Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
Systems Administrator III	$96,943	18%
UNIX Systems Administrator III	$108,639	33%

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