upper level job

Hourly Wage for Systems Administrator I Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Systems Administrator I?

As of July 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Systems Administrator I in the United States is $35, which translates to an annual salary of about $73,663.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $39 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $32 to $38 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30 per hour
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
AI-Powered HR
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $32 10% $30 90% $39 75% $38 $35 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Systems Administrator I Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $78,013 $6,501 $1,500 $38
Average $73,663 $6,139 $1,417 $35
25th Percentile $67,295 $5,608 $1,294 $32
Check out Systems Administrator I Job Openings in the United States
IT Systems Administrator

Hartzell Propeller - Piqua, OH

Operator

Yanfeng US Automotive Interior Systems I LLC - Bryan, OH

Territory Manager

Inspire Medical Systems I - Akron, OH

Systems Administrator

ARC Health Partners - Independence, OH

Search More Systems Administrator I Jobs in the United States
Select State
Select City
Choose Similar Job
Choose Category
Cost of Living
Average Salary for United States
See it in Action

Key Factors That Influence Systems Administrator I Salaries

A 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 Systems Administrator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a 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:

  • Systems Administrator I (0-2 years): $73,663
  • Systems Administrator II (2-4 years): $93,836
  • Systems Administrator III (4-7 years): $111,119
  • Systems Administrator IV (7+ years): $129,110
  • Systems Administrator V (7-10 years): $151,734
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Systems Administrator I0-2 years$73,663
Systems Administrator II2-4 years$93,836
Systems Administrator III4-7 years$111,119
Systems Administrator IV7+ years$129,110
Systems Administrator V7-10 years$151,734
$73,663 Systems A...
$93,836 Systems A...
$111,119 Systems A...
$129,110 Systems A...
$151,734 Systems A...
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for 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: $92,911
  • San Francisco: $91,894
  • Oakland: $89,957

What Skills Can Increase a 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 a 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
 $80,293
9%
Cisco
 $78,083
6%
AWS
 $78,083
6%
VMware
 $76,610
4%
Azure
 $76,610
4%
Coordination
 $76,610
4%
Get Latest Data

Systems Administrator I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

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 $82,391. While startup companies pay approximate $69,679.

Systems Administrator I Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$69,679
Growth Stage51~500$73,696
Established501~5000$79,565
Enterprise5000+$82,391

Systems Administrator I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For 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, Systems Administrator positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Systems Administrator I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Systems Administrator I

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$95,762$46.030%
Biotechnology$89,869$43.022%
Pharmaceuticals$86,922$42.018%
Internet$84,712$41.015%
Software & Networking$84,712$41.015%

Systems Administrator I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a 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.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$67,295
Average $73,663/year
$78,013
$5,608
Average $6,139/month
$6,501
$1,294
Average $1,417/week
$1,500
$32
Average $35/hour
$38
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $78,013 $6,501 $1,500 $38
Average $73,663 $6,139 $1,417 $35
25th Percentile $67,295 $5,608 $1,294 $32

Salaries of jobs related to Systems Administrator I

Salary Trends for Systems Administrator I

Salaries for a 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 Systems Administrator I salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of 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 Systems Administrator I

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Systems Administrator I

Here are companies hiring for Systems Administrator I and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Systems Administrator I Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Systems Administrator I job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

FAQ about Systems Administrator I

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Systems Administrator I?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Systems Administrator I roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

2. What are the responsibilities of Systems Administrator I?

Maintains and supports the integrity of the operating system environment and various computer systems. Performs systems maintenance tasks, such as system back-up, recovery, and file maintenance to promote uptime and efficient performance. Acquires, installs, and tests system software upgrades and computer components. Configures software and resolves technical problems. Maintains documentation of IT infrastructure and troubleshooting procedures. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.

3. What are the skills of Systems Administrator I

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Troubleshooting: 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.

2.)

Azure: Microsoft Azure, often referred to as Azure, is a cloud computing service operated by Microsoft for application management via Microsoft-managed data centers.

3.)

Cisco: Cisco Systems, Inc., commonly known as Cisco, is an American-based multinational technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst