System Admin Salary in the United States

How much does a System Admin make in the United States?

As of March 01, 2026, the average salary for a System Admin in the United States is $92,028 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $44.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,971
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $81,446 to $97,232
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $71,811
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View as table View as graph 25% $81,446 10% $71,811 90% $101,971 75% $97,232 $92,028 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

System Admin Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $97,232 $8,103 $1,870 $47
Average $92,028 $7,669 $1,770 $44
25th Percentile $81,446 $6,787 $1,566 $39
Check out System Admin Job Openings in the United States
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Coordinator Staffing

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Key Factors That Influence System Admin Salaries

A System Admin'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects System Admin Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a System Admin'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): $73,976
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $94,232
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $111,572
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $129,625
  • Expert (over 8 years): $152,367
Levels Salary
Systems A... Level System Admin$73,976
System Ad... Level System Admin$94,232
Systems A... Level System Admin$111,572
Systems A... Level System Admin$129,625
Systems A... Level System Admin$152,367
$73,976 0 yr
$94,232 < 2 yrs
$111,572 2-4 yrs
$129,625 5-8 yrs
$152,367 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for System Admins

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: $116,074
  • San Francisco: $114,933
  • Oakland: $112,384

What Skills Can Increase a System Admin's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 8.06% 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.
  • Installation (Mentioned in 2.98% Job Postings): The action or process of installing someone or something, or of being installed. the act of installing the state of being installed, something that is installed for use.
  • Technical Support (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): Offering hands-on assistance and solutions to end-users in addressing and troubleshooting technical issues.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 8.06%
Installation 2.98%
Technical Support 1.92%
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 System Admin's salary.
  • Medical Imaging: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • AWS: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • VPN: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Medical Imaging
 $95,709
4%
AWS
 $95,709
4%
VPN
 $94,788
3%
Linux
 $94,788
3%
Innovation
 $94,788
3%
Insight
 $94,788
3%
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How Education impacts a System Admin's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many System Admins enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a System Admin with a Associate's Degree is between $86,934 and $92,727).

System Admin Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for System Admin
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 22.6%
Associates 20.8%
Bachelors 47.6%
Masters 7.8%
Doctorate 0.2%
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System Admin Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a System Admin'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 March 01, 2026
$81,446
Average $92,028/year
$97,232
$6,787
Average $7,669/month
$8,103
$1,566
Average $1,770/week
$1,870
$39
Average $44/hour
$47
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $97,232 $8,103 $1,870 $47
Average $92,028 $7,669 $1,770 $44
25th Percentile $81,446 $6,787 $1,566 $39

Salaries of jobs related to System Admin

Salary Trends for System Admin

Salaries for a System Admin can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $81,858 in 2023 to around $81,171 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of System Admin salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of System Admin Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$81,858
2024
$81,742
2025
$81,171
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $81,858
2024 $81,742
2025 $81,171
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for System Admin

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for System Admin

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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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