Systems Administrator Salary By State: Highest-Paid Systems Administrators by State [2026]
Research Summary: Following thorough analysis by the Zippia data science team, we present the latest insights on systems administrator salaries across the United States for 2026:
-
California offers the highest systems administrator salary at $89,121.
-
Wyoming has the lowest systems administrator salary at $58,432.
-
The national average salary for systems administrators is $77,156.
-
Nationally, the hourly pay for systems administrators is $37.09.
For additional details, refer to our specific methodology.
Background
In job surveys, salary consistently emerges as the top priority for job seekers, especially for systems administrators. Understanding salary ranges in your area is crucial for career planning.
While individual salaries can vary based on city and experience, state averages provide a useful benchmark for what to expect in terms of compensation. Currently, California stands out as the state with the highest average salary for systems administrators.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for systems administrator salaries:
Let’s explore the full ranking of states based on systems administrator salaries.
Highest-Paid Systems Administrators By State
| Rank | State | Average Systems Administrator Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $89,121 | $65,000 | $120,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $83,947 | $61,000 | $114,000 |
| 3 | Vermont | $83,778 | $64,000 | $108,000 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $81,432 | $62,000 | $105,000 |
| 5 | Maryland | $81,351 | $62,000 | $105,000 |
| 6 | New York | $80,526 | $61,000 | $104,000 |
| 7 | Oregon | $80,357 | $59,000 | $109,000 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $80,314 | $61,000 | $104,000 |
| 9 | Virginia | $78,094 | $60,000 | $100,000 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $77,588 | $59,000 | $100,000 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $77,386 | $59,000 | $100,000 |
| 12 | Nevada | $77,258 | $56,000 | $105,000 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $77,254 | $59,000 | $100,000 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $76,838 | $59,000 | $99,000 |
| 15 | Maine | $76,606 | $59,000 | $98,000 |
| 16 | Delaware | $76,552 | $59,000 | $99,000 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $73,985 | $56,000 | $97,000 |
| 18 | Arizona | $73,519 | $55,000 | $97,000 |
| 19 | Texas | $73,367 | $56,000 | $95,000 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $73,243 | $56,000 | $94,000 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $72,654 | $55,000 | $94,000 |
| 22 | Illinois | $71,938 | $55,000 | $93,000 |
| 23 | Ohio | $71,277 | $55,000 | $92,000 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $71,136 | $53,000 | $94,000 |
| 25 | Michigan | $70,481 | $54,000 | $91,000 |
| 26 | Georgia | $70,439 | $54,000 | $90,000 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $69,401 | $55,000 | $86,000 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $69,346 | $53,000 | $90,000 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $69,270 | $53,000 | $88,000 |
| 30 | Indiana | $69,233 | $53,000 | $89,000 |
| 31 | Missouri | $69,123 | $53,000 | $89,000 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $68,956 | $52,000 | $89,000 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $68,708 | $53,000 | $88,000 |
| 34 | Idaho | $68,674 | $50,000 | $93,000 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $68,504 | $53,000 | $88,000 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $68,253 | $51,000 | $89,000 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $67,800 | $52,000 | $87,000 |
| 38 | Iowa | $67,625 | $51,000 | $88,000 |
| 39 | Kansas | $67,577 | $51,000 | $88,000 |
| 40 | Alabama | $66,997 | $51,000 | $86,000 |
| 41 | Florida | $66,691 | $51,000 | $86,000 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $66,679 | $51,000 | $86,000 |
| 43 | Colorado | $66,558 | $49,000 | $89,000 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $65,937 | $50,000 | $85,000 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $65,833 | $49,000 | $86,000 |
| 46 | Utah | $65,397 | $47,000 | $89,000 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $64,257 | $49,000 | $83,000 |
| 48 | Alaska | $63,987 | $52,000 | $77,000 |
| 49 | Montana | $61,905 | $45,000 | $83,000 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $58,432 | $43,000 | $78,000 |
Methodology: Systems Administrator Salary By State
To provide a clearer picture of systems administrator salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We augment this data with actual salary information from job listings, then calculate a weighted average for a comprehensive understanding of state salaries for systems administrators.
We ranked states based on the average annual salary data for systems administrators, highlighting the states with the highest compensation.
Systems Administrator Salary By State FAQs
-
What is the highest-paid state for systems administrators?
The highest-paid state for systems administrators is California, with an average salary of $89,121 per year.
-
What city pays systems administrators the most?
San Francisco, CA offers the highest average salary for systems administrators, at $95,429 per year.
-
What is the worst state for systems administrators?
The lowest-paying state for systems administrators is Wyoming, with an average salary of $58,432 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
