Backup administrator vs senior system administrator

The differences between backup administrators and senior system administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a backup administrator and a senior system administrator. Additionally, a senior system administrator has an average salary of $98,146, which is higher than the $92,866 average annual salary of a backup administrator.

The top three skills for a backup administrator include linux, SAN and unix. The most important skills for a senior system administrator are linux, windows server, and troubleshoot.

Backup administrator vs senior system administrator overview

	Backup Administrator	Senior System Administrator
Yearly salary	$92,866	$98,146
Hourly rate	$44.65	$47.19
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	70,421	100,873
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a backup administrator do?

A backup administrator usually works at a company's information technology department, where they are in charge of developing and overseeing backup systems to protect company data. They create and implement backup plans, develop recovery strategies and protocols, set objectives and guidelines, and conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure the systems' efficiency. They also train new members of the workforce and supervise staff, providing them with technical support and guidance. Moreover, a backup administrator encourages team members to reach goals while implementing the company's standards and regulations.

What does a senior system administrator do?

A senior system administrator specializes in overseeing the computer system operations in an organization. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around monitoring the performance of all software and hardware, installing servers, configuring systems, and making sure every technical aspect is running smoothly. Should there be any issues, they must take charge of troubleshooting and providing solutions. As someone with more experience, a senior system administrator leads and evaluates the performances of fellow skilled professionals in the department, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

Backup administrator vs senior system administrator salary

Backup administrators and senior system administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Backup Administrator	Senior System Administrator
Average salary	$92,866	$98,146
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $139,000	Between $75,000 And $126,000
Highest paying City	Philadelphia, PA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Pennsylvania	California
Best paying company	Cedars-Sinai	Cambridge Associates
Best paying industry	Health Care	Finance

Differences between backup administrator and senior system administrator education

There are a few differences between a backup administrator and a senior system administrator in terms of educational background:

	Backup Administrator	Senior System Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Backup administrator vs senior system administrator demographics

Here are the differences between backup administrators' and senior system administrators' demographics:

	Backup Administrator	Senior System Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8%	Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 12.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between backup administrator and senior system administrator duties and responsibilities

Backup administrator example responsibilities.

Monitor and manage Cisco routers and switches management.
Create several Unix bash scripts to automate the environment.
Manage all network infrastructure including firewall, routers, switches, network storage, wireless AP s and CAT5e management.
Manage the preventative maintenance of all critical infrastructure which includes HVAC, generator, security system, and fire suppression.
Manage SnapMirror relationships, troubleshooting replication job failures, SnapVault and other archive solutions.
Ensure AIX data integrity by evaluating, implementing and managing appropriate software and hardware solutions.

Senior system administrator example responsibilities.

Manage and optimize the design and delivery of project associate with AIX arena.
Manage all installs and setup of new servers, and server upgrades to server 2008 R2.
Implement IIS servers for both the internal and external web servers and managing security on all web servers.
Design, implement, and manage a network and domain extension in a remote location via a secure VPN link.
Manage Cisco network equipment including firewalls and switches.
Administer and manage daily backups via Symantec NetBackup.

Backup administrator vs senior system administrator skills

Common backup administrator skills

Linux, 8%
SAN, 8%
Unix, 6%
Disk, 6%
Windows Server, 6%
Disaster Recovery, 5%

Common senior system administrator skills

Linux, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Troubleshoot, 5%
System Administration, 4%
PowerShell, 4%
SAN, 4%

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Backup Administrator vs Senior System Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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