How to hire a computer administrator

How to hire a computer administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step computer administrator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a computer administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new computer administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a computer administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The computer administrator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect computer administrator also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of computer administrators.

   Type of Computer Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Computer Administrator	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$29-56
   Computer Engineer	A computer engineer is someone who examines, designs, and manages computer hardware and software systems. He/She or she helps in solving issues or any concerns that may occur with the computer's hardware and software as well as assists in the innovation of computer technology... Show more	$33-63
   Information Technology Administrator	An Information Technology (IT) administrator is a professional responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of an organization's IT systems and ensuring that the systems are running effectively. IT administrators must conduct consistent analyses of the computer system and install updates when needed... Show more	$24-50

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CAD
   • Troubleshoot
   • Printers
   • Computer System
   • Linux
   • Desktop
   • Technical Support
   • Windows Server
   • CNC
   • SQL Server
   • DNS
   • Customer Service
   • Network Connectivity
   • Solidworks

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage inventory of forensic hardware and software utilities of forensic laboratory as well as maintaining forensic workstations and laboratory LAN.
   • Administer IBM - Quickplace & SharePoint collaborative software.
   • support of OS and any projects assign by upper management.
   • Supervise and maintain the operation of a school computer and mathematics lab.
   • Analyze and troubleshoot hardware and software relate issues, as well as resolved end-user problems.
   • Maintain, analyze, troubleshoot, and repair computer systems, hardware and computer peripherals.

   More computer administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your computer administrator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A computer administrator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, computer administrators' average salary in hawaii is 43% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level computer administrators earn 47% less than senior-level computer administrators.
   • Certifications. A computer administrator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a computer administrator's salary.

   Average computer administrator salary

   $86,150yearly

   $41.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level computer administrator salary

   $62,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average computer administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$110,961	$53
   2	Washington	$105,154	$51
   3	Arizona	$97,178	$47
   4	Texas	$95,089	$46
   5	New Jersey	$92,611	$45
   6	Utah	$87,876	$42
   7	Michigan	$86,553	$42
   8	Colorado	$85,782	$41
   9	Wisconsin	$80,756	$39
   10	Georgia	$78,637	$38
   11	Indiana	$77,917	$37
   12	New York	$77,414	$37
   13	Kentucky	$76,932	$37
   14	Illinois	$75,100	$36
   15	Ohio	$74,134	$36
   16	Arkansas	$72,641	$35
   17	Missouri	$72,242	$35
   18	Florida	$67,267	$32

   Average computer administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Google	$126,819	$60.97	88
   2	NVIDIA	$119,926	$57.66	27
   3	QC HOLDINGS	$110,044	$52.91
   4	Twin Disc	$107,007	$51.45	1
   5	The Honest Company	$105,510	$50.73
   6	Johnson & Johnson	$102,891	$49.47	1
   7	Nikola Motor	$101,610	$48.85
   8	Sonos	$99,961	$48.06
   9	Magna International	$99,174	$47.68	5
   10	Techtronic Industries TTI	$96,217	$46.26
   11	UC Merced	$94,104	$45.24
   12	Elbit Systems of America	$91,029	$43.76	4
   13	Plante & Moran PLLC.	$90,083	$43.31	3
   14	Stewart & Stevenson	$88,181	$42.39
   15	Technip USA Corporation	$87,820	$42.22
   16	Regal Beloit	$87,726	$42.18	3
   17	EMC	$86,719	$41.69
   18	Stratolaunch	$85,927	$41.31
   19	General Dynamics	$85,866	$41.28	189
   20	D.R. Horton	$85,466	$41.09	2

4. Writing a computer administrator job description

   A computer administrator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a computer administrator job description:

   Computer administrator job description example

   Rocket Lab is a vertically integrated provider of small launch services, satellites, and spacecraft components. Our mission is to open access to space to improve life on Earth. Our team is over 1,300 people strong and we're adding to it every week. Collaboration is at our core – every idea is heard, and everyone makes a difference. Teams are nimble, decisions are made quickly, and we are action oriented.

   The CAD administrator is part of the team responsible on a day-to-day basis for the smooth

   running of CAD systems at Rocket Lab including: NX CAD, and Solid Edge, through ensuring

   designs, drawings and parts are maintained in a standardised way. Through providing prompt

   user support and monitoring user activities, the CAD administrator will enable CAD to integrate

   fully with our robust product lifecycle management processes. Working closely with the PLM

   team including the Teamcenter Architect, Administrator and NZ CAD Administrator, and the

   wider business including: Engineering Change Control, Space Systems, Vehicle Engineering,

   Mechanical Engineering, and EIS, the CAD Administrator uses their CAD knowledge and

   experience to enable a high level of user support and an optimised product development

   environment.

   CAD User Support

   - Provide a robust CAD operating environment through promptly responding to Level 1 support calls.

   - Triage and escalate complex or new issues promptly.

   - Support and troubleshoot in NX and supported CAD systems.

   - Administer and support user access, permissions, and licensing to provide secure access to NX and supported CAD systems.

   - Provide operational support to Teamcenter and CAD users through timely resolution of Jira tickets.

   - Provide support and input into the development and maintenance of drawing standards and parts libraries.

   - Support/Deliver training to new and existing staff.

   - Create and maintain documentation for user support processes.

   Teamcenter Administration

   - Perform routine and scheduled CAD maintenance tasks.

   - Assist with testing new patches and releases for Teamcenter, NX CAD and Solid Edge.

   - Assist with the development of CAD, CAE and CAM processes and workflows.

   - Interact with the vendor for troubleshoot and improvements through coordination with the Teamcenter team and Siemens GTAC system.

   - Contribute to improvements in PLM processes and the resultant changes in NX and supported CAD systems.

   - Work with the Teamcenter Architect to review and evaluate Teamcenter, NX and Solid Edge releases.

   - Work with the wider EIS team to maintain and improve systems support processes.

   - Assist and coordinate with IT, ticket resolution and systems testing

   Health and safety

   - Ensure health and safety policies and standard operating procedures are followed.

   - Correct PPE is worn in designated areas

   - Near misses and incidents are reported promptly

   Skills / Experience

   Essential

   - In-depth knowledge of CAD including NX and Solid Edge CAD.

   - Strong problem-solving capability.

   - Excellent time management to provide operational support to USA and NZ users.

   - The ability to work unsupervised.

   - Excellent communication skills.

   Desirable

   - Knowledge of PLM strategies

   - Engineering qualifications

   - 10+ years' experience in Teamcenter and CAD administration, and support.

   - NX-CAM experience

   Important information:

   FOR CANDIDATES SEEKING TO WORK IN US OFFICES ONLY:

   To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15) or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S Department of State.

   Rocket Lab provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment at Rocket Lab, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right computer administrator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with computer administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit computer administrators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your computer administrator job on Zippia to find and attract quality computer administrator candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting computer administrators requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with computer administrator applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new computer administrator

   Once you've decided on a perfect computer administrator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new computer administrator first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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