Computer systems administrator vs senior network administrator

The differences between computer systems administrators and senior network 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 computer systems administrator and a senior network administrator. Additionally, a senior network administrator has an average salary of $89,169, which is higher than the $72,247 average annual salary of a computer systems administrator.

The top three skills for a computer systems administrator include computer system, linux and customer service. The most important skills for a senior network administrator are switches, routers, and troubleshoot.

Computer systems administrator vs senior network administrator overview

	Computer Systems Administrator	Senior Network Administrator
Yearly salary	$72,247	$89,169
Hourly rate	$34.73	$42.87
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	136,907	110,027
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a computer systems administrator do?

Computer systems administrators are responsible for organizing and installing a company's computer system, including the WAN, LAN, and other data for communication. They gather information from the users to determine where to improve and troubleshoot hardware and software issues. These administrators ensure that the system they design for a company meets the needs of their users. They maintain the security of their systems and provide technical support for projects. They mainly administer a company's network, database, and security systems.

What does a senior network administrator do?

Senior Network Administrators provide system and network solutions for their organizations. They supervise the functioning of networking equipment and follow strict maintenance standards.

Computer systems administrator vs senior network administrator salary

Computer systems administrators and senior network administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Computer Systems Administrator	Senior Network Administrator
Average salary	$72,247	$89,169
Salary range	Between $53,000 And $97,000	Between $68,000 And $115,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Meta	Tesoro
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between computer systems administrator and senior network administrator education

There are a few differences between a computer systems administrator and a senior network administrator in terms of educational background:

	Computer Systems Administrator	Senior Network Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Computer systems administrator vs senior network administrator demographics

Here are the differences between computer systems administrators' and senior network administrators' demographics:

	Computer Systems Administrator	Senior Network Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3%	Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 10.1% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between computer systems administrator and senior network administrator duties and responsibilities

Computer systems administrator example responsibilities.

Create SNP pipeline script in Perl to automate SNP prediction.
Manage static IP address reservations in the corporate and DHCP in the production network.
Manage a mix facility of IBM and DEC mainframe computers, VAX super-mini computers and PDP-11 mini computers.
Design, install, configure and manage Citrix XenApp/XenDesktop environment.
Manage & monitor database servers and perform weekly/monthly data backup schedules and recovery strategies.
Convert manual offices to computerize environment using standalone PCs and UNIX systems.

Senior network administrator example responsibilities.

Lead IP management specialist and assist with management of DHCP scopes and reservations.
Establish and manage SharePoint base intranet for departmental and interdepartmental support.
Configure and manage SQL database archival requests for automate timely data submissions.
Configure and manage multiple data and application servers and maintain SQL relational databases.
Prioritize and manage servicing of customer trouble calls in locally develop tracking database.
Configure and manage company routers and switches in addition to VPN configuration and policy enforcement.

Computer systems administrator vs senior network administrator skills

Common computer systems administrator skills

Computer System, 12%
Linux, 8%
Customer Service, 5%
Troubleshoot, 5%
DOD, 4%
User Accounts, 3%

Common senior network administrator skills

Switches, 8%
Routers, 5%
Troubleshoot, 5%
Windows Server, 4%
Network Infrastructure, 4%
Lan Wan, 4%

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Computer Systems Administrator vs Senior Network Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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