Computer systems administrator vs senior system administrator

The differences between computer systems 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 computer systems administrator and a senior system administrator. Additionally, a senior system administrator has an average salary of $98,146, 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 system administrator are linux, windows server, and troubleshoot.

Computer systems administrator vs senior system administrator overview

	Computer Systems Administrator	Senior System Administrator
Yearly salary	$72,247	$98,146
Hourly rate	$34.73	$47.19
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	136,907	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 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 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.

Computer systems administrator vs senior system administrator salary

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

	Computer Systems Administrator	Senior System Administrator
Average salary	$72,247	$98,146
Salary range	Between $53,000 And $97,000	Between $75,000 And $126,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Meta	Cambridge Associates
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between computer systems administrator and senior system administrator education

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

	Computer Systems 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	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Computer systems administrator vs senior system administrator demographics

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

	Computer Systems Administrator	Senior System Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3%	Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0%
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, 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 computer systems administrator and senior system 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 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.

Computer systems administrator vs senior system administrator skills

Common computer systems administrator skills

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

Common senior system administrator skills

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

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Computer Systems Administrator vs Senior System Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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