Computer systems administrator vs unix systems administrator

The differences between computer systems administrators and unix systems 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 unix systems administrator. Additionally, a unix systems administrator has an average salary of $87,936, 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 unix systems administrator are production servers, solaris, and database.

Computer systems administrator vs unix systems administrator overview

	Computer Systems Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Yearly salary	$72,247	$87,936
Hourly rate	$34.73	$42.28
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	136,907	110,185
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
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 unix systems administrator do?

UNIX system administrators install, configure, and maintain the UNIX systems of organizations. The administrators are in charge of the troubleshooting of server errors. They install new system hardware for their respective organizations and respond to the issues raised by the users. It is part of their job to monitor the network's performance. Usually, they are working in an office using UNIX multiuser operating system. They supervise the execution of data conversion projects such as database hardware replacements.

Computer systems administrator vs unix systems administrator salary

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

	Computer Systems Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Average salary	$72,247	$87,936
Salary range	Between $53,000 And $97,000	Between $64,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Meta	PayPal
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between computer systems administrator and unix systems administrator education

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

	Computer Systems Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Computer systems administrator vs unix systems administrator demographics

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

	Computer Systems Administrator	Unix Systems Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 82.7% Female, 17.3%	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%
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, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between computer systems administrator and unix systems 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.

Unix systems administrator example responsibilities.

Manage LUN assignments from Shark/Hitachi SAN through the fiber switches.
Manage system kernel settings to boost performance base on root cause analysis for performance issues.
Manage and maintain local area network (TCP/IP), consisting of 2 NCR 3430 servers and 130+ client workstations.
Help automate server and storage provisioning.
Manage resources for zones using Solaris 10container technology.
Manage AWS services and provide redundancy for internal corporate systems.

Computer systems administrator vs unix systems administrator skills

Common computer systems administrator skills

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

Common unix systems administrator skills

Production Servers, 8%
Solaris, 5%
Database, 4%
SAN, 4%
System Administration, 4%
Troubleshoot, 4%

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Computer Systems Administrator vs Unix Systems Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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