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Computer systems administrator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a computer systems administrator. Computer systems administrators usually study computer science, business, or computer information systems. 52% of computer systems administrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,725 real computer systems administrator resumes to see exactly what computer systems administrator education sections show.
The most common colleges for computer systems administrators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online computer systems administrator courses to help get the education required to be a computer systems administrator.
There are certain computer systems administrator certifications that you should consider. These computer systems administrator certifications include Security 5 Certification and Network 5 Certification.
What education do you need to become a computer systems administrator?
What degree do you need to be a computer systems administrator?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 29%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a computer systems administrator?
- Computer Science, 23%
- Business, 13%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for computer systems administrators
| Computer systems administrator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 11.86% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 7.63% |
| Strayer University | 7.63% |
| Park University | 5.93% |
| American InterContinental University | 5.93% |
Best majors for computer systems administrators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 23.4% |
| 2 | Business | 12.7% |
| 3 | Computer Information Systems | 12.6% |
| 4 | Information Technology | 7.8% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 7.3% |
Best colleges for computer systems administrators
The best colleges for computer systems administrators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A computer systems administrator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for computer systems administrators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become computer systems administrators.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,530
Enrollment
4,571
20 best online courses for computer systems administrators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for computer systems administrators
The most affordable schools for computer systems administrators are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for computer systems administrators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for computer systems administrators.
1. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for computer systems administrators
The hardest universities for computer systems administrators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for computer systems administrators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for computer systems administrators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,415
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for computer systems administrators
The easiest schools for computer systems administrators to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and nyack college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a computer systems administrator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for computer systems administrators.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
4. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
5. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
8. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
9. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
10. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
Average computer systems administrator salary by education level
| Computer systems administrator education level | Computer systems administrator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $80,499 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $70,211 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $77,890 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $71,051 |
Computer systems administrator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025