Data center administrator vs security administrator

The differences between data center administrators and security 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 data center administrator and a security administrator. Additionally, a security administrator has an average salary of $79,564, which is higher than the $49,854 average annual salary of a data center administrator.

The top three skills for a data center administrator include customer service, linux and vmware. The most important skills for a security administrator are customer service, troubleshoot, and security procedures.

Data center administrator vs security administrator overview

	Data Center Administrator	Security Administrator
Yearly salary	$49,854	$79,564
Hourly rate	$23.97	$38.25
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	172,212	99,222
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a data center administrator do?

A data center administrator is in charge of overseeing the daily operations of an organization's data center. Their job focuses on maintaining and updating data storage systems, managing hardware and software, implementing data protection and recovery plans, performing installations and repairs, and providing technical support to staff as needed. They also conduct research and analyses to establish the ideal practices and center layouts, escalating complex issues to the assigned department, maintaining records, and conducting assessments and evaluations to ensure procedures adhere to company standards and project timelines.

What does a security administrator do?

A security administrator is in charge of establishing and enforcing security measures over a company's information systems and networks. Their duties typically revolve around installing and maintaining security networks, analyzing existing systems to identify areas needing improvement, conducting regular maintenance checks and upgrades to optimize services and functions, and monitoring overall systems for any suspicious activities or breaches. Furthermore, as a security administrator, it is essential to develop information technology solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

Data center administrator vs security administrator salary

Data center administrators and security administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Center Administrator	Security Administrator
Average salary	$49,854	$79,564
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $89,000	Between $54,000 And $115,000
Highest paying City	Palo Alto, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	NETSCOUT	Gap Inc.
Best paying industry	Technology	Government

Differences between data center administrator and security administrator education

There are a few differences between a data center administrator and a security administrator in terms of educational background:

	Data Center Administrator	Security Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common major	Computer Science	Business
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	California State University - Bakersfield

Data center administrator vs security administrator demographics

Here are the differences between data center administrators' and security administrators' demographics:

	Data Center Administrator	Security Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4%	Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 13.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 8.7% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between data center administrator and security administrator duties and responsibilities

Data center administrator example responsibilities.

Manage Cisco UCS systems that host the organization's VMware environment running critical clinical applications.
Work with USAMITC to manage DNS and with DISA tiger team to manage mail.mil email system.
Manage integrated network connectivity, reporting, and troubleshooting including switch, router, and firewall connectivity to increase system stability.
Work with SQL database developer to create the VMware view database and importing require tables.
Move content to new SQL server.
Use of EMC centera base file archival management system.

Security administrator example responsibilities.

Manage updates and creation of intranet file.
Create, manage, and maintain corporate LAN.
Manage and monitor various tools and reporting tools relating to security and encryption.
Manage all network objects: computers, users, TCP/IP resources, printers, copier.
Manage staff to implement JCL procedure modifications.
Utilize PowerShell scripts to automate system administrative tasks.

Data center administrator vs security administrator skills

Common data center administrator skills

Customer Service, 7%
Linux, 6%
VMware, 5%
Vmware Esxi, 5%
Windows Server, 5%
HVAC, 4%

Common security administrator skills

Customer Service, 10%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Security Procedures, 6%
Data Entry, 5%
Security Policies, 5%
SCI, 5%

Data Center Administrator vs. similar jobs

Data Center Administrator related careers

Data Center Administrator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Computer and Mathematical Industry
Data Center Administrator
Data Center Administrator vs Security Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse computer and mathematical jobs