Data center administrator vs systems administrator

The differences between data center administrators and 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 data center administrator and a systems administrator. Additionally, a systems administrator has an average salary of $77,156, 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 systems administrator are linux, troubleshoot, and windows server.

Data center administrator vs systems administrator overview

	Data Center Administrator	Systems Administrator
Yearly salary	$49,854	$77,156
Hourly rate	$23.97	$37.09
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	172,212	134,500
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
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 systems administrator do?

Systems administrators are employees who oversee information technology infrastructures in the office. They are skilled information technology professionals who are knowledgeable about the company's network systems and other technology-related infrastructures. They are responsible for installing, configuring, or updating network systems, software, and hardware. They also monitor the different systems and troubleshoot any issues that users may encounter. Systems administrators manage the access of users, ensure the security of the network, and address any challenges that users may have. They conduct repairs and routine maintenance to ensure that the systems in place are in the best shape.

Data center administrator vs systems administrator salary

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

	Data Center Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average salary	$49,854	$77,156
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $89,000	Between $59,000 And $100,000
Highest paying City	Palo Alto, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	NETSCOUT	Meta
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between data center administrator and systems administrator education

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

	Data Center Administrator	Systems Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Data center administrator vs systems administrator demographics

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

	Data Center Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4%	Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
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, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 11.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between data center administrator and systems 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.

Systems administrator example responsibilities.

Used Jenkins to automate most of the build relate tasks.
Manage windows file servers, messaging, and SQL databases.
Lead the project which integrate internal DNS into the corporate LDAP infrastructure for end user host management prior to deployment.
Lead business-critical information security initiatives involving encryption of customer data.
Authore and maintain shell and Perl scripts to automate administration tasks for infrastructure management.
Configure & manage all switches and servers responsible for providing WLAN connectivity and authentication services.

Data center administrator vs systems administrator skills

Common data center administrator skills

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

Common systems administrator skills

Linux, 7%
Troubleshoot, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Database, 5%
Technical Support, 4%
PowerShell, 3%

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 Systems Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse computer and mathematical jobs