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The differences between devops engineers and systems administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a devops engineer, becoming a systems administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a devops engineer has an average salary of $104,019, which is higher than the $77,156 average annual salary of a systems administrator.
The top three skills for a devops engineer include python, docker and java. The most important skills for a systems administrator are linux, troubleshoot, and windows server.
| Devops Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $104,019 | $77,156 |
| Hourly rate | $50.01 | $37.09 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 257,025 | 134,500 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
DevOps engineers are practitioners of DevOps, a software development strategy that aims to bridge the gap between computer software development and information technology (IT) operations. They work closely with computer software developers and other IT staff to manage code deployments and releases. Their duties include overseeing the IT infrastructure supporting software code in different environments, choosing a suitable deployment model, and directing testing protocol needed to validate releases. Other tasks they may likely perform include preparing test data, analyzing results, and troubleshooting issues and problems.
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.
Devops engineers and systems administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Devops Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Average salary | $104,019 | $77,156 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $135,000 | Between $59,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a devops engineer and a systems administrator in terms of educational background:
| Devops Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between devops engineers' and systems administrators' demographics:
| Devops Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.2% Female, 13.8% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 9% |