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What is an enterprise systems administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Communication networks are a vital aspect of nearly every business, large or small. Companies put enterprise systems administrators to the task of making sense of and manage their many complex connections.

Enterprise systems administrators are IT pros who keep busy implementing and maintaining business networks. Depending on their specific role, the daily duties of this position can include anything involved with systems administration.

Tasks can range from integrating network hardware such as modems and hubs to installing desktops and keeping cybersecurity software up to date, and anything in-between.

Enterprise systems administrators might also be expected to offer technical training and support to company staff. As such, practical communication skills are often as important as tech knowledge in this job.

To become an enterprise systems administrator, you'll usually need at least a bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, or a similar area of study. For the important work of keeping business networks up and running, you can earn an average salary of around $90,000 per year.

What general advice would you give to an enterprise systems administrator?

Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Director of Graduate Studies for the Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Assistant Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University Bloomington

Look for a job that you would enjoy doing, even if it takes some time to find such a position. Internships are great to explore various options.
ScoreEnterprise Systems AdministratorUS Average
Salary
7.0

Avg. Salary $89,075

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 9.51%

Black or African American 9.16%

Hispanic or Latino 12.84%

Unknown 5.11%

White 63.07%

Gender

female 15.71%

male 84.29%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Enterprise systems administrator career paths

Key steps to become an enterprise systems administrator

  1. Explore enterprise systems administrator education requirements

    Most common enterprise systems administrator degrees

    Bachelor's

    57.9 %

    Associate

    26.7 %

    Master's

    9.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific enterprise systems administrator skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Troubleshoot5.82%
    PowerShell5.48%
    Database5.45%
    Linux5.12%
    Windows Server4.98%
  3. Complete relevant enterprise systems administrator training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New enterprise systems administrators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an enterprise systems administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real enterprise systems administrator resumes.
  4. Research enterprise systems administrator duties and responsibilities

    • Work with e-services, EarthLink's customer facing team to manage mail and dns environment.
    • Save company many hours of manual testing and developing by engineering Java applications to automate tedious tasks.
    • Contact and coordinate with local network support to open appropriate SCCM, iLO, SCOM and HBSS ports.
    • Work with DNS for and on internal devices.
  5. Prepare your enterprise systems administrator resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your enterprise systems administrator resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an enterprise systems administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable enterprise systems administrator resume templates

    Build a professional enterprise systems administrator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your enterprise systems administrator resume.
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
    Enterprise Systems Administrator Resume
  6. Apply for enterprise systems administrator jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an enterprise systems administrator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first enterprise systems administrator job

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Average enterprise systems administrator salary

The average enterprise systems administrator salary in the United States is $89,075 per year or $43 per hour. Enterprise systems administrator salaries range between $63,000 and $124,000 per year.

Average enterprise systems administrator salary
$89,075 Yearly
$42.82 hourly

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How do enterprise systems administrators rate their job?

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Enterprise systems administrator reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022
Cons

There was nothing to like. Everyone was polite an hard workers


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros

talking to people

Cons

outside weather, I work as a network technician and the main problem I always encounter is the cold weather.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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