Information systems administrator vs systems administrator

The differences between information systems 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 an information systems administrator and a systems administrator. Additionally, an information systems administrator has an average salary of $79,194, which is higher than the $77,156 average annual salary of a systems administrator.

The top three skills for an information systems administrator include linux, troubleshoot and OS. The most important skills for a systems administrator are linux, troubleshoot, and windows server.

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator overview

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator
Yearly salary	$79,194	$77,156
Hourly rate	$38.07	$37.09
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	176,724	134,500
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does an information systems administrator do?

Businesses today are mostly dependent heavily on the internet and computer systems for their daily transactions. The information systems administrator is a person that monitors, configures, and upgrades these systems to adapt to the constant advancement in technology. The information systems administrator maintains networks used inside the company, making access to information efficient and fast. A company with a fast and reliable information system will have an edge against competitive companies.

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.

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator salary

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

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average salary	$79,194	$77,156
Salary range	Between $60,000 And $104,000	Between $59,000 And $100,000
Highest paying City	Pleasanton, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Cadence Design Systems	Meta
Best paying industry	Finance	Technology

Differences between information systems administrator and systems administrator education

There are a few differences between an information systems administrator and a systems administrator in terms of educational background:

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Business	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator demographics

Here are the differences between information systems administrators' and systems administrators' demographics:

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7%	Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
Race ratio	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%	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 information systems administrator and systems administrator duties and responsibilities

Information systems administrator example responsibilities.

Manage mission critical Linux systems which track all data relating to rotary wing aircraft.
Institute, manage, and document procedures for UNIX systems security, maintenance, and backup.
Install/Configure managed switches to increase network speed
Manage the company Novell network including relate equipment.
Manage network infrastructure spanning multiple geographically-distribute sites, including VPN / remote access systems and firewalls.
Ensure adequate security protections for proprietary data and intellectual property; manage and configure firewalls and security posture.

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.

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator skills

Common information systems administrator skills

Linux, 13%
Troubleshoot, 10%
OS, 8%
Unix, 7%
Virtualization, 6%
Java, 4%

Common systems administrator skills

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

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Information Systems Administrator vs Systems Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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