Information systems administrator vs systems administrator lead

The differences between information systems administrators and systems administrator leads 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 lead. Additionally, a systems administrator lead has an average salary of $99,956, which is higher than the $79,194 average annual salary of an information systems administrator.

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

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator lead overview

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator Lead
Yearly salary	$79,194	$99,956
Hourly rate	$38.07	$48.06
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	176,724	132,285
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
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 lead do?

A systems administrator lead is responsible for planning, designing, and implementing procedures for critical enterprise systems. Typical duties of systems administrators include managing the day-to-day operations of a company's computer and network systems, developing new application and system implementation plans, and establishing guidelines for installing and managing the organization's computer operating systems. In addition, you are expected to ensure the security of computer systems by preventing unauthorized use, user abuse, and acts of nature.

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator lead salary

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

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator Lead
Average salary	$79,194	$99,956
Salary range	Between $60,000 And $104,000	Between $77,000 And $129,000
Highest paying City	Pleasanton, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Cadence Design Systems	Kabam
Best paying industry	Finance	Telecommunication

Differences between information systems administrator and systems administrator lead education

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

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator Lead
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Business	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator lead demographics

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

	Information Systems Administrator	Systems Administrator Lead
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7%	Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4%
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, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 9.7% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between information systems administrator and systems administrator lead 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 lead example responsibilities.

Manage all Citrix user connections and issues, print network, server environment and supplies.
Manage printers on the print servers and re-serve IP addresses for devices from the DHCP servers.
Manage software development group SharePoint portal.
Save company many hours of manual testing and developing by engineering Java applications to automate tedious tasks.
Manage development, manufacturing, test and delivery of custom broadband RF electronic test systems for military and aerospace customers.
Perform day-to-day management of system applications and services (NTP, DNS, LDAP, etc .).

Information systems administrator vs systems administrator lead skills

Common information systems administrator skills

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

Common systems administrator lead skills

Linux, 6%
Project Management, 6%
Windows Server, 5%
System Performance, 5%
Technical Support, 5%
Database, 5%

Information Systems Administrator vs. similar jobs

Information Systems Administrator related careers

Information Systems Administrator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Computer and Mathematical Industry
Information Systems Administrator
Information Systems Administrator vs Systems Administrator Lead

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse computer and mathematical jobs