Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between information systems engineers 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 engineer and a systems administrator. Additionally, an information systems engineer has an average salary of $104,903, which is higher than the $77,156 average annual salary of a systems administrator.
The top three skills for an information systems engineer include system security, NIST and RMF. The most important skills for a systems administrator are linux, troubleshoot, and windows server.
| Information Systems Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $104,903 | $77,156 |
| Hourly rate | $50.43 | $37.09 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 248,183 | 134,500 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An information systems engineer is responsible for designing and creating network systems and databases to process information that would support business functions and operations. Information systems engineers maintain the stability and navigation of networks to ensure their security and prevent unauthorized access and illegal data dissemination. They may also modify the features and improve the infrastructure of the existing database for optimization. An information systems engineer must have excellent technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages to write codes and test controls.
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 engineers and systems administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Systems Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Average salary | $104,903 | $77,156 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $139,000 | Between $59,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Safeway | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information systems engineer and a systems administrator in terms of educational background:
| Information Systems Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between information systems engineers' and systems administrators' demographics:
| Information Systems Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.5% Female, 18.5% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 12.4% White, 61.2% 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% |