Junior network administrator vs systems administrator

The differences between junior network 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 a junior network administrator and a systems administrator. Additionally, a systems administrator has an average salary of $77,156, which is higher than the $51,121 average annual salary of a junior network administrator.

The top three skills for a junior network administrator include windows server, troubleshoot and network hardware. The most important skills for a systems administrator are linux, troubleshoot, and windows server.

Junior network administrator vs systems administrator overview

	Junior Network Administrator	Systems Administrator
Yearly salary	$51,121	$77,156
Hourly rate	$24.58	$37.09
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	121,498	134,500
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a junior network administrator do?

Junior network administrators are entry-level information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for assisting senior administrators to establish and set up new computer networks for an organization. These junior administrators are required to monitor computer networks while providing network security to avoid any suspected activities on the computer network systems. They are in charge of purchasing computer components and software that are needed for the daily operations of the organization. Junior network administrators must also educate their non-network employees so that they can properly use computers and perform timely maintenance.

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.

Junior network administrator vs systems administrator salary

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

	Junior Network Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average salary	$51,121	$77,156
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $66,000	Between $59,000 And $100,000
Highest paying City	Costa Mesa, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	Exegy	Meta
Best paying industry	Finance	Technology

Differences between junior network administrator and systems administrator education

There are a few differences between a junior network administrator and a systems administrator in terms of educational background:

	Junior Network Administrator	Systems Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Computer Information Systems	Computer Science
Most common college	Carnegie Mellon University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Junior network administrator vs systems administrator demographics

Here are the differences between junior network administrators' and systems administrators' demographics:

	Junior Network Administrator	Systems Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3%	Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 11.3% White, 62.1% 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 junior network administrator and systems administrator duties and responsibilities

Junior network administrator example responsibilities.

Design and implement VoIP offices, manage unity voice mail and unify messaging system.
Manage production switches and routers during manufacturing facility move to Mexico ensuring uninterrupt service at optimal levels.
Implement and manage clustered virtual machine environments, utilizing multiple operating systems to include server and workstations.
Provide assistance in integration of DNS, DHCP and other IP conflicts.
Key monitor for the maintenance and configuration of a DHCP and DNS server.
Plan and install new networks including servers, patch panels, switches, routers and modems as the customer need.

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.

Junior network administrator vs systems administrator skills

Common junior network administrator skills

Windows Server, 7%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Network Hardware, 6%
Switches, 6%
Desk Support, 5%
Remote Desktop, 4%

Common systems administrator skills

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

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Junior Network Administrator
Junior Network Administrator vs Systems Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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