How To Become A Junior Systems Administrator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a junior systems administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Ranganathan Chandrasekaran

The role of a Junior Systems Administrator, also known as a Junior SysAdmin, is to assist other administrators in setting up and maintaining computer systems, ensuring that digital networks and databases run as smoothly as possible.

Amongst other things, they provide and maintain support systems for software and hardware by resolving issues and testing them on a regular basis, helping users, and updating the product as needed. Systems Administrators usually work in large tech and IT firms and IT departments of large companies working closely with digital or technological products and services.

A Junior Systems Administrator usually needs to have a technical certificate, like Microsoft MCSE, but many employers prefer that the candidate hold a college degree of some sort, such as a Bachelor's, in a relevant subject like Information Systems, Computer Science, or Information Technology. A proficiency in SQL and database operations and previous experience working with server technology and network computer systems is required.

What general advice would you give to a Junior Systems Administrator?

Ranganathan Chandrasekaran

Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois

As we roll into another month of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduating students are facing one of the worst moments of their lives. They face several uncertainties; due to financial challenges, uncertainty about completing their degrees on time, adjusting to online and hybrid modes of learning, and worst of all, facing the worst job market. As a result, I see the stress and anxiety levels among the graduating students to be significantly higher, at levels I have not experienced in my academic career.

Several businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they have rolled back their offers made to students for internships and jobs. Businesses have also resorted to downsizing and layoffs, and we are likely to see that continue, at least in the near term. However, two sectors that are showing promises of a quick turnaround are technology and healthcare.

It might take many months for the economy to get back on track, but the demand for information systems graduates is likely to grow, as a large number of businesses have turned to increased use of technology in this pandemic period. As more companies go digital, we need more professionals to manage the remote-work, technological infrastructure and meet the other demands of the business. Students pursuing education in information systems, computer science, and healthcare are going to be in greater demand.

On the positive side, the uncertainties induced by the pandemic have also helped students to prepare themselves better for a tougher job market. I found many students rise up and use the lockdown period to have a serious introspection and invest their time and effort in upgrading their knowledge and skills. The internship drought and rescinding of job/internship offers brought their dreams crashing down, but I found several students to quickly get over their disappointments, and engage in improving their skillsets utilizing the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity. I am aware of many students, especially in the information systems disciple, who spent time doing online courses, completing certification programs, and take up DIY projects on data analysis, developing analytical and forecasting models, and visualization of various aspects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in massive amounts of data, released by several organizations worldwide, that have provided a stimulant for students to indulge in DIY-projects. I had several students approach me over summer to do some projects, and we have done some interesting projects using public datasets related to COVID-19.

ScoreJunior Systems AdministratorUS Average

Salary

4.9

Avg. Salary $62,225

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.7

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 12.11%

Black or African American 8.57%

Hispanic or Latino 12.27%

Unknown 5.06%

White 61.69%

Gender

female 11.65%

male 88.35%

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

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Key steps to become a junior systems administrator

Explore junior systems administrator education requirements

Most common junior systems administrator degrees

Bachelor's

57.9 %

Associate

28.0 %

Master's

5.1 %

Start to develop specific junior systems administrator skills

Skills	Percentages
Windows Server	6.82%
Troubleshoot	5.42%
Technical Support	5.16%
System Administration	4.85%
Switches	4.78%

Complete relevant junior systems administrator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New junior 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 a junior systems administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real junior systems administrator resumes.

Gain additional junior systems administrator certifications

Junior systems administrator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific junior systems administrator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for junior systems administrators include Certified Network Computer Technician (CNCT) and Certified System Administrator (CSA).

More About Certifications

Research junior systems administrator duties and responsibilities

Manage Linux servers, running primarily CentOS.
Manage customer accounts and cases in Salesforce.
Load and manage customer provide encryption files.
Create, run and manage server back-ups monthly.

Prepare your junior systems administrator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior 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 a junior 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 Junior Systems Administrator Resume templates

Build a professional Junior 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 Junior Systems Administrator resume.

Apply for junior systems administrator jobs

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

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

Average junior systems administrator salary

The average Junior Systems Administrator salary in the United States is $62,225 per year or $30 per hour. Junior systems administrator salaries range between $51,000 and $74,000 per year.

Average Junior Systems Administrator Salary

$62,225 Yearly

$29.92 hourly

How do junior systems administrators rate their job?

-/5

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Junior Systems Administrator reviews

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.