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Unix administrator salary
Average unix administrator salary
$83,208
Understanding Unix Administrator Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Unix Administrator stands at $83,208 per year, or around $40 per hour. This salary can fluctuate based on several factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and industry sector. For instance, Unix Administrators in tech hubs like California and New York often earn higher salaries compared to those in less populated states.
Experience plays a significant role in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start around $60,000, while seasoned professionals can command salaries exceeding $100,000 based on their expertise and responsibilities. Additionally, specialized skills in areas such as security and cloud computing can further enhance earning potential.
Top Paying States
States like California, New York, and Washington consistently rank among the highest-paying for Unix Administrators. For example, in California, the average salary can reach up to $100,000, reflecting the high demand for skilled IT professionals in the region.
To make informed career decisions, prospective candidates should consider both salary expectations and job availability in their desired locations. Explore our resources for in-depth salary information by state and industry to better prepare for your career as a Unix Administrator.
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Where can a Unix Administrator earn more?
Unix administrator salary estimates from across the web
Average unix administrator salary by state
The highest-paying states for unix administrators are Washington, California, and Louisiana. The lowest average unix administrator salary states are Wisconsin, Alabama, and Vermont.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for unix administrators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $104,464 | $50.22 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $89,908 | $43.23 |
| 3 | Maryland | $91,652 | $44.06 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $97,649 | $46.95 |
| 5 | California | $97,113 | $46.69 |
| 6 | Virginia | $87,424 | $42.03 |
| 7 | Arizona | $83,638 | $40.21 |
| 8 | Ohio | $86,847 | $41.75 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $83,706 | $40.24 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $87,851 | $42.24 |
| 11 | Utah | $81,649 | $39.25 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $91,999 | $44.23 |
| 13 | Colorado | $84,353 | $40.55 |
| 14 | Nevada | $82,865 | $39.84 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $81,894 | $39.37 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $81,754 | $39.30 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $82,670 | $39.75 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $83,688 | $40.23 |
| 19 | Texas | $80,404 | $38.66 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $80,178 | $38.55 |
| 21 | New York | $84,573 | $40.66 |
| 22 | Illinois | $81,916 | $39.38 |
| 23 | Oregon | $81,286 | $39.08 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $79,638 | $38.29 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $78,923 | $37.94 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $80,020 | $38.47 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $83,281 | $40.04 |
| 28 | North Dakota | $77,535 | $37.28 |
| 29 | Michigan | $79,048 | $38.00 |
| 30 | Florida | $78,967 | $37.96 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $79,157 | $38.06 |
| 32 | Georgia | $79,730 | $38.33 |
| 33 | Delaware | $80,870 | $38.88 |
| 34 | Alaska | $75,787 | $36.44 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $78,828 | $37.90 |
| 36 | Alabama | $75,304 | $36.20 |
| 37 | Missouri | $79,074 | $38.02 |
| 38 | Iowa | $78,172 | $37.58 |
| 39 | Kansas | $77,303 | $37.16 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $76,136 | $36.60 |
| 41 | Montana | $77,547 | $37.28 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $77,935 | $37.47 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $76,879 | $36.96 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $76,458 | $36.76 |
| 45 | Indiana | $76,836 | $36.94 |
| 46 | Vermont | $74,875 | $36.00 |
| 47 | Maine | $76,915 | $36.98 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $75,329 | $36.22 |
| 49 | Idaho | $73,101 | $35.14 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $70,089 | $33.70 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $69,085 | $33.21 |
Highest paying cities for unix administrators
The highest-paying cities for unix administrators are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and Bethesda, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $103,869 | $49.94 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $97,719 | $46.98 |
| 3 | Bethesda, MD | $91,505 | $43.99 |
| 4 | Chesapeake, VA | $87,612 | $42.12 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $86,738 | $41.70 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $84,695 | $40.72 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $83,776 | $40.28 |
| 8 | Marlborough, MA | $83,747 | $40.26 |
| 9 | Edison, NJ | $83,348 | $40.07 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $82,131 | $39.49 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $80,892 | $38.89 |
| 12 | Newark, DE | $80,830 | $38.86 |
| 13 | Houston, TX | $80,422 | $38.66 |
| 14 | Woonsocket, RI | $80,076 | $38.50 |
| 15 | Alpharetta, GA | $79,915 | $38.42 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $79,528 | $38.23 |
| 17 | Sarasota, FL | $79,447 | $38.20 |
| 18 | Detroit, MI | $79,263 | $38.11 |
| 19 | Memphis, TN | $78,425 | $37.70 |
| 20 | West Des Moines, IA | $77,756 | $37.38 |
Unix administrator salary details
A unix administrator's salary ranges from $64,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $106,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a unix administrator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
| Average | $83,208 | $6,934 | $40 |
| 25th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 10th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
Highest paying unix administrator jobs
The highest paying types of unix administrators are senior unix systems administrator, systems administrator lead, and senior system administrator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Technology Administrator | $73,195 | $6,100 | $35.19 | 159,499 |
| Network/Server Administrator | $78,919 | $6,577 | $37.94 | 167,546 |
| Systems Administrator Lead | $99,956 | $8,330 | $48.06 | 132,285 |
| Windows System Administrator | $79,845 | $6,654 | $38.39 | 94,648 |
| Linux Systems Administrator | $83,032 | $6,919 | $39.92 | 109,091 |
| Facilities Administrator | $70,272 | $5,856 | $33.78 | 64,826 |
Top companies hiring unix administrators now:
Which companies pay unix administrators the most?
Unix administrator salaries at NVIDIA and Cegedim Inc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average unix administrator salary at companies like Greyhound Lines and Choice Hotels are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVIDIA | $125,501 | $60.34 |
| 2 | Cegedim Inc | $124,317 | $59.77 |
| 3 | Greyhound Lines | $109,161 | $52.48 |
| 4 | Choice Hotels | $106,654 | $51.28 |
| 5 | State Street | $106,350 | $51.13 |
| 6 | Sanofi Genzyme | $104,982 | $50.47 |
| 7 | Populus Group | $104,798 | $50.38 |
| 8 | Envision | $102,670 | $49.36 |
| 9 | Expeditors | $99,912 | $48.03 |
| 10 | Mouser Electronics | $98,797 | $47.50 |
| 11 | BullsEye Telecom | $96,180 | $46.24 |
| 12 | Pace Inc | $93,530 | $44.97 |
| 13 | NCH | $92,804 | $44.62 |
| 14 | Amdocs | $91,883 | $44.17 |
| 15 | Sierra-Cedar | $91,570 | $44.02 |
| 16 | Data | $91,363 | $43.92 |
| 17 | RTC | $90,395 | $43.46 |
| 18 | The Aerospace Corporation | $90,250 | $43.39 |
| 19 | Quantum Vision | $89,995 | $43.27 |
| 20 | Merdian Technologies | $89,881 | $43.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Unix Administrator salary by industry
The average unix administrator salary varies across industries:
- The average unix administrator salary in the finance industry is $93,829, the highest of any industry.
- The average unix administrator salary in the finance industry is $90,671.
- Unix administrators in the professional industry earn an average salary of $83,477, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for unix administrators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $93,829 | $45.11 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $90,671 | $43.59 |
| 3 | Retail | $90,161 | $43.35 |
| 4 | Telecommunication | $89,660 | $43.11 |
| 5 | Technology | $89,112 | $42.84 |
| 6 | Transportation | $86,160 | $41.42 |
| 7 | Professional | $83,477 | $40.13 |
High paying unix administrator jobs
Unix administrator salary trends
The average unix administrator salary has risen by $15,183 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average unix administrator earned $68,025 annually, but today, they earn $83,208 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for unix administrators over the last decade.
Compare unix administrator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average unix administrator salary over time
Compare unix administrator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Unix administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $83,200 | $40.00 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $80,500 | $38.69 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $78,600 | $37.81 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $77,700 | $37.37 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $76,400 | $36.73 | +2.4% |
Recently added unix administrator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dataformix Technologies, Inc. | Unix L3 Administrator | Plano, TX | 03/18/2025 | $80,300 |
| Compusoft Integrated Solutions, Inc. | Unix Administrator | Springfield, IL | 03/10/2025 | $88,000 |
| Teksystems | Rhel Unix Platform Administrator | Baltimore, MD | 02/23/2025 | $104,350 |
| GRP Solutions Inc. | Unix Admin | Wilmington, DE | 12/17/2024 | $85,072 |
| Gwinnett County Public Schools | Unix Administrator-Infrastructure Services | Nunez, GA | 12/13/2024 | $55,413 |
| Envisn Inc. | Unix Administrator | Frisco, TX | 12/11/2024 | $80,558 |
| Nvidia Corporation | Admin Unix Advisory | Madison, WI | 12/05/2024 | $120,000 |
| Exosoft Tech Inc. | Urgent-Unix Admin With Shell Scripting/Pearl and Python Expertise | Bellevue, WA | 10/14/2024 | $90,000 |
| Nvidia Corporation | Admin Unix Advisory | Madison, WI | 10/09/2024 | $120,000 |
| Nvidia Corporation | Admin Unix Advisory | Santa Clara, CA | 10/04/2024 | $163,010 |
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