Senior system administrator vs junior systems administrator

The differences between senior system administrators and junior 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 senior system administrator and a junior systems administrator. Additionally, a senior system administrator has an average salary of $98,146, which is higher than the $62,225 average annual salary of a junior systems administrator.

The top three skills for a senior system administrator include linux, windows server and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a junior systems administrator are windows server, troubleshoot, and technical support.

Senior system administrator vs junior systems administrator overview

	Senior System Administrator	Junior Systems Administrator
Yearly salary	$98,146	$62,225
Hourly rate	$47.19	$29.92
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	100,873	154,134
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a senior system administrator do?

A senior system administrator specializes in overseeing the computer system operations in an organization. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around monitoring the performance of all software and hardware, installing servers, configuring systems, and making sure every technical aspect is running smoothly. Should there be any issues, they must take charge of troubleshooting and providing solutions. As someone with more experience, a senior system administrator leads and evaluates the performances of fellow skilled professionals in the department, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

What does a junior systems administrator do?

A junior systems administrator is primarily responsible for handling and maintaining systems for users while under the supervision of a more experienced systems administrator. Their responsibilities often revolve around assisting senior administrators, troubleshooting support, providing installations and configurations, and handling inquiries and concerns, providing them with corrective measures. Aside from support tasks, one may also have administrative duties such as producing reports and presentations, managing schedules, and maintaining accurate data of all transactions. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere to all the policies and regulations of the company.

Senior system administrator vs junior systems administrator salary

Senior system administrators and junior systems administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Senior System Administrator	Junior Systems Administrator
Average salary	$98,146	$62,225
Salary range	Between $75,000 And $126,000	Between $51,000 And $74,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	Cambridge Associates	Jacobs Engineering Group
Best paying industry	Finance	Finance

Differences between senior system administrator and junior systems administrator education

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

	Senior System Administrator	Junior Systems Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	University of Pennsylvania

Senior system administrator vs junior systems administrator demographics

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

	Senior System Administrator	Junior Systems Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0%	Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 12.1% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between senior system administrator and junior systems administrator duties and responsibilities

Senior system administrator example responsibilities.

Manage and optimize the design and delivery of project associate with AIX arena.
Manage all installs and setup of new servers, and server upgrades to server 2008 R2.
Implement IIS servers for both the internal and external web servers and managing security on all web servers.
Design, implement, and manage a network and domain extension in a remote location via a secure VPN link.
Manage Cisco network equipment including firewalls and switches.
Administer and manage daily backups via Symantec NetBackup.

Junior systems administrator example 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.
Develop PowerShell scripts to revamp and automate server build process.
Maintain and manage windows 2012 R2 in a virtual environment.

Senior system administrator vs junior systems administrator skills

Common senior system administrator skills

Linux, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Troubleshoot, 5%
System Administration, 4%
PowerShell, 4%
SAN, 4%

Common junior systems administrator skills

Windows Server, 7%
Troubleshoot, 5%
Technical Support, 5%
System Administration, 5%
Switches, 5%
OS, 4%

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Senior System Administrator vs Junior Systems Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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