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

What is a software administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Bill McGinley

The average software administrator salary is $94,570. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an computer science major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a software administrator. Software administrators with a Certified Technical Professional (CTP) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 18,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a software administrator?

Bill McGinley

President & CEO, American College of Health Care Administrators

LTC administrators should have at least a bachelor's degree in business or a healthcare-related field. A well-rounded internship that exposes the future administrator to all aspects of the operation is essential. Needed skills include business, marketing, finance, operations, management and leadership.
Post pandemic opportunities will be nationwide in this field with a greater need in rural areas.
Technology will continue to play a big role in the field. Computerized medical records, census management, and all clinical areas will continue to dominate. Online meetings are liable to continue as well, as employers realize that there is a savings to be gained by not having people travel to meetings and conferences.

ScoreSoftware AdministratorUS Average

Salary

7.4

Avg. Salary $94,570

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 9.71%

Black or African American 8.94%

Hispanic or Latino 12.62%

Unknown 5.09%

White 63.34%

Gender

female 38.77%

male 61.23%

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

Key steps to become a software administrator

Explore software administrator education requirements

Most common software administrator degrees

Bachelor's

62.7 %

Associate

22.4 %

Master's

9.7 %

Start to develop specific software administrator skills

Skills	Percentages
SQL	9.46%
Troubleshoot	7.24%
Linux	6.51%
Technical Support	6.34%
Database Management	5.49%

Complete relevant software administrator training and internships

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

Research software administrator duties and responsibilities

Accomplish relational database administration and implementation.
Maintain department servers (UNIX, Novell, NT) and create accounts for employees.
Serve as the focal point of contact regarding all applications and services of Linux and UNIX.
Maintain corporate network and information systems on NT and Novell platform.

Apply for software administrator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a software 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