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The differences between systems administrators and help desk 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 systems administrator and a help desk administrator. Additionally, a systems administrator has an average salary of $77,156, which is higher than the $49,798 average annual salary of a help desk administrator.
The top three skills for a systems administrator include linux, troubleshoot and windows server. The most important skills for a help desk administrator are customer service, desk support, and troubleshoot.
| Systems Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $77,156 | $49,798 |
| Hourly rate | $37.09 | $23.94 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 134,500 | 130,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Help desk administrator is responsible for handling activities related to system support for their company or organization. They are in charge of providing superb client experiences and working in resolving support issues in a professional and timely manner. One of their primary tasks includes providing login resets and passwords for end-users. In addition, they will also perform innovative systems and network repairs, as well as assist computer information responses as required. Moreover, they support complete equipment set-up, renewal, or termination of a user account, handle server, and domain account changes.
Systems administrators and help desk administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Average salary | $77,156 | $49,798 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $100,000 | Between $34,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Meta | Houlihan Lokey |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a systems administrator and a help desk administrator in terms of educational background:
| Systems Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between systems administrators' and help desk administrators' demographics:
| Systems Administrator | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% | Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.8% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |