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What is a systems engineer/systems administrator and how to become one
A systems engineer/systems administrator spends a lot of time with systems. More specifically, they spend time with the computer systems that a company relies on to do their work. They do the job of a systems engineer, who plans and designs systems, and a systems administrator who maintains networks once installed. Of course, the two halves of the role often overlap.
The day-to-day tasks of a systems engineer/systems administrator differ depending on the computer system's needs. Some days, they might work to coordinate any systems configuration changes. Other days, they deploy a new code to update the system and write policy dictating how the company uses it.
Many systems engineers/systems administrators have bachelor's degrees in computer science or a related field to get the technical know-how needed to be a good systems engineer. They also have practical experience in positions such as that of network administrator that prepare them to troubleshoot problems on the spot.
What general advice would you give to a systems engineer/systems administrator?
Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.
Director of Graduate Studies for the Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Assistant Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University Bloomington
Avg. Salary $95,271
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 5%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 12.71%
Black or African American 8.23%
Hispanic or Latino 11.94%
Unknown 5.03%
White 61.79%
Genderfemale 10.12%
male 89.88%
Age - 42American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 42Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Systems engineer/systems administrator career paths
Key steps to become a systems engineer/systems administrator
Explore systems engineer/systems administrator education requirements
Start to develop specific systems engineer/systems administrator skills
Skills Percentages Windows Server 6.61% Troubleshoot 6.17% AWS 4.49% Database 4.46% SAN 3.67% Complete relevant systems engineer/systems administrator training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New systems engineers/systems administrator 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 systems engineer/systems administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real systems engineer/systems administrator resumes.Research systems engineer/systems administrator duties and responsibilities
- Manage phone system voice over TCP/IP NBX 3com switch.
- Manage and administer Microsoft IIS application server for mission essential applications.
- Manage PC and equipment inventory, monitor network performance, evaluate and integrate new technology.
- Coordinate FileNet and EMC system configuration changes, manage disk storage consumption, allocate/mask storage, and document system configurations/changes.
Prepare your systems engineer/systems administrator resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your systems engineer/systems administrator resume.
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Apply for systems engineer/systems administrator jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a systems engineer/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
How did you land your first systems engineer/systems administrator job
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Average systems engineer/systems administrator salary
The average systems engineer/systems administrator salary in the United States is $95,271 per year or $46 per hour. Systems engineer/systems administrator salaries range between $70,000 and $128,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do systems engineers/systems administrator rate their job?
Systems engineer/systems administrator reviews
New challenges in medical working environment
every day i learn new think,because i have background of computer science and i have to taring the non IT technical awareness staff
I like working with a operating systems like Windows or Linux and networks.
I don't like write a scripts.
Updated January 8, 2025
