Unix systems administrator vs network administrator

The differences between unix systems administrators and network 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 unix systems administrator and a network administrator. Additionally, a unix systems administrator has an average salary of $87,936, which is higher than the $71,357 average annual salary of a network administrator.

The top three skills for a unix systems administrator include production servers, solaris and database. The most important skills for a network administrator are switches, windows server, and troubleshoot.

Unix systems administrator vs network administrator overview

	Unix Systems Administrator	Network Administrator
Yearly salary	$87,936	$71,357
Hourly rate	$42.28	$34.31
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	110,185	106,886
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a unix systems administrator do?

UNIX system administrators install, configure, and maintain the UNIX systems of organizations. The administrators are in charge of the troubleshooting of server errors. They install new system hardware for their respective organizations and respond to the issues raised by the users. It is part of their job to monitor the network's performance. Usually, they are working in an office using UNIX multiuser operating system. They supervise the execution of data conversion projects such as database hardware replacements.

What does a network administrator do?

A network administrator is responsible for managing an organization's computer systems, ensuring its smooth operations and highest efficiency. Network administrators' duties include inspecting network malfunctions, troubleshooting unresponsive programs, improving system processes, analyzing client's specifications, upgrading existing applications, coordinating with the technology department, and creating a report of network issues resolutions. A network administrator should display a strong command of programming languages. Extensive knowledge in the technology industry and analytical and problem-solving skills to manage network problems immediately is also necessary.

Unix systems administrator vs network administrator salary

Unix systems administrators and network administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unix Systems Administrator	Network Administrator
Average salary	$87,936	$71,357
Salary range	Between $64,000 And $119,000	Between $56,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	PayPal	Google
Best paying industry	Finance	Finance

Differences between unix systems administrator and network administrator education

There are a few differences between a unix systems administrator and a network administrator in terms of educational background:

	Unix Systems Administrator	Network Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Unix systems administrator vs network administrator demographics

Here are the differences between unix systems administrators' and network administrators' demographics:

	Unix Systems Administrator	Network Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between unix systems administrator and network administrator duties and responsibilities

Unix systems administrator example responsibilities.

Manage LUN assignments from Shark/Hitachi SAN through the fiber switches.
Manage system kernel settings to boost performance base on root cause analysis for performance issues.
Manage and maintain local area network (TCP/IP), consisting of 2 NCR 3430 servers and 130+ client workstations.
Help automate server and storage provisioning.
Manage resources for zones using Solaris 10container technology.
Manage AWS services and provide redundancy for internal corporate systems.

Network administrator example responsibilities.

Lead and manage desktop standards project.
Manage backups using EMC Networker and Avamar.
Manage Solarwinds to monitor servers and networks for all locations.
Manage all provisioning and technical issues for new customer IP blocks.
Deploy and manage storage (windows file servers and NetApp NAS).
Manage all technology: Novell, Microsoft, Cisco, email, library, labs, dorms, programs

Unix systems administrator vs network administrator skills

Common unix systems administrator skills

Production Servers, 8%
Solaris, 5%
Database, 4%
SAN, 4%
System Administration, 4%
Troubleshoot, 4%

Common network administrator skills

Switches, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Troubleshoot, 5%
Network Hardware, 5%
Routers, 4%
Lan Wan, 4%

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Unix Systems Administrator
Unix Systems Administrator vs Network Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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