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Systems Administrator

$99,130
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Set up, maintain, and secure the servers, networks, and systems an organization runs on.

Where you work

Offices and data centers; at a desk, sometimes in server rooms.

The hours

Full-time; on-call for outages, some nights and weekends.

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$99,130
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~14,300
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-4%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
coming soon

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Degree or equivalent certifications.

License or certification

No license required; certifications help, especially in cloud platforms.

What it takes

Problem solvingAttention to detailCommunicationTechnical skills

The honest take

Cloud ate the server room — the one shrinking tech job on this list; cloud skills are the exit ramp.

Standard Occupational Classification 15-1244. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.