Network and Computer Systems Administrators Salary: $117,612 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 318,570 network and computer systems administrators nationally earn a mean of $117,612. Projections imply about 3.6% annual decline; CA accounts for about 25,890 jobs in our geographic extract.
Key Statistics
Network and Computer Systems Administrators: what the data shows
Common questions about network and computer systems administrators careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a network and computer systems administrators?
Network and Computer Systems Administrators is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 15-1244.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 318,570 workers.
What does a network and computer systems administrators do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Getting Information, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a network and computer systems administrators make?
BLS national median annual wage: $96,800 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $117,612 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $69,283 |
| 25th percentile | $86,920 |
| Median (50th) | $109,518 |
| 75th percentile | $137,703 |
| 90th percentile | $171,775 |
What education do you need?
For Network and Computer Systems Administrators, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Critical Thinking, Systems Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, and knowledge areas including Computers and Electronics, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Engineering and Technology. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is network and computer systems administrators in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 3.6% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -16.8%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -30.8%.
Current U.S. headcount: 318,570.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do network and computer systems administratorss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 318,570 | 18.0% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 266,410 | 15.1% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 87,740 | 5.0% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 87,740 | 5.0% |
| Educational Services | 70,850 | 4.0% |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 56,250 | 3.2% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Network and Computer Systems Administrators in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | 497,800 | $103,790 |
| Information Security Analysts | 179,430 | $124,910 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 645,970 | $171,200 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | 156,260 | $51,500 |
| Computer Network Architects | 177,010 | $130,390 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | 32,890 | $61,680 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Network and Computer Systems Administrators workforce.
Employment Over Time
318,570 Workforce in 2023
The Network and Computer Systems Administrators workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$117,612 Average Wage
In 2023, Network and Computer Systems Administrators earned an average of $117,612.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Salary distribution for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Employment Growth Projections
-3.6% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
92,114 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -16.8%
76,607 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -30.8%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Network and Computer Systems Administrators and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Network and Computer Systems Administrators employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Wage Trends by Industry
-1.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 25,890 employees, $119,313 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 6,270 employees, $115,118 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 2,960 employees, $135,772 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 2,810 employees, $141,303 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 2,720 employees, $113,933 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 2,690 employees, $108,008 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 2,400 employees, $132,894 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 1,640 employees, $107,535 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 1,470 employees, $112,661 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 470 employees, $96,740 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 410 employees, $100,643 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Diversity
Demographic information on Network and Computer Systems Administrators in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Network and Computer Systems Administrators in 2023 was 318,570 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Network and Computer Systems Administrators in 2023 were Engineering, Business Administration, Management.
Common majors for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Network and Computer Systems Administrators workers.
Education level distribution for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Skills
Network and Computer Systems Administrators need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Systems Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening.
Required skills for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Network and Computer Systems Administrators include Computers and Electronics, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Engineering and Technology, Telecommunications.
Knowledge areas required for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Network and Computer Systems Administrators include Problem Sensitivity, Information Ordering, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression, Deductive Reasoning.
Required abilities for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Daily Activities
Network and Computer Systems Administrators spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Getting Information, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work.
Most important work activities for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
About
Network and Computer Systems Administrators
The average yearly wage for Network and Computer Systems Administrators was $117,612 in 2023.
SOC Code
15-1244 - Network and Computer Systems Administrators
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Network and Computer Systems Administrators reports an average salary of $117,612, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 318,570 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -3.6%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.