Network and Computer Systems Administrators Salary: $96,800 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 318,570 network and computer systems administrators work nationally, and $96,800 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 3.6% annual decline; much hiring sits in professional, scientific, and technical services.
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 percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| 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 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 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Network and Computer Systems Administrators shrank from 133,180 in 2020 to 110,760 in 2025 (16.8%).
Historical employment for Network and Computer Systems Administrators from the California OEWS series, 2020–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$96,800 Median pay (BLS national)
Network and Computer Systems Administrators earn $96,800 as the BLS national median annual wage.
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.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 34,640 employees, $98,170 avg wage
- CA: 28,730 employees, $114,500 avg wage
- FL: 22,280 employees, $96,080 avg wage
- NY: 19,770 employees, $111,440 avg wage
- OH: 15,950 employees, $96,810 avg wage
- VA: 13,830 employees, $113,980 avg wage
- NC: 13,080 employees, $99,650 avg wage
- IL: 10,830 employees, $99,180 avg wage
- NJ: 10,300 employees, $106,960 avg wage
- GA: 9,310 employees, $97,810 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Network and Computer Systems Administrators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 19,080 employees, $119,240 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 11,780 employees, $105,280 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 11,280 employees, $124,920 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 9,000 employees, $111,720 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 7,370 employees, $103,500 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 6,780 employees, $100,080 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 6,290 employees, $112,020 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 6,260 employees, $98,950 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 6,190 employees, $101,240 avg wage
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 5,950 employees, $115,660 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 U.S. workforce for Network and Computer Systems Administrators is about 318,570 people in our OEWS extract.
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
Network and Computer Systems Administrators earn $96,800 as the BLS national median annual wage.
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.