CAREER

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Overview

Salary Median (2020)

$80,600

Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)

+3.4% (slower than the average)

Career

What Network and Computer Systems Administrators Do

Install, configure, and maintain an organization's local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers. Perform system monitoring and verify the integrity and availability of hardware, network, and server resources and systems. Review system and application logs and verify completion of scheduled jobs, including system backups. Analyze network and server resource consumption and control user access. Install and upgrade software and maintain software licenses. May assist in network modeling, analysis, planning, and coordination between network and data communications hardware and software.

Other Job Titles Network and Computer Systems Administrators May Have

Information Technology Specialist (IT Specialist), Local Area Network Administrator (LAN Administrator), Network Administrator, Systems Administrator

How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work

Per Scholas Graduate ,

Per Scholas

I work overnight from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Each shift begins with a review of emails to anticipate any scheduled outages, as maintenance typically unfolds during the quieter night hours. My responsibilities include patching servers to ensure our clients' systems run smoothly. Utilizing scripts for routine maintenance, I balance between direct action and notifying clients of issues. When work slows, I study for certifications, making each shift a step toward professional and personal fulfillment.

Senior Systems Engineer ,

Datastax

A typical day is hard to define, there are often problems that arise that need immediate resolution. Things that may never have been encountered before that need to be understood and fixed in a matter of minutes. It is exciting at times, but can get rather monotonous depending on what layers of the job you get focused on. Staying at the forefront of technology means you always get to keep learning, and for me that is one of the best parts of my job.


Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

  • Maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations.
  • Perform data backups and disaster recovery operations.
  • Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, or other network and system problems, and replace defective components when necessary.
  • Configure, monitor, and maintain email applications or virus protection software.
  • Operate master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks and to coordinate computer network access and use.

This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.