Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Network and computer systems administrators work in a field that combines technology, problem solving, and ongoing change. Nationally, there are about 332,000 jobs in this occupation, supported by 14,000 annual openings. The role calls for solid abilities in computers and information technology, along with critical and analytical thinking and problem solving and decision making. Strong project management, adaptability, and writing and reading skills support work that can involve planning, coordinating, and improving complex systems. The career also values mathematics, creativity and innovation, mechanical understanding, and fine motor skills. A national median annual salary of $96,800 indicates substantial earning potential, with even higher median salaries in several states and metro areas. Although projected employment growth is -4.2%, ongoing openings still appear through the labor market each year. For people who enjoy working with technology, troubleshooting, and structured analysis, this occupation can be a solid option, and there are related paths such as computer systems analysts, computer network architects, and other computer occupations to consider over time.
The national median annual salary for network and computer systems administrators is $96,800, and several states and metro areas offer higher median pay. Among the top states by opportunity score, Massachusetts reports a median salary of $110,980, followed by California at $106,440 and New York at $105,810. Colorado and Washington both show median salaries slightly above $103,000. At the metro level, earnings can be substantially higher. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has a median salary of $133,360, while San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA stands at $129,680. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area reports $119,390, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV shows $125,430. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offers $116,770. These figures suggest that geographic choice can make a meaningful difference in pay, especially in certain large metro areas, while the national median still provides a strong baseline for this occupation.
Network and computer systems administrators currently account for about 332,000 jobs nationally. The occupation has projected employment growth of -4.2%, indicating that total employment is expected to decline over the projection period. Even with this negative growth rate, there are an estimated 14,000 annual openings. These openings can reflect a mix of factors such as workers leaving the occupation or changing jobs, in addition to any changes in overall employment levels. Because growth is negative, those interested in this career may want to pay close attention to location and employer demand when planning their path. However, the presence of thousands of openings each year shows that hiring activity still exists across the labor market. Comparing different states and metro areas by their opportunity scores, salaries, and employment counts can help candidates identify regions that align better with their goals in a shrinking but still active occupation.
Location plays a significant role in opportunity for network and computer systems administrators. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York have the highest CareerGPS opportunity scores, ranging roughly from the mid-60s to high-60s, with median salaries between $105,810 and $110,980. California also has the largest employment among these top states at 26,170 jobs, while New York has 18,220 and Massachusetts 8,270. Colorado and Washington show lower but still notable opportunity scores in the mid-50s, with median salaries just above $103,000 and employment near or above 8,000. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with the highest opportunity score (77.42) and the highest median salary at $133,360, though employment is 2,460. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area has a similarly high opportunity score (77.27) and much larger employment at 17,690. Other strong metros include San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV; and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, all combining six-figure median salaries with sizable job counts.
The typical education requirement for network and computer systems administrators is a bachelor’s degree. This level of education aligns with the broad and technical skill profile associated with the occupation. Key skills include computers and information technology, which form the core knowledge base, and critical and analytical thinking to interpret issues and evaluate solutions. Project management skills support planning and coordinating work, while problem solving and decision making are central to handling complex situations. Writing and reading skills are important for documentation and understanding technical information, and adaptability helps professionals adjust to changing conditions. Mathematics contributes to analytical tasks, while creativity and innovation can support developing new approaches and improvements. Mechanical and fine motor skills may be valuable when dealing with physical components or precise tasks. Altogether, the combination of a bachelor’s degree and this mix of skills prepares individuals for the technical and analytical demands of the role.
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