Computer Occupations

How to become a Network and Computer Systems Administrator

Official title: Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Also called: LAN Administrator (Local Area Network Administrator), LAN Specialist (Local Area Network Specialist), Network Administrator (Network Admin), Network Analyst, Network Coordinator, Network Engineer, Network Manager, Network Specialist, Systems Engineer

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.

Main tasks

Plan, coordinate, and implement network security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
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.
Maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations.
Configure, monitor, and maintain email applications or virus protection software.
Confer with network users about solutions to existing system problems.
Operate master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks and to coordinate computer network access and use.
Maintain logs related to network functions, as well as maintenance and repair records.

How to become one

To enter the occupation, network and computer systems administrators typically need a bachelor's degree in a field related to computer or information science.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Information Assurance Specialist.
Apprenticeship: Information Technology Specialist.
Apprenticeship: It Systems Administrator.
College: Computing & IT degrees, Offered by 34 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $99,130 a year The middle half earn $78,010 to $126,640.
About 323,600 people work in this job now, and about 310,400 are projected by 2035. (-4.1%)
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Network and Computer Systems Administrator?

To enter the occupation, network and computer systems administrators typically need a bachelor's degree in a field related to computer or information science.

How much does a Network and Computer Systems Administrator earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $99,130 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $78,010 to $126,640.

Is a Network and Computer Systems Administrator a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 4% by 2035, from about 323,600 to about 310,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Network and Computer Systems Administrator?

Not always. 53% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Computing & IT degrees; Information Assurance Specialist.

Will AI change the work of a Network and Computer Systems Administrator?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.