Learn more about the day-to-day responsibilities, required skills, and common qualifications of a system administrator. Discover industry statistics on employment, salary potential, and average weekly hours of work.
Overview
System administrators ensure a business’ operating systems, networks, web servers, and applications are all working at optimal performance. Also known as “sysadmins”, they may be tasked with data backup and recovery; security monitoring; and maintaining, managing, or deleting user accounts. They may also be responsible for developing (and maintaining) technical standards and procedures to ensure maximum system efficiency. When faults are discovered, they typically develop the appropriate patches and upgrades to fix them.
These professionals additionally provide business staff with the technical support and direction they need. Excellent communication skills are thus a must, as well as the ability to coordinate maintenance processes and troubleshooting procedures.
System administrators must also be willing to stay up to date on new industry trends and developments, ensuring their business stays technologically competitive.
Those in the field can expect plenty of work in the next five years, with a 18.3% projected job growth, according to SEEK statistics.
Key Skills
Sharp attention to detail; ability to pinpoint system issues or vulnerabilities
Strong communication skills for guiding business staff/colleagues through technical difficulties
High-level knowledge of computer hardware, software, and networking
A “lifelong learner” mindset to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies
Excellent problem-solving skills for troubleshooting systems and providing appropriate solutions
Excellent written skills for preparing and maintaining documentation on operational procedures, system logs, and new policies or instructions
Quick Facts
Database and system administrators can find work in most regions of Australia, with New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland currently holding the largest share of workers. Weekly salary potential is currently higher ($1,932) than the all job average ($1,460) with plenty of opportunity for full-time work.
Salary Range
$51,000 - $91,000 (Median: $69,000)*
*Source: Payscale
Average Weekly Hours
41 hours (vs. all jobs average of 44 hours)*
*Source: Job Outlook
Main Industries
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Public Administration and Safety; and Financial and Insurance Services
Most Common Qualification Level
38.3% hold a Bachelor’s Degree
STUDY PATHWAYS
Getting the skills you need is simple by studying one of our information technology courses below.
ICT40120 - Certificate IV in Information Technology (Systems Administration Support)
ICT40120 - Certificate IV in Information Technology (Networking)
ICT50220 – Diploma of Information Technology (Back End Web Development)
ICT50220 – Diploma of Information Technology (Advanced Networking)
*Sources: payscale.com.au and joboutlook.gov.au – All information is to be used as a guide only, and are accurate at the time of publication.
