The salary of a UNIX Systems Administrator in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a UNIX Systems Administrator in the United States is $90,732. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $80,836 to $98,503, with most professionals earning between $71,826 and $105,578.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $98,503 | $8,209 | $1,894 | $47 |
| Average | $90,732 | $7,561 | $1,745 | $44 |
| 25th Percentile | $80,836 | $6,736 | $1,555 | $39 |
An entry-level UNIX Systems Administrator with less than 1 year of experience earns about $88,221. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $90,732. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $94,212. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $94,560, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $95,139.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level UNIX Systems Administrator | $88,221 |
| Intermediate Level UNIX Systems Administrator | $90,732 |
| Senior Level UNIX Systems Administrator | $94,212 |
| Specialist Level UNIX Systems Administrator | $94,560 |
| Expert Level UNIX Systems Administrator | $95,139 |
| Entry Level | 3% |
| Mid Level | 0% |
| Senior Level | 4% |
| Top Level | 4% |
| Experienced | 5% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in UNIX Systems Administrator compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $64,354 in 2023 to approximately $63,587 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of UNIX Systems Administrator salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
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Here are companies hiring for UNIX Systems Administrator and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $90,732 | 71.0% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $6,941 | 5.4% | ||
| 401K/403B | $3,811 | 3.0% | ||
| Disability | $1,815 | 1.4% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 6.5% | ||
| Pension | $4,900 | 3.8% | ||
| Time Off | $11,167 | 8.7% | ||
| Total Compensation | $127,717 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 1.6% |
| High School | 17.6% |
| Associates | 20.8% |
| Bachelors | 54.4% |
| Masters | 5.6% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of UNIX Systems Administrator is $90,732. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of UNIX Systems Administrator is $44; the average weekly pay of UNIX Systems Administrator is $1,745; the average monthly pay of UNIX Systems Administrator is $7,561.
A UNIX Systems Administrator's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a UNIX Systems Administrator earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a UNIX Systems Administrator is $114,440.
The highest pay for UNIX Systems Administrator is $105,578.
The lowest pay for UNIX Systems Administrator is $71,826.
Responsible for the installation, configuration and maintenance of the organization's UNIX operating systems and all related systems or software. Analyzes and resolves problems associated with server hardware/software and applications software and ensures scalability and appropriate integration with other systems. Detects, diagnoses, and reports UNIX related problems on both UNIX server and UNIX desktop systems. Responsible for backup or recovery procedures. Typically requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Work is closely managed. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Azure: Microsoft Azure, often referred to as Azure, is a cloud computing service operated by Microsoft for application management via Microsoft-managed data centers.
Help Desk: The activities involved in handling and resolving customer grievances and issues faster and efficient by a ticketing system.
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