Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Systems Administrator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a systems administrator. Systems administrators usually study computer science, business, or computer information systems. 60% of systems administrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 24% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 76,265 real systems administrator resumes to see exactly what systems administrator education sections show.
The most common colleges for systems administrators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online systems administrator courses to help get the education required to be a systems administrator.
There are certain systems administrator certifications that you should consider. These systems administrator certifications include Network 5 Certification and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).
What education do you need to become a systems administrator?
What degree do you need to be a systems administrator?
- Bachelor's, 60%
- Associate, 24%
- Master's, 9%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 4%
What should I major in to become a systems administrator?
- Computer Science, 20%
- Business, 13%
- Other Majors, 44%
Most common colleges for systems administrators
| Systems Administrator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 19.02% |
| DeVry University | 14.75% |
| Strayer University | 7.17% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 6.54% |
| George Mason University | 4.95% |
Best majors for systems administrators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 20.1% |
| 2 | Business | 13.0% |
| 3 | Computer Information Systems | 12.3% |
| 4 | Information Technology | 10.8% |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | 8.8% |
Best colleges for systems administrators
The best colleges for systems administrators are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A systems administrator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for systems administrators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become systems administrators.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
9. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$55,453
Enrollment
4,312
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
20 best online courses for systems administrators
Advertising disclosure
1. Linux System Administration with IBM Power Systems
This course introduces administrative tasks that a system administrator can perform with Linux hosted on IBM Power servers. This includes virtualization concepts such as logical partitioning, installation of Linux, command-line operations, and more interesting administration and device management tasks. This course includes hands-on exercises with systems from an IBM data center...
2. System Administration and IT Infrastructure Services
This course will transition you from working on a single computer to an entire fleet. Systems administration is the field of IT that’s responsible for maintaining reliable computers systems in a multi-user environment. In this course, you’ll learn about the infrastructure services that keep all organizations, big and small, up and running. We’ll deep dive on cloud so that you’ll understand everything from typical cloud infrastructure setups to how to manage cloud resources. You'll also learn...
3. Fundamentals of Unix and Linux System Administration
Master Linux/Unix System administration through a practical and hands on approach...
4. Essential Tools for Windows System Administrators
[Windows] [System Administration] Learn Windows Builtin Tools & Open Source Tools for Efficient System Administration...
5. Advanced Linux System Administration
This course will teach you everything you need to know to be an Advanced system administrator...
6. Desktop IT Support Level 1 & 2 in real life (Troubleshooting
Learn everything in real life Troubleshooting for IT Help Desk , Helpdesk , IT Support , System Administration and IT...
7. AIX Administration for Absolute Beginners: Better than Linux
Learn IBM AIX System Administration, it's proven to be a far superior OS when compared to LINUX and other UNIX platforms...
8. Windows Server 2019 Administration
Learn Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, Storage, Backup, Azure integration and More...
9. Windows 10 System Administration & Basic Computer Skills
Learn the basics of system administration for the Windows 10 operating system, as well as some basic computer skills...
10. Complete Windows Server Administration Course
Installation and configuration of Domain Controller, Active Directory, DNS, Web Server (IIS), Group Policy, WSUS and more...
11. Linux Administration +Linux Command Line+Linux Server 3 in 1
Learn Linux Administration , Linux Command Line, Linux Server admin, Red Hat Linux, Cent OS - Get Linux Certification...
12. Windows Server 2012 System Administration: Get an IT Job!
Learn Systems Administration! The easiest way to stack your resume & get a high paying IT Job - Step-by-step guide!...
13. Linux Foundation Certified Systems Administrator - LFCS
Prepare for the Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) Exam...
14. Apple macOS and iOS System Administration 2019
Manage different. Learn to install, configure, and automate the maintenance of hundreds of mac OS and i OS devices...
15. Linux Redhat System Administration I - SA1 (RHEL8)
Prepare for first level of Linux Exam and gain sufficient skill to perform core system administration tasks...
16. Domain Name System (DNS) Administration- Windows Server 2016
DNS Server installation and domain name / zone setup on Windows Server 2016 using the Server Manager & DNS MMC Consoles...
17. Beginning Windows System Administration
Get what you need to know to start your career in being a System Administrator...
18. Windows Server 2016 Administration
Windows Server 2016: Nano Server, Server Core, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Hyper-V, WDS, WSUS, NLB and more...
19. PowerShell for Active Directory Administrators
Use Power Shell to manage Active Directory users, computer, groups, security settings and more on Windows Server...
20. Active Directory & Group Policy Administration for IT Techs
Active Directory & Group Policy Administration Basics for Helpdesk and Desktop / IT Support Technicians...
Top 10 most affordable universities for systems administrators
The most affordable schools for systems administrators are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for systems administrators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for systems administrators.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. Brigham Young University - Hawaii
Laie, HI • Private
In-state tuition
$5,560
Cost of attendance
18,043
8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo
Arecibo, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,872
Cost of attendance
13,476
9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
10. Trident University International
Cypress, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,240
Cost of attendance
17,912
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for systems administrators
The hardest universities for systems administrators to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for systems administrators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for systems administrators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Amherst College
Amherst, MA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,449
5. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
6. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
7. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for systems administrators
The easiest schools for systems administrators to get into are Nyack College, saint martin's university, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a systems administrator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for systems administrators.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
6. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
7. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
8. Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
74%
SAT average
1,061
9. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,148
10. Longwood University
Farmville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,065
Average systems administrator salary by education level
| Systems Administrator education level | Systems Administrator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $84,844 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $75,243 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $82,424 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $76,033 |
Systems Administrator education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
Search for systems administrator jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025