System administrator: Salary and Earnings 2026 at a Glance

System administrators ensure the smooth operation of a company's IT infrastructure. They install, configure and maintain servers, operating systems and network services, carry out updates and patches and solve technical problems during operation. Their work forms the foundation on which all business IT applications run and their core competencies include in-depth knowledge of Windows Server and Linux, experience with Active Directory, virtualisation technologies such as VMware or Hyper-V as well as network protocols and firewall configuration. Scripting skills in PowerShell or Bash for the automation of recurring tasks are also important. Certifications such as Microsoft MCSA, Red Hat RHCSA or CompTIA Server+ are proof of professional expertise. The salaries for system administrators offer a solid starting point with good opportunities for advancement. Experienced administrators with specialisations in cloud infrastructure, hybrid cloud environments or IT security achieve significantly above-average salaries. Positions with on-call duty and responsibility for critical systems are particularly well paid, with career paths leading from junior administrator to senior system administrator to IT infrastructure manager or cloud administrator. Further development opportunities exist in the direction of DevOps engineering, cloud engineering or IT management. Advancing digitalisation and the operation of hybrid IT environments ensure stable career prospects for system administrators.