Majors / Network and System Administration/Administrator
The quick read · 8 cards

Network and System Administration/Administrator in 90 seconds — before you read the full brief.

Major · STEM1/8
High-demand · bachelor's

Network and System Administration/Administrator

Keep the lights on. Or the internet, same thing.

The number2/8
Top 25% earn
$123,390

Entry median is $75,860. The ramp is the point.

BLS OEWS May 2024 · 75th percentile
The outlook3/8
10-yr job growth
-4.2%

vs. +4% for the average U.S. job. That's Decline.

BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
Anchor career4/8

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

You keep networks and servers running — patching, monitoring, users, incidents.

Median income$97k
Jobs319k
10-year growth-4%
Fast-growing5/8

Computer Network Architects

You design corporate networks — LANs, WANs, cloud connectivity, VPNs, WiFi.

Median income$130k
Jobs177k
10-year growth+12%
Niche + paid6/8

Information Security Analysts

You defend the company from attacks — SOC work, threat hunting, incident response.

Median income$128k
Jobs179k
10-year growth+29%
Compare7/8

Rochester Institute of Technology vs. Capella University

Two good picks. Different bets.

RIT
5-yr pay$136k
admit67%
tuition$35k
vs
CU
5-yr pay$111k
admit0%
tuition$18k
Your turn8/8
What happens next

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1 / 8
§ I · At a glance

Network and system administration is the infrastructure side of IT — you keep the servers, networks, and systems running so everyone else can work. Pay is solid ($97k median for sysadmins, $130k for network architects, $128k for security analysts). The catch: traditional sysadmin is declining as cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) absorb the work. The growth is in cloud ops, security, and architecture. Treat this as a cloud + security career, not a data-center one.

Top-25% pay$123k
Support $60k. Sysadmin $97k. Architect $130k. CIS mgr $188k.
10-yr outlook+-4.2%
Security +29%. CIS mgr +15%. Architect +12%. Sysadmin −4%.
U.S. colleges357+
400+ programs — check for cloud (AWS/Azure) and security coverage.
Career paths13
13 SOC roles — sysadmin, network, security, database, web, management.
§ II · Real talk

What we'd tell a younger sibling.

The good

Infrastructure is a real, stable career with a clear ladder — helpdesk → sysadmin → senior sysadmin → architect → CIS manager ($188k). Certifications matter more than the degree here — CompTIA, Cisco (CCNA, CCNP), AWS, Azure, GCP, and security (Security+, CISSP) are the real resume signals. You can certify into the field without a 4-year degree.

The catch

The classic on-prem sysadmin role is shrinking (-4% growth) as cloud providers take over. User support (-4%) and database admin (-1%) are flat-to-down. The headcount hasn't collapsed, but the work is changing fast. If your program doesn't cover AWS/Azure/ Kubernetes/containers/IaC (Terraform), you'll graduate behind.

The money path

Security (+29%), network architecture (+12%), and cloud architecture are the highest-growth, highest-pay lanes. Security analyst ($128k) with a CISSP + 5 years pushes $150–200k. Cloud architect specialists clear $180–250k at FAANG. CIS manager ($188k) is the leadership ceiling. Pick a cloud (AWS dominates) and pick a security specialty.

The AI part

AI is reshaping ops — automated incident response, log analysis, security triage, self-healing infrastructure. Tier 1 support and basic sysadmin tasks are exposed. What grows: security, cloud architecture, compliance (GRC), identity and access management, AI operations (running AI infrastructure). Move up-stack; don't stay in ticket queue.

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Majors / Network and System Administration/Administrator
Major · STEM1/8
High-demand · bachelor's

Network and System Administration/Administrator

Keep the lights on. Or the internet, same thing.

The number2/8
Top 25% earn
$123,390

Entry median is $75,860. The ramp is the point.

BLS OEWS May 2024 · 75th percentile
The outlook3/8
10-yr job growth
-4.2%

vs. +4% for the average U.S. job. That's Decline.

BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
Anchor career4/8

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

You keep networks and servers running — patching, monitoring, users, incidents.

Median income$97k
Jobs319k
10-year growth-4%
Fast-growing5/8

Computer Network Architects

You design corporate networks — LANs, WANs, cloud connectivity, VPNs, WiFi.

Median income$130k
Jobs177k
10-year growth+12%
Niche + paid6/8

Information Security Analysts

You defend the company from attacks — SOC work, threat hunting, incident response.

Median income$128k
Jobs179k
10-year growth+29%
Compare7/8

Rochester Institute of Technology vs. Capella University

Two good picks. Different bets.

RIT
5-yr pay$136k
admit67%
tuition$35k
vs
CU
5-yr pay$111k
admit0%
tuition$18k
Your turn8/8
What happens next

Save it. Sign in and we'll hold your list across visits and devices.

You can compare up to 3 colleges. You can export a one-page PDF for a parent. That's all it does.

1 / 8
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