Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Install, configure, and maintain an organization's local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers. Perform system monitoring and verify the integrity and availability of hardware, network, and server resources and systems. Review system and application logs and verify completion of scheduled jobs, including system backups. Analyze network and server resource consumption and control user access. Install and upgrade software and maintain software licenses. May assist in network modeling, analysis, planning, and coordination between network and data communications hardware and software.

Most important skills

Active Listening
Troubleshooting
Judgment and Decision Making
Systems Analysis
Systems Evaluation
Reading Comprehension
Critical Thinking
Monitoring

Key knowledge

Computers and Electronics
Telecommunications
Customer and Personal Service
English Language
Administration and Management
Administrative
Engineering and Technology
Design

What the work involves

Perform data backups and disaster recovery operations.
Maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations.
Plan, coordinate, and implement network security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
Operate master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks and to coordinate computer network access and use.
Perform routine network startup and shutdown procedures, and maintain control records.
Design, configure, and test computer hardware, networking software and operating system software.
Recommend changes to improve systems and network configurations, and determine hardware or software requirements related to such changes.
Confer with network users about solutions to existing system problems.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Conventional, Realistic, Investigative.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree (30% of expert ratings)
Related experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (43.3%)
On-the-job training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (20%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Network and Computer Systems Administrators is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Work environment

How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).

Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Low	Lower on contact with others than 66% of occupations compared	50% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others”
Dealing with the public	Low	Lower on dealing with the public than 79% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly important”
Teamwork	Moderate	Lower on teamwork than 54% of occupations compared	52% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important”
Freedom to make decisions	Low	Lower on freedom to make decisions than 68% of occupations compared	37% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom”
Time pressure	Low	Lower on time pressure than 76% of occupations compared	37% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week”
Conflict situations	Very low	Lower on conflict situations than 85% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Low	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 68% of occupations compared	37% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week”
Consequence of error	Very high	Higher on consequence of error than 80% of occupations compared	43% of surveyed respondents chose “Very serious”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: low
Conflict situations: very low
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
Consequence of error: very high

Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.

Full answer distributions