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Australia
Systems Administrator salary guide Australia 2026
The typical Systems Administrator salary in Australia is $92,000, with pay ranging from $78,000 at entry level to $117,000 for senior professionals.
Overview
What does a Systems Administrator earn?
The median salary of Systems Administrators in Australia is $92,000. Most roles sit within a typical range of $80,000–$113,000, though early-career positions start around $78,000. Experienced professionals with specialised cloud or security certifications can command upwards of $117,000.
Optional — pick a state first
Median for Systems Administrator, nationally across Australia.
10th $80,000
25th $92,000
50th (median) $113,000
75th $127,000
90th
Figures above update by state/city. For a full breakdown by seniority, see the table below.
Location
Systems Administrator salary by city
Brisbane offers the highest Systems Administrator salaries among Australia's major cities, at around $113,000. This is closely followed by Sydney at $107,000, while regional employers often adapt their packages to attract qualified local talent.
What drives salary
Factors that affect Systems Administrator pay
Your earning potential as a Systems Administrator grows as you take on complex infrastructure and lead critical incident responses. It's often your blend of technical depth and operational adaptability that determines where your pay lands.
Organisations pay a premium for Systems Administrators who manage both on-premises hardware and cloud infrastructure. Hands-on experience with platforms like Microsoft Azure directly boosts your market value.
Deep familiarity with the Essential Eight framework or ISO 27001 standards helps protect critical business data. Systems Administrators who actively support governance and hardening strategies typically secure higher-paying positions.
Formal credentials demonstrate proven capability and commitment to current technologies. Holding certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate or VMware Certified Professional (VCP) can quickly move you into higher salary bands.
Working within managed service providers requires juggling competing priorities across diverse operating environments. This adaptability and stakeholder communication skill set makes your profile particularly attractive to commercial employers.
Moving beyond quick fixes to conduct thorough root cause analysis minimises costly downtime. Employers reward Systems Administrators who build dependable workflows and resolve systemic technical bottlenecks.
Comparison
How Systems Administrators compare to related roles
A Systems Administrator typically earns on par with a Network Engineer, matching their shared operational scope across day-to-day infrastructure. Stepping into a Systems Engineer or Business Analyst role delivers a noticeable step up in compensation, while moving into a Solution Architect position commands the highest premium due to enterprise architecture responsibilities.
| Role | Range | Relative | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solution Architect | $148,000–$206,000 | $174,000 | |
| Network Engineer | $100,000–$151,000 | $121,000 | |
| Business Analyst | $94,000–$145,000 | $119,000 | |
| Systems Engineer | $91,000–$142,000 | $114,000 | |
| Systems Administrator You are here | $80,000–$113,000 | $92,000 |
Employment Hero Job Data
Salary figures are derived from Employment Hero proprietary data. All figures represent base salary only and exclude bonuses, superannuation and other benefits. Last updated October 2026.
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