How To Become A Systems Administrator Lead: What It Is and Career Path

What is a systems administrator lead and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Wayne Counts

If you love computers and networking, then a career in systems administration can be both gratifying and rewarding. A system administrator lead is responsible for the provisioning, installation/configuration, operation, and maintenance of computer systems hardware and software. They oversee the installation of new servers, or the rebuilding of existing servers, and manage hardware configuration, networking services, directories, and data storage.

A systems administrator lead manages all computer server operations that include performance, availability, software maintenance, capacity planning, recoverability, and problem resolution. A systems administrator lead also troubleshoots and resolves problems related to email, mobile devices, internet issues, and document management, and ensures that security measures are in place for all users and departments in an organization. This individual also installs and configures network operating systems, works with help desk staff to ensure documentation and status-reports are up to date, and develops disaster recovery plans. Also, a systems administrator lead is responsible for the supervision of systems administration staff, developing work assignments, and supervising projects.

Most systems administrator leads have a degree or a certificate in computer science, networking, or a comparable area; however, an advanced degree is not a requirement if the individual has comparable experience. In addition to technical skills, a systems administrator lead should have good organizational, analytical, and communication skills, and be comfortable working in a team environment. As a systems administrator lead, salaries average $73,000 a year, and the field is expected to grow by 5% in the US by 2028.

What general advice would you give to a Systems Administrator Lead?

Wayne Counts

Associate Dean, The University of Texas Permian Basin

I think there will be an impact, both visible and invisible, for years to come. One of the big changes will be in how we do things. The change to remote and virtual business will probably never be fully reversed.

ScoreSystems Administrator LeadUS Average

Salary

7.6

Avg. Salary $99,956

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.7

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 9.73%

Black or African American 8.90%

Hispanic or Latino 12.58%

Unknown 5.08%

White 63.39%

Gender

female 15.44%

male 84.56%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress Level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.1

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a systems administrator lead

Explore systems administrator lead education requirements

Most common systems administrator lead degrees

Bachelor's

58.3 %

Associate

23.7 %

Master's

10.4 %

Start to develop specific systems administrator lead skills

Skills	Percentages
Linux	6.31%
Project Management	5.87%
Windows Server	5.41%
System Performance	5.26%
Technical Support	4.99%

Complete relevant systems administrator lead training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New systems administrator leads learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a systems administrator lead based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real systems administrator lead resumes.

Gain additional systems administrator lead certifications

Systems administrator lead certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific systems administrator lead certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for systems administrator leads include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Network 5 Certification.

More About Certifications

Research systems administrator lead duties and responsibilities

Manage all Citrix user connections and issues, print network, server environment and supplies.
Manage printers on the print servers and re-serve IP addresses for devices from the DHCP servers.
Manage software development group SharePoint portal.
Save company many hours of manual testing and developing by engineering Java applications to automate tedious tasks.

Get systems administrator lead experience

Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a systems administrator lead. The most common roles before becoming a systems administrator lead include systems administrator, senior system administrator team lead and technical support specialist.

Prepare your systems administrator lead resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your systems administrator lead resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a systems administrator lead resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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