Unix Linux Systems Administrator

Unix Linux Systems Administrator Salary

$79.5K

$114K

$200.5K

$119,633

/year

$57.52

/hour

Unix Linux Systems Administrator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$119,633

Columbus

Ohio

$115,554

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    How much does an Unix Linux Systems Administrator make?

    As of Jun 26, 2026, the average annual pay for an Unix Linux Systems Administrator in the United States is $119,633 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $57.52 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,300/week or $9,969/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $200,500 and as low as $79,500, the majority of Unix Linux Systems Administrator salaries currently range between $99,000 (25th percentile) to $128,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $139,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Unix Linux Systems Administrator varies greatly (by as much as 29500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    An Unix Linux Systems Administrator in your area makes on average $115,554 per year, or $4,079 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $119,633. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Unix Linux Systems Administrator salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Unix Linux Systems Administrator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as an Unix Linux Systems Administrator on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Unix Linux Systems Administrator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Unix Linux Systems Administrator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Berkeley, CA, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $24,487 (20.5%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $28,772 (24.1%) above the $119,633 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Unix Linux Systems Administrator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Nome, AK, and Santa Cruz, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Unix Linux Systems Administrator role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Nome, AK

    $148,405

    $71.35

    Berkeley, CA

    $146,484

    $70.42

    Sitka, AK

    $144,120

    $69.29

    San Francisco, CA

    $140,949

    $67.76

    Livermore, CA

    $140,329

    $67.47

    San Jose, CA

    $140,209

    $67.41

    Waimea, HI

    $139,533

    $67.08

    Santa Clara, CA

    $139,411

    $67.02

    Daly City, CA

    $138,619

    $66.64

    Santa Cruz, CA

    $138,136

    $66.41

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Unix Linux Systems Administrator Jobs in the U.S.

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Unix Linux Systems Administrator job category, we found that Cloud Systems Administrator jobs have average salaries similar than Unix Linux Systems Administrator jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Cloud Systems Administrator

    $108,476

    $52.15

    Sharepoint Administrator

    $102,350

    $49.21

    Exchange Administrator

    $95,548

    $45.94

    Learning Management System Administrator

    $77,546

    $37.28

    Junior System Administrator

    $63,244

    $30.41

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Unix Linux Systems Administrator salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $119,633 per year or $57.52 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.