undergradly.
Major · Computer & Information Sciences

A hands-on IT credential where vendor certifications often outweigh the diploma

Network and System Administration (CIP 11.1001) prepares students to run servers, networks, and security at a specific site or hub. About 1,663 students complete it across 183 institutions, with bachelor’s graduates earning around $84,407 and associate’s graduates around $55,083.

Schools offering
183
Annual completions
1,663
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$69k

About this major

Network and System Administration (CIP 11.1001) prepares students to manage the computer operations and system configurations at a specific site or network hub. The curriculum covers computer hardware and software, local-area (LAN) and wide-area (WAN) networking, information systems security, disk-space and traffic monitoring, data backup, resource allocation, and the routine setup-and-takedown procedures that keep infrastructure running. Lab work is heavy — students configure routers and switches, harden Windows and Linux servers, build storage and backup systems, and practice the incident-response drills that real ops teams run.

The major fits students who like making things work rather than designing them from scratch. Hardware-comfortable, methodical, and patient under pressure are the personality traits that pay off. The field rewards people who enjoy diagnosing why a packet didn’t arrive, why a service crashed at 3 a.m., or why a backup job failed silently last Tuesday — and who don’t mind documenting the fix so it doesn’t happen again.

One grounded observation about scale and program mix: 1,663 students complete this CIP across 183 institutions, with the top producers all awarding associate’s degrees only. ECPI University leads with 383 graduates, followed by Valencia College (62), Gwinnett Technical College (51), Rasmussen-Minnesota (35), and Portland Community College (29). The earnings split runs $55,083 for associate’s graduates versus $84,407 for bachelor’s — a meaningful premium that reflects access to higher-tier roles like network architect ($130,390) and information security analyst ($124,910), where the BLS lists bachelor’s as the typical entry credential.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Computer and information systems managers $171k +15.2% Bachelor's degree
Network and computer systems administrators $97k -4.2% Bachelor's degree
Information security analysts $125k +28.5% Bachelor's degree
Computer network architects $130k +11.9% Bachelor's degree
Computer network support specialists $73k +1.8% Associate's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$69k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$55k

Bachelor's

$84k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you enjoy the diagnostic, methodical work of keeping infrastructure running rather than designing new software, you’re comfortable with hands-on hardware and command-line work across both Windows and Linux, you’re open to stacking vendor certifications (CCNA, Network+, Security+, RHCSA, AZ-104) alongside the degree because hiring managers in this field weigh certs heavily, and the career destinations at the top of the chart — information security analyst at $124,910 with 28.5% projected growth, or network architect at $130,390 with 11.9% growth — line up with the technical lane you want to occupy.

Think twice if your target role is the traditional sysadmin track, since BLS projects -4.2% job growth for network and computer systems administrators as cloud platforms absorb routine on-premises work — tilt your electives toward security or cloud architecture to stay ahead. Reconsider committing to a four-year program purely for this CIP without checking whether a community-college associate’s plus stacked vendor certifications would reach your target role at lower cost; the $29,000 bachelor’s premium is real, but so is the tuition difference. Pause if you’re drawn to broader software work or computer science theory — Computer Science (50,272 completions) and Information Technology (20,296) are wider doors into the industry.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Network and System Administration/Administrator

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
ECPI University Virginia Beach, VA 383 0 383
Valencia College Orlando, FL 62 0 62
Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville, GA 51 0 51
Rasmussen University-Minnesota St. Cloud, MN 35 0 35
Portland Community College Portland, OR 29 0 29
Broward College Fort Lauderdale, FL 27 0 27
Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls, SD 27 0 27
Rasmussen University-Florida Ocala, FL 16 10 26
Seminole State College of Florida Sanford, FL 25 0 25
Southwestern Illinois College Belleville, IL 24 0 24
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Computer Science

50,272 completions/yr

Computer and Information Sciences, General

34,556 completions/yr

Information Technology

20,296 completions/yr

Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance

17,632 completions/yr

Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications

3,699 completions/yr

Computer Support Specialist

1,690 completions/yr

System, Networking, and LAN/WAN Management/Manager

1,265 completions/yr

Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst

1,033 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Network and System Administration/Administrator field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Network and System Administration/Administrator worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What credential do I really need to work in network and system administration?
The honest answer: vendor certifications often open the same doors as the degree. Cisco CCNA, CompTIA Network+ and Security+, RHCSA, and Microsoft AZ-104 are all widely accepted by hiring managers in this field. The data shows the degree picture is split — top producers like ECPI University (383 grads), Valencia College (62), and Gwinnett Technical College (51) award only associate’s, while bachelor’s graduates earn roughly $29,000 more per year on average.
What do these majors actually study day-to-day?
The CIP definition centers on managing computer operations and system configurations at a specific site or network hub. Coursework covers hardware and software fundamentals, local-area (LAN) and wide-area (WAN) networking, information systems security, disk and traffic monitoring, data backup, resource allocation, and setup and takedown procedures. Lab time is heavy — students rack servers, configure routers and switches, harden Windows and Linux systems, and practice incident response.
Is the associate’s enough, or do I need the bachelor’s?
It depends on your target role. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists bachelor’s as the typical entry credential for network and computer systems administrators ($96,800), information security analysts ($124,910), and computer network architects ($130,390). Computer network support specialists ($73,340) are listed as associate’s-typical. The earnings split in the data — $55,083 for associate’s versus $84,406 for bachelor’s — suggests the bachelor’s is the higher-leverage path long-term, though vendor certifications and on-the-job experience can substitute in many shops.
What kinds of jobs do graduates land?
Named destinations include network and computer systems administrators ($96,800 median, but in slight decline at -4.2% projected growth), information security analysts ($124,910 with 28.5% growth — the strongest in the field), computer network architects ($130,390 with 11.9% growth), and computer network support specialists ($73,340). Computer and information systems managers ($171,200) is a mid-career outcome reached after years of admin or security experience, not an entry-level role.
Should I worry that sysadmin jobs are projected to decline?
It’s a directional signal worth taking seriously. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -4.2% job growth for network and computer systems administrators, reflecting cloud consolidation and automation absorbing routine admin work. The same forces are pushing growth into adjacent roles: information security analysts (+28.5%) and network architects (+11.9%). Students entering this field are well-served by tilting coursework and certifications toward security (Security+, CISSP track) or cloud (AZ-104, AWS) rather than pure on-premises admin.
How does this compare to Computer Science or Information Technology?
Computer Science (CIP 11.0701, 50,272 completions) is roughly 30 times larger and centers on software engineering, algorithms, and theory — a different career trajectory. Information Technology (CIP 11.0103, 20,296 completions) is the closer cousin: broader IT generalism covering networking, support, software, and project work. Network and System Administration is narrower and more vocational, with stronger emphasis on hands-on infrastructure operations. If you want flexibility across IT roles, IT or CS open more doors; if you know you want infrastructure operations, this CIP is purpose-built.