Systems Administrator California
Systems Administrator salary in California
Typical pay
$122,000a year
Most Systems Administrators earn $97k to $140k a year
From 198 current job postings, updated Nov 13, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Systems Administrator salary in California is $122,000 a year. Most job postings pay $97,400 to $140,000. From 198 current job postings, updated Nov 13, 2026.
How much does a Systems Administrator make an hour?
A Systems Administrator in California typically makes about $58.66 an hour. Most job postings pay $46.83 to $67.31.
How much does a Systems Administrator make a year?
A Systems Administrator in California typically makes about $122,000 a year. Most job postings pay $97,400 to $140,000.
322 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by city in California
Back to the whole USCalifornia
$122k typical, most $97k to $140k
| San Francisco, CA | $130k | $110k to $160k | 40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $125k | $100k to $140k | 68 |
| Bakersfield, CA | – | – | 12 |
| Fresno, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Napa, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Oxnard, CA | – | – | 7 |
| Riverside, CA | – | – | 12 |
| Sacramento, CA | – | – | 5 |
| Salinas, CA | – | – | 1 |
| San Diego, CA | – | – | 34 |
| San Jose, CA | – | – | 17 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Santa Maria, CA | – | – | 7 |
| Stockton, CA | – | – | 3 |
| Vallejo, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Yuba City, CA | – | – | 0 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per year. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 9 job postings
- Experienced 84 job postings$93k $133k
Typical: $112k
- Senior 57 job postings$124k $162k
Typical: $139k
- Lead or manager 7 job postings
Not enough postings yet to show pay for Starting out and Lead or manager. We show pay once 10 postings at a level list it.
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Systems Administrator job postings in California pay at it.
Experienced: most postings pay $93k to $133k a year, typically $112k.
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Pay by employer and level
Typical yearly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
| Employer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop Grumman | $162k | – | – | – | – |
| Saalex | $103k | – | $109k | – | – |
Cost of living in California
About $6,357 a month for 1 adult, 1 bedroom rental, a car, taxes included. Everyday prices run about 11% above the US average.
See the cost of living for your setupBased on public data from HUD, the Census, BEA, the Labor Department and EPA, plus Workybara job postings.
How much does a Systems Administrator make in California?
Employers hiring now typically offer $122,000 a year for Systems Administrator roles in California. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
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