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COMPUTER AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CAREERS: |
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Network Systems Administrators and Computer Support Specialist Employment Outlook
Employment of computer help desk and support workers and systems administrators approached 3/4 million in the year 2000, and that number is growing rapidly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that about 506,000 computer support specialists and about 229,000 systems administrators were employed in industries including computer and data processing service, government agencies, banks, and insurance companies.
The field is expected to be one of the fastest growing through the end of the decade, as additional industries computerize their operations, and the increasing number of computer devices at ever-lowering prices makes them more prevalent in offices and homes. As small businesses expand their use of computers, they need support and systems administration services, whether in-house or outsourced.
Demand for systems administrators is expected to grow as companies expand their businesses over the Internet. Implementing e-commerce systems that tie Internet websites with mainframe and minicomputer order processing, inventory, and fulfillment systems requires a knowledge of computer networks and communications protocols. The increasing number of mobile and teleworkers is leading to a demand for information technology specialists who are familiar with networks, data security, and data communications.
Earnings Prospects
Computer support specialists earned a median of $36,460 in 2000, with the bottom ten percent earning less than $27,000, and the top ten percent earning more than $48,500. Salaries tended to be highest in professional and computer services, and lower in colleges and universities, along with miscellaneous business services.
Network and systems administrators earned, on average, over $51,000 in the year 2000. The bottom ten percent earned less than $32,500, while the top ten percent earned more than $81,000.Industries employing the largest number of systems administrators include data processing services, telephone communications, and education, both at the elementary and high school level, and at colleges and universities.