Systems Administrator.
Los Angeles.
$119,000
median salary, 23% above the national average
$93,000 to $151,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Systems Administrator pay in Los Angeles ranges from $93,000 to $151,000 in 2026. The median is $119,000, 23% above the national average. Los Angeles blends a thriving entertainment industry with a growing tech and startup ecosystem, often called Silicon Beach. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Systems Administrator in Los Angeles, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $106,290 for Network and Computer Systems Administrators (SOC 15-1244) in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan area, based on 8,770 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$70,870
25th percentile
$86,170
Median
$106,290
75th percentile
$131,290
90th percentile
$159,750
Workers surveyed
8,770
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Network and Computer Systems Administrators (SOC 15-1244) rather than Systems Administrator specifically. The Los Angeles range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1244Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $107,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$77,000
to $95,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$101,000
to $125,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$131,000
to $155,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$149,000
to $184,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $34,000 to the total package.
Base
$119,000
Equity
$20,000
Bonus
$12,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $153,000
How Los Angeles compares.
Los Angeles, CA
$119,000
Cost of living: 18% above average
National Average
$97,000
Los Angeles is $22,000 above
Systems Administrator salary by city.
Salary by role in Los Angeles.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Systems Administrator offer in Los Angeles, understand the terrain. Los Angeles blends a thriving entertainment industry with a growing tech and startup ecosystem, often called Silicon Beach. The city's diverse economy spans aerospace, healthcare, fashion, and gaming. LA offers strong salaries that, while below San Francisco levels, pair with a broader lifestyle appeal and lower housing costs relative to the Bay Area. Systems Administrator compensation is driven by years of experience, specialization depth, and the industry domain. Base salary carries most of the total compensation, with bonuses adding roughly 8% in a typical year. Within tech-sector Systems Administrators specifically, employer tier (FAANG and frontier-AI labs vs mid-stage startups vs traditional enterprise) drives 67%+ variance across the compensation band.
Systems Administrators progress from entry to senior over 5 to 8 years, with lead and management levels requiring 10+ years and demonstrated cross-functional scope. In Los Angeles, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 18% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Total compensation for Systems Administrators runs roughly $89K at median when factoring base + typical bonus (~8% of base). Base salary carries most of the compensation; benefits (healthcare, 401(k) match, PTO) add an estimated 15–25% in imputed value on top. At tech companies specifically, equity and sign-on are often the largest delta between offers — two roles with matching base can differ by $100K+ at total when equity is included. And on the tax side: california's 13.3% top state income tax rate applies to LA earners as well. There is no city income tax, but the high state rate makes take home pay lower than cities in no income tax states. When someone quotes you $119,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight cross industry skills. LA employers value candidates who bridge entertainment and tech, so framing your experience across verticals can unlock higher offers. The range for Systems Administrators in Los Angeles runs from $93,000 to $151,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
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Common questions.
Systems Administrator salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Los Angeles.
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Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Systems Administrator Salary in Los Angeles, CA." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/systems-administrator/los-angeles
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