Network and Computer Systems Administrator Salary in San Diego, CA
Network and Computer Systems Administrators in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $105,170 a year — 6% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $75,899 take-home, or $6,325 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median network and computer systems administrator salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$14,307
- Social Security (6.2%)$6,521
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,525
- California income tax$5,551
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$1,367
- Take-home pay$75,899
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 9.30% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Network and Computer Systems Administrator pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $72,470 | $34.84 | $56,285 | $4,690 |
| 25th percentile | $86,070 | $41.38 | $64,486 | $5,374 |
| Median (50th) | $105,170 | $50.56 | $75,899 | $6,325 |
| 75th percentile | $127,570 | $61.33 | $89,167 | $7,431 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $154,710 | $74.38 | $104,841 | $8,737 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $105,170 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median network and computer systems administrator's $75,899 take-home pay has the buying power of $67,835 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Network and Computer Systems Administrator jobs are about as common in San Diego, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.81).
Best-paying cities for network and computer systems administrators, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #28 of 30 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $122,950 | $89,785 | $85,929 |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | $105,750 | $81,099 | $84,948 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $104,520 | $82,360 | $83,984 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $133,360 | $92,511 | $83,779 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $101,530 | $78,247 | $82,045 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $125,430 | $89,304 | $82,018 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $101,430 | $80,186 | $81,301 |
| 8 | Tampa, FL | $101,560 | $80,277 | $79,569 |
| 28 | San Diego, CA | $105,170 | $75,899 | $67,835 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 30 metros →
About the job: network and computer systems administrators
Install, configure, and maintain an organization’s local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers. Perform system monitoring and verify the integrity and availability of hardware, network, and server resources and systems. Review system and application logs and verify completion of scheduled jobs, including system backups. Analyze network and server resource consumption and control user access. Install and upgrade software and maintain software licenses. May assist in network modeling, analysis, planning, and coordination between network and data communications hardware and software.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -4.1% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Network and Computer Systems Administrator salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $133,360
- San Francisco, CA — $129,680
- Los Angeles, CA — $106,290
Frequently asked questions
How much does a network and computer systems administrator make in San Diego, CA?
The median network and computer systems administrator salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $105,170 a year, or about $50.56 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $86,070 and $127,570.
What is a network and computer systems administrator’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $105,170 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $75,899 a year ($6,325 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $6,918 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a network and computer systems administrator?
Pay here is 6% above the national median of $99,130. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $67,835 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #28 of 30 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a network and computer systems administrator afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median network and computer systems administrator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Software Developer — $163,270
- Data Scientist — $130,990
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $127,600
- Computer Systems Analyst — $119,090
- Computer User Support Specialist — $74,020