Network and Computer Systems Administrator Salary in Washington, DC
Network and Computer Systems Administrators in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn a median $125,430 a year — 27% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $89,304 take-home, or $7,442 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median network and computer systems administrator salary in Washington, DC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$18,837
- Social Security (6.2%)$7,777
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,819
- District of Columbia income tax$7,693
- Take-home pay$89,304
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 8.50% state
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro spans District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Network and Computer Systems Administrator pay by experience in Washington, DC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $78,450 | $37.72 | $60,320 | $5,027 |
| 25th percentile | $98,650 | $47.43 | $72,814 | $6,068 |
| Median (50th) | $125,430 | $60.30 | $89,304 | $7,442 |
| 75th percentile | $153,220 | $73.66 | $105,937 | $8,828 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $180,360 | $86.71 | $122,180 | $10,182 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, District of Columbia resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $125,430 buys in Washington, DC
Prices in Washington, DC are 8.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.51× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median network and computer systems administrator's $89,304 take-home pay has the buying power of $82,018 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Washington, DC has 1.6× the national concentration of network and computer systems administrator jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for network and computer systems administrators, adjusted for cost of living
Washington, DC ranks #6 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 |
*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.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a network and computer systems administrator make in Washington, DC?
The median network and computer systems administrator salary in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $125,430 a year, or about $60.30 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $98,650 and $153,220.
What is a network and computer systems administrator’s take-home pay in Washington, DC?
On the median $125,430 salary, a single filer living in District of Columbia takes home about $89,304 a year ($7,442 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $7,693 in District of Columbia taxes in 2026.
Is Washington, DC a good place to work as a network and computer systems administrator?
Pay here is 27% above the national median of $99,130. Local prices are 8.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $82,018 would in a typical U.S. city. Washington, DC ranks #6 of 30 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a network and computer systems administrator afford rent in Washington, DC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Washington, DC is $1,990 a month ($2,223 for two bedrooms) — 27% 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 Washington, DC
- Database Architect — $162,870
- Computer and Information Research Scientist — $161,090
- Computer Network Architect — $159,820
- Software Developer — $154,930
- Information Security Analyst — $148,950
- Statistician — $136,660
- Web Developer — $134,350
- Data Scientist — $132,200
- Computer Programmer — $130,390
- Operations Research Analyst — $127,600
- Computer Systems Analyst — $127,040
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $126,350