System administrator jobs: where the bar rises
Junior sysadmin, NOC technician, and network administrator roles are a step beyond support. The BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for network and computer systems administrators, and says some employers accept a postsecondary certificate or an associate’s degree. It also notes that employers may require certification in the products an administrator uses (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Check the Entry Bar level on each listing here.
Certifications that cover this work include CompTIA Network+, which CompTIA lists for system administrator roles, Cisco’s CCNA, and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900). Microsoft 365 Fundamentals (MS-900) is retired. If you are coming from help desk, lead with the systems you have administered, such as Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Intune, or a monitoring tool.
Read the full guide: Help Desk to Sysadmin: Pay, Certifications, and a Step-by-Step Path