A network administrator is responsible for keeping an organization’s computer network up-to-date and operating as intended. Any company or organization that uses multiple computers or software platforms needs a network admin to coordinate and connect the different systems. Seems simple enough—but there’s another common IT job title that may trip you up: systems administrator.

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So, is a network administrator the same thing as a systems administrator?

In short—not really. But the lines can blur depending on the work environment. Careers in IT can sometimes take a page from the rules of Whose Line Is It, Anyway?—"Where the titles don’t matter and the duties are made up!” While that’s clearly a bit of an exaggeration, in many smaller organizations, the terms "network administrator” and "systems administrator” are often interchangeable as they cover the same tasks. That being said, the differences between network and systems administrators become much clearer in large organizations. The best way to differentiate between the two is to examine the type of work they do—so let’s dive in.

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