System Administrator Jobs in Illinois
System Administrator jobs in Illinois are in steady demand, with openings concentrated in enterprise IT, healthcare networks, financial services, and higher education, and opportunities at every level from helpdesk-adjacent junior roles through senior infrastructure leads. Chicago is the dominant market by volume, but Naperville, Schaumburg, and the broader Chicagoland corridor also host significant hiring activity from anchor employers such as Advocate Health Care, Northern Trust, and United Airlines. The specialties drawing the most consistent attention from Illinois employers include Active Directory and identity management, virtualization with VMware or Hyper-V, and cloud-integrated on-premises infrastructure. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Responsibilities:
Responsibilities:
- In this role, you will manage the installation, maintenance, and proactive monitoring of hardware (servers, network switches, routers, workstations, hard drives, driver license readers, barcode readers, printers, digital scanners, etc.) and all customer applications (e.g., AD, System Center Configuration Manager/Post Administration Tool, Travel Document Issuance System, Passport Records Imaging System Management, Automated Cash Register System, and other locally installed customer applications).
- This includes managing security and vendor patches, updates, vSphere Installation Bundles (VIBs), and Oracle/SQL databases.
- Additionally, you will be required to enforce security controls in alignment with DoS policies, including but not limited to AD administration (user accounts/privileges), vSphere/OS remediation, security compliance tools.
- The SA will ensure confidentiality, integrity, availability, efficiency, and effectiveness of systems, software, hardware, and data; provide technical support for testing and evaluation, and execute regular data backups, restores, and purging procedures to ensure data availability; coordinate hardware/software upgrades, consolidations, and equipment retirements.
- Additionally, you will log, manage and resolve all incidents and service requests in the Ticket Management System (currently Service Now); initiate, track, and document all configuration changes for hardware, software, and permissions.
- You will monitor system performance for anomalies; maintain current site topology diagrams, system configurations, and comprehensive technical documentation.
- The SA will provide regular status reporting on all SA activities, manage internal project coordination, and promptly notify management of risks (e.g., power outages, environmental issues) affecting IT services.
Qualifications:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
The following are the education and experience required for this position:
- 5+ years
- Bachelor's in IT or related field
- Secret Security Clearance
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:
- Comp TIA Sec+, ITIL 4 Foundation Certification(s)
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
This position requires the ability to perform the below essential functions:
- Sitting for long periods
- Standing for long periods
- Ambulate throughout an office
- Ambulate between several buildings
- Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl as required
- Repeatedly lift and carry weight up to 40 pounds
- Travel by land or air transportation up to 50%
About Empower AI:
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities:
- In this role, you will manage the installation, maintenance, and proactive monitoring of hardware (servers, network switches, routers, workstations, hard drives, driver license readers, barcode readers, printers, digital scanners, etc.) and all customer applications (e.g., AD, System Center Configuration Manager/Post Administration Tool, Travel Document Issuance System, Passport Records Imaging System Management, Automated Cash Register System, and other locally installed customer applications).
- This includes managing security and vendor patches, updates, vSphere Installation Bundles (VIBs), and Oracle/SQL databases.
- Additionally, you will be required to enforce security controls in alignment with DoS policies, including but not limited to AD administration (user accounts/privileges), vSphere/OS remediation, security compliance tools.
- The SA will ensure confidentiality, integrity, availability, efficiency, and effectiveness of systems, software, hardware, and data; provide technical support for testing and evaluation, and execute regular data backups, restores, and purging procedures to ensure data availability; coordinate hardware/software upgrades, consolidations, and equipment retirements.
- Additionally, you will log, manage and resolve all incidents and service requests in the Ticket Management System (currently Service Now); initiate, track, and document all configuration changes for hardware, software, and permissions.
- You will monitor system performance for anomalies; maintain current site topology diagrams, system configurations, and comprehensive technical documentation.
- The SA will provide regular status reporting on all SA activities, manage internal project coordination, and promptly notify management of risks (e.g., power outages, environmental issues) affecting IT services.
Qualifications:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
The following are the education and experience required for this position:
- 5+ years
- Bachelor's in IT or related field
- Secret Security Clearance
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:
- Comp TIA Sec+, ITIL 4 Foundation Certification(s)
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
This position requires the ability to perform the below essential functions:
- Sitting for long periods
- Standing for long periods
- Ambulate throughout an office
- Ambulate between several buildings
- Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl as required
- Repeatedly lift and carry weight up to 40 pounds
- Travel by land or air transportation up to 50%
About Empower AI:
See All 18 System Administrator Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find System Administrator JobsSystem Administrator Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
System Administrator Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in system administrator jobs across Illinois.
- CompTIA A+, Network+, or Microsoft certifications recognized by Illinois employers
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field
- Hands-on experience administering Windows Server and Active Directory environments
- Proficiency with virtualization platforms such as VMware vSphere or Microsoft Hyper-V
- Familiarity with network fundamentals including DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, and VPN configuration
- Experience supporting cloud-integrated environments using Microsoft Azure or AWS
System Administrator Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a system administrator in Illinois?
Illinois does not require a state-issued license to work as a system administrator, so the path runs through education and vendor certifications. Most Illinois employers expect at minimum an associate or bachelor's degree in information technology or computer science, paired with certifications such as CompTIA Network+, Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator, or VMware VCP. Candidates who build hands-on lab experience, contribute to open-source projects, or complete community college IT programs at institutions like Oakton or Moraine Valley Community College strengthen their applications considerably.
How much do system administrators make in Illinois?
System administrators in Illinois earn a median of about $100,080 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $65,650 for the lowest 10% to over $157,800 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire system administrators in Illinois?
Employers hiring system administrators in Illinois right now include Empower AI, AGFA, and ECHO, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Illinois's concentration of large hospital networks, financial institutions headquartered in Chicago, and manufacturing companies with regional IT hubs makes it one of the more consistent states for infrastructure and systems roles year-round.
Which Illinois cities have the most system administrator jobs?
Chicago, Quincy, and Hines lead for system administrator openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates because it is home to the state's largest concentration of enterprise employers across finance, healthcare, and professional services, while suburban hubs like Naperville and Schaumburg attract IT hiring from major corporate campuses and regional headquarters that have relocated out of the urban core.
Are there remote system administrator jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely desk-based fields, because system administrator work frequently requires physical access to servers, network hardware, and data center infrastructure. About 20% of system administrator openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those postings tend to favor candidates who can handle cloud administration, monitoring, and helpdesk escalation without needing to be on-site daily.
How can I get hired as a system administrator in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an IT support or helpdesk role, which large Illinois employers such as Advocate Health Care, Rush University Medical Center, and major financial firms in Chicago regularly post as stepping stones into systems work. Earning a CompTIA A+ or Network+ certification before applying gives candidates a concrete edge. Community college IT programs at Oakton College or Harper College offer practical coursework that translates directly to junior administrator duties, and some Illinois managed-service providers run structured associate programs that include on-the-job mentorship.
Where can I find and apply to system administrator jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to system administrator jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers hiring across Chicagoland and the rest of the state. Search the listings, find roles that match your experience and location, and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 18 System Administrator Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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