Short answer: Employing a systems administrator in Slovenia in 2026 costs a company between 45,000 and 65,000 EUR a year. An external IT partner for a company with 10 to 30 employees costs between 8,400 and 16,800 EUR a year. The difference isn't 20 or 30 percent, it's 3 to 6 times less. You get the same (or broader) expertise, without the risk of one person leaving.
That's the substantive answer in one line. But because most small business owners suspect that such a difference is "too good to be true", this article breaks it down to the last euro. No marketing polish, no "from 99 EUR a month" tricks.
I'm calculating for a typical Slovenian company with 10 to 30 employees an accounting firm, a law office, a small manufacturing company, an agency, an engineering firm, a service organisation. The figures are based on current 2026 data (average salaries, contributions, equipment and licence prices on the Slovenian market).
The real annual cost of an employed systems administrator
First, what everyone knows the gross salary. And right after that, everything most people forget.
1. Salary and contributions (super gross)
A systems administrator with adequate competence to manage a small company (Microsoft 365, Active Directory, security, networking, end user support) in Slovenia in 2026 earns between 1,800 and 2,400 EUR net per month. This is a realistic range from job adverts on MojDelo, Optius and LinkedIn for positions such as "systems administrator", "IT administrator" or "IT support specialist" in Ljubljana and Maribor.
From net to super gross (what the employer actually pays) the factor is roughly 1.75 to 1.85:
- 1,800 EUR net → ~3,250 EUR super gross / month
- 2,100 EUR net → ~3,800 EUR super gross / month
- 2,400 EUR net → ~4,350 EUR super gross / month
Let's take the middle scenario: 3,800 EUR super gross × 12 months = 45,600 EUR a year for salary and contributions alone.
2. Holiday bonus and allowances
In 2026 the annual holiday bonus for a worker entitled to the full annual leave must be at least 1,481.88 EUR. The actual annual cost can be higher due to a contractually agreed bonus, transport, meal allowance, seniority allowance or other benefits.
For this comparison I'm calculating an additional 3,000 to 4,500 EUR a year. The amount is an estimate and depends on the specific contract, location and employer policy.
3. Equipment
Every IT employee needs a better piece of equipment than the average worker:
- Laptop (business grade, sufficiently powerful): 1,400 to 2,200 EUR
- Second monitor and dock: 350 to 500 EUR
- Phone (company): 600 to 900 EUR
- Headset, mouse, keyboard: 200 EUR
Total ~2,500 EUR initial investment. Depreciated over 3 years = ~830 EUR a year. Plus a phone subscription (~300 EUR/year).
4. Software and licences
A systems administrator can't work without tools. A typical set:
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium licence: ~250 EUR/year
- RMM (remote monitoring) tool: ~300 to 600 EUR/year
- Password manager (Bitwarden Enterprise, 1Password Business): ~100 EUR/year
- Backup tools and licences: 200 to 500 EUR/year
- Antivirus / EDR (Microsoft Defender, Bitdefender): already included or ~150 EUR
- Various minor tools, documentation, certificates: 200 EUR/year
Total: ~1,000 to 1,500 EUR a year.
5. Training and certifications
IT changes fast. A serious systems administrator has to keep training regularly, otherwise they become outdated within 2 to 3 years. Annual costs include:
- Microsoft certifications (MS 900, AZ 104, MS 100): 150 to 300 EUR each
- Online courses (Pluralsight, A Cloud Guru): 300 to 500 EUR/year
- Conferences (NT conference, local IT conferences): 400 to 800 EUR a year
Total: ~1,000 to 1,500 EUR a year.
6. Leave, sick days, holidays
A Slovenian employee works ~225 of 365 working days. That means you're paying a full salary for ~140 days of absence (weekends, public holidays, annual leave, on average 5 to 10 sick days). This is already included in the super gross figure, but operationally it means they're unavailable for:
- 30+ days of annual leave (coverage: nobody, or external help)
- Sick leave (on average 8 to 15 days a year for office workers)
- Family obligations, training outside work
To cover these days you usually either pay for another person (expensive), an external substitute service (expensive), or simply accept that IT doesn't work during that time (the most expensive of all).
7. Recruitment and replacement
Finding a systems administrator in Slovenia takes an average of 3 to 6 months, because the market for this role is thin. Costs:
- Job advert + HR time: 500 to 1,500 EUR
- Headhunter (if using an agency): 15 to 25% of annual salary = 6,000 to 10,000 EUR
- Onboarding a new employee: 2 to 3 months of reduced productivity
- During this time, IT runs at 50% capacity or less
The average length of employment of a systems administrator in a small Slovenian company is 2.5 to 4 years. That means you repeat this cost every 3 years on average. Annualised: 1,500 to 3,500 EUR.
Total annual calculation employed systems administrator
| Item | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Salary (super gross, middle scenario) | 45,600 EUR |
| Holiday bonus and allowances | 3,500 EUR |
| Equipment (depreciated) | 830 EUR |
| Phone subscription | 300 EUR |
| Licences and tools | 1,200 EUR |
| Training and certifications | 1,200 EUR |
| Recruitment (depreciated) | 2,000 EUR |
| Total | ~54,600 EUR a year |
In the lower scenario (junior, 1,800 EUR net) you're at ~46,000 EUR a year. In the upper one (senior, 2,400 EUR net, good equipment) you can easily go over 65,000 EUR a year. Realistically for a company with 10 to 30 employees: 50,000 to 60,000 EUR a year, so roughly 4,500 EUR a month on average.
The real annual cost of an external IT partner
An external IT partner for a small company usually operates on a monthly package (managed services, retainer model). You don't pay an hourly rate for every call, but a fixed amount that includes a defined set of services and a response time.
Realistic prices on the Slovenian market in 2026 for companies in my target group:
| Company size | Monthly package | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 10 employees | 400 to 700 EUR | 4,800 to 8,400 EUR |
| 10 to 20 employees | 700 to 1,100 EUR | 8,400 to 13,200 EUR |
| 20 to 30 employees | 1,000 to 1,500 EUR | 12,000 to 18,000 EUR |
This price typically includes:
- Resolving all technical issues (remotely + on site visits by agreement)
- Microsoft 365 administration
- User management (adding, removing, access rights)
- Security (antivirus, backups, updates)
- Monthly system health checks
- Advice on equipment purchases
- Help with onboarding new employees (IT onboarding)
No additional costs for equipment, licences, training, holiday bonus, sick leave or finding a replacement because the external partner carries those obligations.
Total annual calculation external IT partner
For a reference company with 20 employees:
| Item | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Monthly package (~900 EUR × 12) | 10,800 EUR |
| Occasional out of package work (e.g. new office) | 500 to 1,500 EUR |
| Total | ~11,300 to 12,300 EUR a year |
Direct comparison what you actually save
| Employed systems administrator | External IT partner | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | ~54,600 EUR | ~12,000 EUR |
| Monthly cost (average) | ~4,550 EUR | ~1,000 EUR |
| Availability | ~225 days (40h/week) | Defined by SLA |
| Risk of departure | High (3 months of recruiting) | Contractual handover |
| Expertise | One person, one perspective | Multiple clients, broader experience |
| Scaling (growth/shrinking) | Difficult | Change of package |
Annual savings for a company with 20 employees: approximately 42,000 EUR. This isn't theory. It's the difference between having your IT sorted, or having your IT sorted and hiring another salesperson who brings in new customers.
When employing someone still pays off
Honestly, there are cases where full time employment makes sense. These are:
- Companies with 30+ employees, where IT work is a full, daily workload
- Specific in house systems: proprietary ERP, production lines, SCADA, lab equipment
- High data sensitivity: healthcare, financial institutions, defence
- Combined model: an in house "IT caretaker" for day to day issues + an external partner for strategic decisions and security
For everything else which is the vast majority of small and micro companies in Slovenia an external IT partner is the economically better choice by a factor of 3 to 6.
The most common objections (and why they don't hold up)
"An employee is always available"
No, they're not. 30 days of annual leave, an average of 10 sick days, public holidays, training, family obligations, "doesn't work afternoons anymore". Realistically an in house person is available ~225 days a year, and that's during normal working hours. An external partner has a defined response time in their package, which is often more predictable.
"An in house person knows our systems better"
True if they've been at the company for 10+ years. In reality, given the Slovenian IT staff turnover rate (average 3 years), an in house systems administrator often knows the systems less than an external partner who works with 8 similar companies and has seen 5x more scenarios.
"An external partner isn't dedicated enough"
This holds true for classic MSP models with dozens of clients per technician. With a fractional IT model capped at 10 clients, dedication is actually higher than with an employee, because the partner has to actively maintain satisfaction (otherwise they lose the contract). An employee can get away with far less.
What to actually do
If you have a company with 10 to 30 employees and are thinking about hiring a systems administrator, do one thing first run the calculation with my figures or your own. Once you see what you'd really be paying, the decision becomes clear.
If you'd like a second opinion, I'm available for a free 30 minute consultation. We'll look at your current IT situation, I'll assess whether employment or an external model makes more sense for you, and I'll be honest, even if that means you don't need me as a client.
Read more about my fractional IT model on the IT support service page, or the comparison of models on the External IT vs employed systems administrator page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to employ a systems administrator in Slovenia?
The real annual cost of employing a systems administrator in Slovenia in 2026 is between 45,000 and 65,000 EUR. It includes the super gross salary, equipment, tool licences, training and allowances.
When does it pay off to employ your own IT person?
Employment makes sense with 30 to 50+ employees, proprietary in house systems (production, ERP) and a constant full workload. For smaller companies, full time employment is expensive and hard to justify.
How much does an external IT partner cost for a company with 20 employees?
A monthly package for a company with 20 employees usually ranges between 700 and 1,400 EUR, which comes to 8,400 to 16,800 EUR a year. Without the costs of holiday leave, sick leave or finding a replacement.
What if the external IT partner falls ill or leaves?
A professional external IT provider maintains complete documentation (passwords, systems, procedures), which belongs to you. In the event of a handover to another provider, this is doable without data loss.