Network administrators keep organizational networks running—from configuring routers and switches to managing VPNs, firewalls, and increasingly cloud networking infrastructure. The role is evolving rapidly alongside cloud adoption.
Pay at a Glance (BLS Data)
Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates for network and computer systems administrators, across all industries:
| Percentile | Annual Wage | Hourly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 10th (entry level) | $62,640 | $30.12 |
| 25th | $78,010 | $37.50 |
| 50th (median) | $99,130 | $47.66 |
| 75th | $126,640 | $60.88 |
| 90th | $155,050 | $74.54 |
| Average (mean) | $103,680 | $49.85 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, for Network and Computer Systems Administrators (all industries). Hourly figures are annual wages divided by 2,080 hours. “Not published” means BLS withheld the estimate, usually because wages are above its top reporting limit.
Network Administrator Salary by Level
| Level | Title | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| Entry (0-2 years) | Network Admin / IT Network Technician | $50,000-$72,000 |
| Mid-level (2-6 years) | Network Administrator / Network Engineer | $72,000-$102,000 |
| Senior (6-12 years) | Senior Network Engineer | $100,000-$135,000 |
| Specialist | Network Architect / Principal Network Engineer | $130,000-$175,000 |
| Management | IT Manager / Network Manager | $120,000-$160,000 |
Salary by Certification Level
| Certification | Typical Salary Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| No certification | $50,000-$72,000 | Entry-level only |
| CompTIA Network+ | $58,000-$80,000 | Good starting credential |
| CCNA | $70,000-$95,000 | Required for most network admin roles |
| CCNP (Enterprise) | $90,000-$125,000 | Major mid-career step up |
| CCNP (Security) | $95,000-$135,000 | Network + security crossover premium |
| CCIE | $120,000-$170,000 | Top of Cisco certification track |
| AWS Networking Specialty | $105,000-$145,000 | High value in cloud-heavy environments |
| Azure Network Engineer Associate | $100,000-$140,000 | Microsoft Azure networking |
Cloud Network Skills Premium
| Skill | Salary Impact |
|---|---|
| AWS VPC / networking | +$10,000-$20,000 over pure on-prem |
| Azure Virtual Networks | +$8,000-$18,000 |
| SD-WAN (Cisco, VMware, Meraki) | +$10,000-$20,000 |
| Network automation (Python, Ansible) | +$12,000-$25,000 |
| Zero Trust networking | +$10,000-$20,000; security-adjacent |
Network automation skills are the highest-value add for network admins seeking raises—Python/Ansible-fluent network engineers earn significantly more than hardware-only peers.
Network Administrator Salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg Salary | Starting Salary | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $123,570 | $71,990 | $118,290 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $119,390 | $73,990 | $116,420 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $118,240 | $76,750 | $110,980 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $116,920 | $80,850 | $110,970 |
| 5 | Virginia | $116,130 | $69,580 | $109,610 |
| 6 | California | $115,210 | $72,400 | $106,440 |
| 7 | New York | $113,900 | $69,930 | $105,810 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $111,730 | $69,930 | $105,880 |
| 9 | Colorado | $109,360 | $74,110 | $103,370 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $108,040 | $71,200 | $103,100 |
| 11 | Washington | $107,640 | $67,500 | $103,910 |
| 12 | Nevada | $106,700 | $63,640 | $103,440 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $106,690 | $69,360 | $101,870 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $106,600 | $72,230 | $101,450 |
| 15 | Illinois | $105,450 | $65,650 | $100,080 |
| 16 | Texas | $104,900 | $63,650 | $101,240 |
| 17 | Oregon | $104,620 | $72,790 | $102,000 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $102,530 | $73,470 | $100,230 |
| 19 | Ohio | $101,770 | $62,170 | $97,570 |
| 20 | Georgia | $101,590 | $62,470 | $97,170 |
| 21 | Utah | $101,210 | $64,280 | $95,820 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $101,190 | $63,310 | $92,520 |
| 23 | Delaware | $99,080 | $60,530 | $94,200 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $97,580 | $50,680 | $95,230 |
| 25 | Florida | $97,460 | $59,340 | $95,200 |
| 26 | Arizona | $96,740 | $63,210 | $90,280 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $96,690 | $55,920 | $87,020 |
| 28 | Idaho | $96,260 | $62,970 | $91,880 |
| 29 | Alaska | $95,490 | $68,530 | $97,500 |
| 30 | Michigan | $95,320 | $63,100 | $92,750 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $95,160 | $60,200 | $90,160 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $93,150 | $60,530 | $88,100 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $92,250 | $61,380 | $86,140 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $92,000 | $64,100 | $90,790 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $91,640 | $57,350 | $84,700 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $90,900 | $59,460 | $83,990 |
| 37 | Iowa | $90,730 | $59,800 | $84,500 |
| 38 | Indiana | $90,560 | $58,630 | $84,550 |
| 39 | Kansas | $90,100 | $58,720 | $83,340 |
| 40 | Vermont | $90,080 | $66,060 | $86,020 |
| 41 | Maine | $89,940 | $61,530 | $83,890 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $89,770 | $60,980 | $86,450 |
| 43 | Alabama | $89,490 | $51,690 | $81,400 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $89,400 | $58,950 | $83,650 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $88,760 | $51,410 | $79,990 |
| 46 | Missouri | $88,280 | $52,190 | $80,870 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $87,020 | $52,190 | $81,590 |
| 48 | Montana | $83,130 | $60,890 | $80,950 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $81,080 | $53,640 | $74,490 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $78,860 | $52,760 | $75,220 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $78,680 | $56,640 | $75,010 |
| — | National | $103,680 | $62,640 | $99,130 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 estimates, fetched 2026-09-29. Figures cover Network and Computer Systems Administrators (cross-industry). Some states are omitted where BLS did not publish a reliable estimate.
Network Admin vs Network Engineer vs Architect
| Title | Focus | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| Network Administrator | Day-to-day operations; break-fix; config | $65,000-$100,000 |
| Network Engineer | Design and implementation; projects | $85,000-$130,000 |
| Cloud Network Engineer | VPC, SD-WAN, AWS/Azure networking | $100,000-$150,000 |
| Network Security Engineer | Firewalls, IDS/IPS, Zero Trust | $105,000-$155,000 |
| Network Architect | Enterprise design; strategy | $130,000-$175,000 |
Industry Comparison
| Industry | Notes |
|---|---|
| Finance / banking | High requirements for redundancy |
| Government / federal | Clearance adds premium |
| Healthcare | HIPAA; critical uptime |
| Technology companies | Cloud-native environments |
| Education | Below average; stable |
| Retail / hospitality | PCI compliance driver |
| MSP / consulting | Diverse environments; good for learning |
Six-Figure Path for Network Administrators
| Path | Timeline | Key Steps |
|---|---|---|
| CCNA → CCNP → Senior Network Engineer | 5-8 years | Clear certification milestones |
| Add cloud networking (AWS/Azure Specialty) | 2-4 years | Fastest pay increase available |
| Add automation (Python, Ansible) | 1-3 years | Differentiates from peers significantly |
| Move to network security track | 4-7 years | CCNP Security + cybersecurity skills |
| Network Architect role | 10+ years | Requires deep design experience |
Related Salary Guides
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Network administrator salaries are tracked in the profession salary guides hub. Compare earnings with a leadership-level IT role in the IT manager salary guide, and benchmark against national pay ranges at the good salary hub.
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