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Information Technology

Network Administrator

Salary, job outlook, education and requirements

Install, configure, and maintain an organization's local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers. Perform system monitoring and verify the integrity and availability of hardware, network, and server resources and systems. Review system and application logs and verify completion of scheduled jobs, including system backups. Analyze network and server resource consumption and control user access. Install and upgrade software and maintain software licenses. May assist in network modeling, analysis, planning, and coordination between network and data communications hardware and software.

Also called: LAN Administrator (Local Area Network Administrator) · LAN Specialist (Local Area Network Specialist) · Network Administrator (Network Admin) · Network Analyst · Network Coordinator · Network Engineer · Network Manager · Network Specialist

O*NET-SOC 15-1244.00 (Network and Computer Systems Administrators)

National median pay
$99,130
$47.66 per hour · 2025 data
Projected growth
-4%
2025-2035, United States
Openings per year
13,400
Projected annual job openings
Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Experience: No work experience

Network Administrator salary

Wages for network and computer systems administrators across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.

10th percentile
$62,640
per year
25th percentile
$78,010
per year
Median
$99,130
per year
75th percentile
$126,640
per year
90th percentile
$155,050
per year

National median hourly wage: $47.66.

Network Administrator pay by state

Ten largest states by population, annual wages.

State10th percentileMedian90th percentile
California$72,400$106,440$166,730
Texas$63,650$101,240$155,430
Florida$59,340$95,200$143,140
New York$69,930$105,810$166,810
Pennsylvania$61,380$86,140$130,160
Illinois$65,650$100,080$157,800
Ohio$62,170$97,570$143,780
Georgia$62,470$97,170$148,700
North Carolina$50,680$95,230$149,650
Michigan$63,100$92,750$133,900

Network Administrator job outlook

  • Employment is projected to go from 323,600 jobs in 2025 to 310,400 in 2035 (-4% change).
  • About 13,400 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
  • CareerOneStop outlook rating: Below Average.

How to become a network administrator

Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
No work experience
On-the-job training
No on-the-job training

Education level of current workers

  • Less than high school diploma1.1%
  • High school diploma or equivalent8.2%
  • Some college, no degree22.7%
  • Associate's degree15.2%
  • Bachelor's degree40.1%
  • Master's degree11.3%
  • Doctoral or professional degree1.4%

Related training programs

  • Computer and Information Sciences, General
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance
  • Network and System Administration/Administrator

What does a network administrator do?

Common tasks

  • Plan, coordinate, and implement network security measures to protect data, software, and hardware.
  • Perform data backups and disaster recovery operations.
  • Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve hardware, software, or other network and system problems, and replace defective components when necessary.
  • Maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations.
  • Configure, monitor, and maintain email applications or virus protection software.
  • Confer with network users about solutions to existing system problems.
  • Operate master consoles to monitor the performance of computer systems and networks and to coordinate computer network access and use.
  • Maintain logs related to network functions, as well as maintenance and repair records.
  • Monitor network performance to determine whether adjustments are needed and where changes will be needed in the future.
  • Design, configure, and test computer hardware, networking software and operating system software.

Most important skills

Systems Analysis
Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Active Listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Systems Evaluation
Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Troubleshooting
Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Complex Problem Solving
Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Reading Comprehension
Reading work-related information.

Network Administrator certifications

8 of 219 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.

See all 219certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder

Network Administrator jobs

Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more information technology jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Information Technology jobs hub.

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Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.

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This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Network and Computer Systems Administrators. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.