Network Engineer Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

The earning potential for network engineers in the United States is notably high. Below are some important facts to know: 

• As of 2026, the median total pay for a network engineer is $123,000, according to Glassdoor [1].

• You can enhance your earning potential as your expertise grows, or through degrees and certifications like CompTIA Network+. 

• The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 12 percent growth rate for network engineers between 2024 and 2034 [2].

Discover how factors such as education, experience, location, and certification can impact your salary as a network engineer. Afterward, enroll in Google’s IT Support Professional Certificate to build the skills needed to perform routine information technology (IT) support tasks such as wireless networking, computer assembly, end-to-end customer support, and more. 

Network engineer salary

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for computer network architects, which encompasses network engineers, is $130,390 per year [2]. However, this is a broad national average based on multiple roles. Your actual network engineer salary may vary depending on a range of factors, including your location, education, experience level, and other factors that can play a role in your total compensation. To get a better understanding of how they can impact your potential earnings, let’s take a closer look at each. 

Do network engineers make 6 figures?

Network engineers can command six-figure earnings, with Glassdoor reporting total annual salary for network engineers, including base pay and any bonus, tips, commission, and profit sharing between $98,000 and $156,000 [1].

Location

Whether it’s due to the cost of living, taxes, or employee demand, your geographic location can impact your potential salary in many roles, including as a network engineer. Find some of the highest- and lowest-paying areas below. 

Highest-paying states 

If relocation is an option, moving to a state with a higher average network engineer salary may be beneficial. However, make sure an increased cost of living won’t depreciate the added compensation. The 10 highest-paying states for network engineers, according to Zippia, are [3]: 

• California: $105,643

• Washington: $99,767

• Oregon: $98,236

• Alaska: $94,460

• Nevada: $89,860

• Idaho: $89,093

• Arizona: $86,433

• Massachusetts: $84,380

• New York: $83,611

• Hawaii: $83,540

Highest-paying cities

Average salary data by state gives you a rough idea of where to move, but you can fine-tune your potential relocation search by looking at the top-paying cities in the US. The 10 cities with the highest average network engineer salary in the US are [5]:

• Menlo Park, CA: $113,611

• Seattle, WA: $100,627

• Phoenix, AZ: $86,661

• Boston, MA: $84,392

• New York, NY: $83,638

• Middletown, CT: $82,714

• Germantown, MD: $81,820

• Englewood, NJ: $81,418

• Washington, DC: $81,326

• McLean, VA: $79,238

Education level

Typically, organizations seek network engineers with at least a bachelor’s degree. Typical areas of study include IT-related fields like network engineering, business, and information systems. According to Zippia, 62.1 percent of network professionals hold a bachelor’s degree, 21.3 percent have an associate, and 10 percent have a master’s degree [6]. 

Let’s review how education level can impact the average network engineer salary [7]: 

• Associate: $82,204

• Bachelor’s: $89,932

• Master’s: $92,877

• Doctorate: $95,341

Experience 

The average network engineer salary will vary by years of experience. The following salary insights by expertise level were sourced from Zippia in April 2026 [3]:

• Network engineer salary entry-level: $71,000

• Mid-level network engineer salary: $83,557

• Senior network engineer salary: $97,000

Certifications

Certifications help display your competence within your chosen field. Earning these credentials may boost your salary potential and improve your chances of being hired. Some certifications that can help you in your network engineer career, and the salaries associated with them, are as follows: 

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA): The overarching CCNA course covers networking fundamentals, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation. This certificate proves your competence in these critical networking areas. The average Cisco network engineer salary is $93,000 [4].

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Security: This certification showcases your knowledge of security solutions. This two-exam certification requires you to choose one core security exam and a second with your choice of focus, allowing you to customize your certification to your career. The average salary with this certificate is $115,000 [5].

• CompTIA Network+: This certification demonstrates your expertise in configuring, managing, and troubleshooting common wired and wireless networks. It also touches on areas like virtualization and cloud computing. The average salary with this certification is $65,000 [6].

• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE): This series of expert-level certifications is intended for more advanced network engineers. You can choose from six CCIE specialties: Service Provider, Enterprise Infrastructure, Data Center, Enterprise Wireless, Security, and Collaboration. Also part of this certification series are the Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE) and Cisco Certified DevNet Expert. The average salary with this advanced certification is $145,000 [7].

Read more: A Quick Guide to Cisco’s CCIE Certifications

Common career paths for network engineers

According to Zippia, after about five years as a network engineer, you may be ready to move on to a more specialized role or senior position within an organization. If you decide to advance your career, some of your options include the following: 

• Network administrator

• Network analyst

• Systems engineer

• Project manager

• IT systems manager

• Network architect

• Senior systems administrator

• Data center manager

• IT manager

• Information systems manager

• IT operations manager

If you prefer staying close to the network engineering field, you can advance into roles like senior network engineer, principal network engineer, or network engineer IV. You can also progress to managerial roles, such as network engineer manager, VP of network engineering, or director of network engineering.

Check out our free resources for network engineers

Join Career Chat, Coursera’s LinkedIn newsletter, for weekly updates on in-demand skills, tools, and certifications in network engineering. Explore these other helpful resources:

• Watch on YouTube: Being a Network Engineer - Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking from Grow with Google

• Hear from a pro: Meet the IT Support Tech Advancing Toward a Cybersecurity Career

• Get expert tips: Reimagining Work and Learning with AI: Expert Insights from Dr. Jules White

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