Network Engineer Salary 2026: A $134,050 Median, but Telecom Pays Network Architects $111,690
The typical network engineer salary in the United States is $134,050 a year ($64.45 an hour), the May 2025 BLS median for computer network architects, the occupation where BLS files network engineers. That is $34,920 more than the $99,130 median for network and systems administrators. Telecommunications, the third-largest employer of network architects, pays them only $111,690.
- $64.45 an hour, +2.8% in a year
- 10th to 90th: $79,900 to $202,680
- 179,740 jobs; projected +7.7% by 2035
- $47.66 an hour, +2.4% in a year
- 10th to 90th: $62,640 to $155,050
- 314,340 jobs; projected -4.1% by 2035
We downloaded the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) files for May 2025 and May 2024 and compared two occupations side by side in every state, metro area and industry BLS publishes: computer network architects (SOC 15-1241) and network and computer systems administrators (SOC 15-1244). We added BEA price levels, BLS employment projections to 2035, and 6,123 network labor rates from GSA’s federal contract database.
Where BLS counts network engineers
BLS has no occupation named “network engineer.” The 2018 SOC title file assigns “Network Engineer” and “Computer Network Engineer” to computer network architects (15-1241), along with “Network Designer” and “Network Developer”. The Occupational Outlook Handbook describes the occupation as “computer network architects, or network engineers,” who design and deploy networks. Day-to-day network operations sit in a different code: the title file assigns “Network Analyst,” “LAN Administrator,” “Network Systems Administrator” and similar titles to network and computer systems administrators (15-1244), the occupation that also covers systems administrators. A job ad called “network engineer” can describe either kind of work, so this report shows both.
Two roles, one pay scale
At every point of the distribution the design role pays more. The gap is $17,260 at the 10th percentile, $34,920 at the median and $47,630 at the 90th. The architect 10th percentile ($79,900) is about the same as the administrator 25th ($78,010), and the architect median ($134,050) is above the administrator 75th ($126,640).
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. Annual figures are hourly wages times 2,080 hours.
| Percentile | Architects, annual | Hourly | Change since May 2024 | Admins, annual | Hourly | Change since May 2024 | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $79,900 | $38.42 | +0.5% | $62,640 | $30.11 | +3.8% | $17,260 |
| 25th percentile | $104,620 | $50.30 | +2.4% | $78,010 | $37.51 | +2.8% | $26,610 |
| Median | $134,050 | $64.45 | +2.8% | $99,130 | $47.66 | +2.4% | $34,920 |
| 75th percentile | $168,200 | $80.86 | +2.3% | $126,640 | $60.89 | +2.6% | $41,560 |
| 90th percentile | $202,680 | $97.44 | +2.3% | $155,050 | $74.55 | +3.1% | $47,630 |
Source: BLS OEWS national estimates, May 2025 and May 2024. The two releases share four of six survey panels, so one-year changes are indicative.
Network architect pay rose 2.8% at the median in a year, but only 0.5% at the 10th percentile, from $79,520 to $79,900. Administrator pay rose 2.4% at the median and 3.8% at the 10th percentile. Architect employment grew 1.5% to 179,740, while administrator employment fell 1.3% to 314,340.
Network engineer salary by industry
Computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415), the industry where MSPs and IT consultancies sit, is the largest employer of network architects: 45,750, or 25% of the total, at a $133,610 median, close to the national figure. Telecommunications (NAICS 517) is 3rd with 16,130, but its $111,690 median ranks 22nd of the 24 industries with at least 1,000 network architects, $22,360 below the national median. Telecom administrators earn $101,460, so the architect premium there is only $10,230, against $32,050 in computer systems design. Aerospace manufacturing pays network architects the most ($168,390).
| Industry | Architects | Median | 90th | Admins | Median | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer systems design (MSPs, IT services) NAICS 5415 |
45,750 | $133,610 | $207,070 | 51,700 | $101,560 | $32,050 |
| Corporate headquarters NAICS 5511 |
16,910 | $139,820 | $199,980 | 23,490 | $103,810 | $36,010 |
| Telecommunications NAICS 517 |
16,130 | $111,690 | $169,260 | 8,280 | $101,460 | $10,230 |
| Computing infrastructure and hosting NAICS 5182 |
7,960 | $142,030 | $203,350 | 7,420 | $100,220 | $41,810 |
| Employment services (staffing) NAICS 5613 |
7,190 | $129,880 | $197,280 | 7,360 | $99,450 | $30,430 |
| Banks and credit intermediation OEWS code 5220A1 |
5,920 | $135,660 | $178,860 | 8,350 | $93,510 | $42,150 |
| Management consulting NAICS 5416 |
5,720 | $145,300 | $206,980 | 7,670 | $103,200 | $42,100 |
| Architecture and engineering services NAICS 5413 |
5,340 | $133,210 | $208,940 | 8,520 | $106,200 | $27,010 |
| Insurance carriers NAICS 5241 |
5,180 | $139,040 | $192,240 | 7,120 | $103,620 | $35,420 |
| Scientific R&D NAICS 5417 |
4,380 | $165,000 | $214,970 | 6,280 | $125,600 | $39,400 |
| Software publishers NAICS 5132 |
4,280 | $159,130 | $220,020 | 4,740 | $103,070 | $56,060 |
| Computer and office equipment wholesalers NAICS 4234 |
4,090 | $163,500 | $210,360 | 3,640 | $99,120 | $64,380 |
| Securities and investments NAICS 523 |
4,050 | $139,230 | $215,070 | 5,080 | $116,470 | $22,760 |
| General hospitals NAICS 6221 |
3,390 | $127,660 | $170,370 | 7,800 | $100,830 | $26,830 |
| Colleges and universities NAICS 6113 |
3,220 | $111,150 | $167,400 | 17,500 | $85,750 | $25,400 |
| Local government (excl. schools, hospitals) OEWS code 999300 |
3,140 | $109,480 | $164,380 | 17,260 | $97,430 | $12,050 |
| Insurance agencies and brokers NAICS 5242 |
1,830 | $133,570 | $193,000 | 3,760 | $98,910 | $34,660 |
| State government (excl. schools, hospitals) OEWS code 999200 |
1,790 | $113,090 | $148,800 | 8,430 | $94,340 | $18,750 |
| Office administrative services NAICS 5611 |
1,660 | $137,180 | $182,960 | 3,040 | $100,590 | $36,590 |
| Aerospace manufacturing NAICS 3364 |
1,460 | $168,390 | $219,580 | 1,360 | $111,580 | $56,810 |
| Nondepository lenders NAICS 5222 |
1,410 | $161,170 | $209,470 | 1,790 | $111,860 | $49,310 |
| Electric power utilities NAICS 2211 |
1,300 | $123,000 | $165,590 | 2,020 | $108,200 | $14,800 |
| Accounting and payroll services NAICS 5412 |
1,130 | $154,920 | $211,460 | 2,010 | $99,760 | $55,160 |
| Semiconductor manufacturing NAICS 3344 |
1,010 | $124,900 | $173,210 | 1,450 | $116,640 | $8,260 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, cross-ownership, sorted by network architect employment. Industries with fewer than 1,000 network architects are in the download. Computing infrastructure and hosting (NAICS 518), which includes cloud and data center providers, pays architects $142,030.
By employer type, private employers pay network architects a $134,940 median and federal, state and local governments together pay $108,520. For administrators the split is $100,270 private and $91,100 government; governments employ 18% of administrators but only 5% of architects.
Network engineer salary by metro area
Among the 35 metro areas with at least 1,000 network architects, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays the most, a $186,110 median. New York (median $163,010) and Denver ($139,230) each count more than 10,000 network architects. After adjusting for metro price levels with BEA Regional Price Parities, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ranks first ($168,543), then Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($155,354).
| # | Metro area | Architects | Median | 90th | Admin median | Gap | Architect median, cost-adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 2,730 | $186,110 | $274,500 | $133,360 | $52,750 | $168,543 |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,710 | $172,650 | $243,590 | $104,440 | $68,210 | $155,354 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 3,350 | $166,760 | $242,150 | $129,680 | $37,080 | $144,240 |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 10,230 | $163,010 | $216,880 | $119,390 | $43,620 | $144,817 |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 5,240 | $160,650 | $211,820 | $116,770 | $43,880 | $148,385 |
| 6 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,480 | $160,340 | $218,400 | $122,950 | $37,390 | $153,454 |
| 7 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 9,370 | $159,820 | $216,560 | $125,430 | $34,390 | $146,780 |
| 8 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,490 | $157,700 | $212,050 | $105,170 | $52,530 | $140,946 |
| 9 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 1,730 | $156,560 | $195,200 | $91,800 | $64,760 | $154,371 |
| 10 | Boulder, CO | 2,000 | $156,360 | $216,210 | $109,790 | $46,570 | $148,628 |
| 11 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,500 | $147,510 | $212,130 | $106,290 | $41,220 | $129,889 |
| 12 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 5,400 | $143,800 | $205,340 | $103,170 | $40,630 | $138,810 |
| 13 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 10,260 | $139,230 | $206,270 | $105,090 | $34,140 | $131,620 |
| 14 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,070 | $138,850 | $205,140 | $100,460 | $38,390 | $135,392 |
| 15 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,900 | $137,900 | $186,370 | $103,260 | $34,640 | $133,767 |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan area estimates; BEA Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024.
Network engineer salary by state
State medians for network architects range from $90,990 in Mississippi to $168,070 in Washington. Adjusted for state price levels, South Dakota tops the table ($173,154), but BLS counts only 420 network architects there, so its estimate is less reliable. Among the 34 states with at least 1,000 architects, Washington ranks first after the adjustment ($157,056), followed by Maryland and New Jersey. In those states the gap between the two roles is widest in Washington ($64,160) and narrowest in Kentucky ($16,720). OEWS estimates more network architects in Colorado (16,380) than in California (14,870); in 2 states architects outnumber administrators. For four other IT roles state by state, see our IT salaries by state matrix.
| Rank | State | Architect median | 10th | 90th | Admin median | Gap | Architect median, cost-adjusted | Rank, adjusted | Architects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $168,070 | $93,610 | $224,910 | $103,910 | $64,160 | $157,056 | 2 | 4,730 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $162,350 | $101,730 | $213,630 | $116,420 | $45,930 | $149,212 | 4 | 5,660 |
| 3 | Maryland | $159,460 | $98,900 | $213,140 | $118,290 | $41,170 | $151,926 | 3 | 5,860 |
| 4 | California | $158,870 | $97,070 | $224,930 | $106,440 | $52,430 | $143,488 | 9 | 14,870 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $155,060 | $98,730 | $211,580 | $110,980 | $44,080 | $146,619 | 7 | 6,270 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $153,390 | $96,670 | $199,420 | $75,010 | $78,380 | $173,154 | 1 | 420 |
| 7 | Delaware | $148,390 | $85,270 | $199,690 | $94,200 | $54,190 | $148,675 | 5 | 760 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $143,890 | $98,180 | $197,040 | $105,880 | $38,010 | $138,877 | 14 | 1,570 |
| 9 | Virginia | $141,340 | $85,050 | $210,180 | $109,610 | $31,730 | $139,797 | 12 | 9,380 |
| 10 | New York | $140,390 | $83,260 | $214,590 | $105,810 | $34,580 | $130,086 | 26 | 9,800 |
| 11 | Colorado | $139,230 | $94,920 | $206,600 | $103,370 | $35,860 | $135,107 | 20 | 16,380 |
| 12 | Nevada | $138,060 | $83,830 | $164,880 | $103,440 | $34,620 | $138,089 | 15 | 1,010 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $137,670 | $102,450 | $205,420 | $110,970 | $26,700 | $125,267 | 32 | 1,490 |
| 14 | Oregon | $135,660 | $90,360 | $173,880 | $102,000 | $33,660 | $131,249 | 25 | 1,540 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $134,990 | $82,060 | $185,160 | $92,520 | $42,470 | $143,991 | 8 | 1,950 |
| 16 | Georgia | $133,890 | $51,710 | $179,040 | $97,170 | $36,720 | $139,044 | 13 | 7,690 |
| 17 | Texas | $133,310 | $70,110 | $191,800 | $101,240 | $32,070 | $137,352 | 16 | 13,650 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $133,270 | $81,500 | $171,700 | $101,870 | $31,400 | $135,133 | 18 | 2,040 |
| 19 | Florida | $132,800 | $81,500 | $184,680 | $95,200 | $37,600 | $128,416 | 29 | 9,370 |
| 20 | Illinois | $132,790 | $81,630 | $201,190 | $100,080 | $32,710 | $132,846 | 24 | 7,810 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $131,840 | $79,240 | $188,120 | $86,140 | $45,700 | $135,121 | 19 | 6,080 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $131,720 | $87,280 | $172,690 | $83,650 | $48,070 | $139,986 | 11 | 2,170 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $131,320 | $58,760 | $175,800 | $103,100 | $28,220 | $128,393 | 30 | 460 |
| 24 | Ohio | $131,070 | $84,340 | $180,640 | $97,570 | $33,500 | $141,279 | 10 | 5,150 |
| 25 | Arizona | $130,890 | $81,530 | $175,820 | $90,280 | $40,610 | $130,010 | 27 | 3,990 |
| 26 | Alabama | $130,810 | $76,960 | $173,400 | $81,400 | $49,410 | $147,270 | 6 | 4,200 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $127,320 | $79,120 | $173,410 | $95,230 | $32,090 | $134,979 | 21 | 8,350 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $125,420 | $76,080 | $209,530 | $100,230 | $25,190 | $120,405 | 37 | 560 |
| 29 | Indiana | $124,190 | $76,270 | $174,580 | $84,550 | $39,640 | $133,067 | 23 | 2,030 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $123,860 | $82,340 | $172,980 | $88,100 | $35,760 | $134,821 | 22 | 4,330 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $122,520 | $79,440 | $146,440 | $74,490 | $48,030 | $136,898 | 17 | 360 |
| 32 | Utah | $121,000 | $75,640 | $182,790 | $95,820 | $25,180 | $122,390 | 35 | 1,330 |
| 33 | Alaska | $119,720 | $88,690 | $173,070 | $97,500 | $22,220 | $116,961 | 40 | 120 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $116,420 | $77,570 | $163,200 | $84,700 | $31,720 | $129,208 | 28 | 1,350 |
| 35 | Michigan | $112,040 | $71,400 | $167,960 | $92,750 | $19,290 | $116,445 | 41 | 3,210 |
| 36 | Vermont | $110,930 | $84,970 | $155,420 | $86,020 | $24,910 | $113,242 | 44 | 130 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $110,400 | $80,930 | $166,780 | $81,590 | $28,810 | $126,989 | 31 | 910 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $109,450 | $70,290 | $165,730 | $83,990 | $25,460 | $124,597 | 33 | 1,320 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $109,080 | $70,680 | $152,260 | $90,790 | $18,290 | $118,293 | 38 | 420 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $108,990 | $76,320 | $146,550 | $86,450 | $22,540 | $122,517 | 34 | 230 |
| 41 | Maine | $108,570 | $83,990 | $158,480 | $83,890 | $24,680 | $111,870 | 46 | 570 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $108,000 | $78,980 | $165,940 | $101,450 | $6,550 | $98,226 | 51 | 320 |
| 43 | Idaho | $107,620 | $70,720 | $174,510 | $91,880 | $15,740 | $112,698 | 45 | 720 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $106,620 | $78,930 | $162,340 | $90,160 | $16,460 | $120,875 | 36 | 470 |
| 45 | Montana | $104,300 | $73,970 | $162,590 | $80,950 | $23,350 | $110,201 | 48 | 250 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $103,740 | $62,850 | $168,350 | $87,020 | $16,720 | $115,063 | 42 | 1,710 |
| 47 | Missouri | $103,130 | $62,080 | $168,820 | $80,870 | $22,260 | $113,558 | 43 | 3,360 |
| 48 | Iowa | $103,050 | $62,850 | $160,320 | $84,500 | $18,550 | $117,420 | 39 | 1,170 |
| 49 | Kansas | $100,610 | $62,320 | $159,920 | $83,340 | $17,270 | $111,704 | 47 | 1,770 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $100,520 | $79,180 | $134,970 | $75,220 | $25,300 | $108,446 | 49 | 50 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $90,990 | $57,760 | $174,600 | $79,990 | $11,000 | $104,643 | 50 | n/a |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates; BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, 2024. Cost-adjusted = median divided by RPP/100.
Job outlook to 2035
BLS projects network architect employment to grow 7.7% from 2025 to 2035, about 14,100 jobs, while systems administrator employment falls 4.1%, about 13,200 jobs. Both still have openings from retirements and job changes: 9,600 a year for architects and 13,400 for administrators.
| Occupation | Jobs, 2025 | Projected, 2035 | Change | Openings a year | Typical education | Related experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Network architects (15-1241) | 181,800 | 195,800 | +7.7% | 9,600 | Bachelor’s degree | 5 years or more |
| Systems administrators (15-1244) | 323,600 | 310,400 | -4.1% | 13,400 | Bachelor’s degree | None |
| Network support specialists (15-1231) | 152,500 | 154,400 | +1.2% | 9,000 | Associate’s degree | None |
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035, Table 1.2. Projections employment includes the self-employed, so it differs from OEWS counts.
What federal contracts pay for network labor
GSA’s CALC+ database lists the ceiling hourly rates contractors may bill the government. We pulled 6,268 unique rates for seven network keywords and classified 6,123 information technology categories by title. Network engineer categories bill a median $131.94 an hour and network administrator categories $112.92, a 17% difference, narrower than the 35% gap between the two BLS wage medians. Billing rates cover benefits, overhead and profit, so they run well above wages.
| Labor category family | Rates | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Network architect | 543 | $120.18 | $145.84 | $176.66 |
| Network manager | 104 | $112.58 | $144.25 | $166.13 |
| Network engineer | 3,329 | $105.16 | $131.94 | $161.93 |
| Network administrator | 1,143 | $90.44 | $112.92 | $139.83 |
| Network specialist | 496 | $88.70 | $111.92 | $137.22 |
| Network analyst | 275 | $87.18 | $109.85 | $130.72 |
| Network technician | 233 | $66.80 | $84.25 | $117.14 |
Numbered network engineer levels step up from $100.61 an hour at level I to $165.07 at level V. Contractors define their own levels, usually by years of experience, so read them as a ladder within the market rather than as standard grades.
| Network engineer category | Rates | Median hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Junior network engineer | 105 | $95.50 |
| Network engineer I | 404 | $100.61 |
| Network engineer II | 451 | $124.42 |
| Network engineer III | 414 | $141.08 |
| Network engineer IV | 189 | $154.65 |
| Network engineer V | 90 | $165.07 |
| Senior network engineer | 498 | $145.84 |
| Principal network engineer | 66 | $181.41 |
Source: GSA CALC+ ceiling rates API, current-year price, retrieved October 2026. Families with fewer than 30 rates are not shown.
What this means for MSPs
Decide which network engineer you are hiring. A role that mostly keeps switches, firewalls and VPNs running is closer to the administrator column ($99,130 median); one that designs client networks, SD-WAN rollouts or data center fabrics is closer to the architect column ($134,050). The $34,920 gap between the two medians is the price of getting that distinction wrong in either direction.
Your industry pays the national rate. Computer systems design firms pay network architects a $133,610 median against $134,050 nationally, so an MSP competes with every industry for this talent. Telecom employers pay $111,690, so the computer systems design median is $21,920 higher, a gap worth knowing when recruiting engineers from carriers and ISPs.
The ladder is growing at the top and shrinking at the bottom. BLS expects 13,200 fewer administrator jobs and 14,100 more architect jobs by 2035. Pay for the people who move up from network operations into management is in our IT manager salary report, and pay for the adjacent security, development and support roles is in our cybersecurity salary, software engineer salary and help desk salary reports.
Frequently asked questions
Is network engineer a high paying job?
Yes. Computer network architects, the BLS occupation that includes network engineers, earned a $134,050 median in May 2025, 2.6 times the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs and above the $109,280 median for all computer and mathematical occupations. The top tenth earned $202,680 or more.
What is the entry level network engineer salary?
BLS does not report pay by experience. The 10th percentile for network architects is $79,900 and the 25th is $104,620. BLS lists a bachelor’s degree and 5 years or more of related experience, often as a network or systems administrator, as typical for entry. Systems administrators start lower: their 10th percentile is $62,640.
How much do senior network engineers make?
The 75th percentile for network architects is $168,200 and the 90th is $202,680. In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, the highest-paying large metro, the median is $186,110 and the 90th percentile $274,500. On GSA contracts, senior network engineer categories bill a median $145.84 an hour.
How much does a network engineer make per hour?
The BLS median for network architects is $64.45 an hour, against $47.66 for systems administrators. The architect range runs from $38.42 at the 10th percentile to $97.44 at the 90th. GSA contract ceiling rates for network engineer categories have a median of $131.94 an hour, a billing rate that also covers overhead and profit.
How much do network engineers make in New York City?
In the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro, network architects earned a $163,010 median in May 2025, with a 90th percentile of $216,880; BLS counts 10,230 of them there. Systems administrators in the same metro earned a $119,390 median.
How much do network engineers make in New Jersey?
New Jersey’s median for network architects is $162,350, 2nd of 51 states and DC. Adjusted for New Jersey’s price level (108.8% of the national average), it is $149,212. New Jersey systems administrators earn a $116,420 median.
Methodology
Sources. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 and May 2024: national, state, metropolitan area, national industry (3-digit and 4-digit NAICS) and national ownership files, downloaded October 2026. BEA Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, all items, 2024. BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035, Table 1.2. The 2018 SOC direct match title file and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, used to verify which codes hold network engineer titles. GSA CALC+ ceiling rates API.
Definitions. “Network engineer salary” here means OEWS wages for computer network architects (SOC 15-1241), the code that holds the “Network Engineer” title. Network and computer systems administrators (SOC 15-1244) are shown as the adjacent operations role; their figures include systems administrators who do not work on networks. OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay including incentive pay; they exclude overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer-paid benefits. Annual figures are hourly rates times 2,080 hours. “Gap” is the architect median minus the administrator median in the same area or industry.
Contract rates. We queried CALC+ for network engineer, architect, administrator, specialist, technician, analyst and manager, removed duplicates, kept Information Technology categories whose titles contain “network,” and assigned each to one family by the first matching word in this order: architect, manager or director, engineer, administrator, analyst, specialist, technician. Network engineer levels were read from a trailing numeral (I to V or 1 to 5) or a Junior, Senior or Principal label.
Limitations. OEWS does not report experience, certifications or job titles, and suppresses estimates that miss its reliability standards. One-year changes compare estimates that share four of six survey panels. Not advice: these are labor market statistics, not a compensation recommendation for any role.
Cite as:The Uptime Report. "Network Engineer Salary 2026: A $134,050 Median, but Telecom Pays Network Architects $111,690." October 2026. https://theuptimereport.com/network-engineer-salary-2026/
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS tables and special request files (oesm25nat, oesm25st, oesm25ma, oesm25in4, oesm24nat). Accessed October 2026.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Network Architects. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Network and Computer Systems Administrators. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, 2018 SOC direct match title file. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS Employment Projections, occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025 to 2035. Accessed October 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (SARPP) and by metropolitan area (MARPP), 2008 to 2024. Accessed October 2026.
- U.S. General Services Administration, CALC+ labor rates (API: api.gsa.gov/acquisition/calc/v3). Accessed October 2026.
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70 sourced stats, every number traced - Zero-Day Statistics
Every tracked zero-day since 2014 - Phishing Statistics 2026
Four phishing measures, one evidence board - Patch Tuesday Statistics 2026
Every Microsoft CVE since 2021 - Disaster Declarations by State
FEMA data for continuity planning - Data Breach Statistics 2026
980 breaches in Have I Been Pwned - Ransomware Initial Access Vectors
CISA advisories coded by entry technique - CVE Statistics 2026
Vulnerabilities published per year, NIST NVD - How Long Do Companies Take to Report a Data Breach?
1,675 Washington notices - Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
The CISA KEV catalog analyzed - Healthcare Data Breach Report 2026
HHS OCR breach portal scorecard - Ransomware Reported to the FBI
Five-year IC3 trend
Infrastructure and uptime
- Microsoft 365 Market Share 2026
Who runs email: Microsoft vs Google - CrowdStrike Outage
July 19, 2024 outage, minute by minute - Data Center Electricity Prices 2026
Power prices vs data center load, by state - Average Internet Bill 2026
Home internet prices by speed and state - Search Engine Market Share 2026
Search share since 2009, by country - ChatGPT Market Share 2026
AI chatbot referral share, every tracker - Google Cloud Outage History
Google Cloud incidents by product, 2013 on - Azure Outage History
Every Azure PIR, coded by root cause - Data Center Water Usage 2026
Water by site, company and drought - AI Energy Consumption 2026
Big Tech electricity vs US demand - SSD Prices 2026
NAND price cycle from makers’ filings - RAM Prices 2026
DRAM prices from producers’ filings - Domain Name Statistics 2026
Domains by TLD, renewals, registrars - Linux Market Share 2026
Linux desktop share, every headline traced - GitHub Outages
GitHub incidents by month since 2020 - Cloudflare Outage History
Every Cloudflare outage post-mortem - Starlink Statistics 2026
Satellites, subscribers, coverage, outages - Internet Access Statistics 2026
Home internet gaps by state and group - SQL Server End of Life
SQL Server support countdown + CVEs - Windows 11 Market Share 2026
Windows 10 vs 11 share by country - Cloud Computing Statistics 2026
Hyperscaler revenue and capex, SEC data - AWS Outage History
Every AWS Post-Event Summary since 2011 - Data Centers by State 2026
Sites, jobs, power for every state - Data Center Statistics 2026
Data center power, spending, jobs - 99.9% Uptime
Uptime calculator and 35 real SLAs - Power Outage Statistics by State
Outage hours by state, EIA data - Cost of Downtime
Revenue per hour for 3,001 public companies - Windows Server End of Life
Support dates and CVEs per server version
Regulation and disclosure
- FedRAMP Statistics 2026
FedRAMP authorizations, GSA data - Item 1C Cybersecurity Disclosures
What 600 10-Ks say in Item 1C - CMMC Certification Statistics 2026
CMMC demand vs assessor capacity - Data Brokers List 2026
728 brokers across three state registries - SEC Cybersecurity Incident Disclosures
Every 8-K Item 1.05 filing - HIPAA Enforcement Tracker
Every OCR penalty and settlement
Workforce and pay
- AI at Work Statistics 2026
Worker AI use: ever, weekly, daily, by job - IT Manager Salary 2026
IT manager pay by industry, BLS OEWS - Software Engineer Salary 2026
Developer pay by metro, BLS OEWS - H-1B Statistics 2026
H-1B lottery, employers, and wages - AI Layoffs 2026
AI-blamed job cuts, sourced to filings - Help Desk Salary 2026
Help desk hourly pay, BLS OEWS - Cybersecurity Salary 2026
Security pay percentiles, BLS OEWS - Women in Tech Statistics 2026
Women’s share of tech jobs since 2011 - IT Unemployment Rate 2026
Tech vs national jobless rate, monthly - Tech Job Postings 2026
Tech postings vs 2020, by role and country - Tech Layoffs 2026
Tech layoffs from state WARN notices - Remote Work Statistics 2026
Telework by job, industry, and state - Highest Paying Cities for IT Jobs 2026
Metro pay by role, BLS OEWS - The Tech Job Market in 2026
Openings, quits, hires, layoffs - IT Salaries by State 2026
Pay matrix for four IT roles - IT and Cybersecurity Jobs Outlook 2026
BLS employment projections
MSP market and spending
- Microsoft 365 Price Increase 2026
Every M365 price change, vs inflation - Computer Prices 2026
Computer price indexes and HS 8471 imports - MSP Market Size 2026
Managed services market, built from Census - Small Business AI Adoption 2026
AI use by firm size, sector, state, Census - Cyber Insurance Statistics
Cyber insurance market, NAIC 2015-2024 - IT Spending by Industry
IT investment by industry, BEA - IT Services Industry Growth 2026
Census revenue by service industry - IT Hourly Rates 2026
Hourly IT labor rates, GSA contracts - VoIP Statistics 2026
Business VoIP vs landlines, FCC - MSP Industry Statistics 2026
Jobs, wages, and firms, BLS QCEW - Federal IT Spending 2026
IT services contracts, USAspending - IT Services Firms by State
Census business patterns atlas
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