Computer network architects salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $79,900 | $38.42 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $134,050 | $64.45 |
| Mean (average) | $139,580 | $67.11 |
| 90th percentile | $202,680 | $97.44 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Computer network architects pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $130,810 | $76,960 | $173,400 | 4,200 | 1.72 |
| Alaska | $119,720 | $88,690 | $173,070 | 120 | 0.32 |
| Arizona | $130,890 | $81,530 | $175,820 | 3,990 | 1.07 |
| Arkansas | $110,400 | $80,930 | $166,780 | 910 | 0.6 |
| California | $158,870 | $97,070 | $224,930 | 14,870 | 0.71 |
| Colorado | $139,230 | $94,920 | $206,600 | 16,380 | 4.93 |
| Connecticut | $143,890 | $98,180 | $197,040 | 1,570 | 0.8 |
| Delaware | $148,390 | $85,270 | $199,690 | 760 | 1.36 |
| District of Columbia | $137,670 | $102,450 | $205,420 | 1,490 | 1.84 |
| Florida | $132,800 | $81,500 | $184,680 | 9,370 | 0.82 |
| Georgia | $133,890 | $51,710 | $179,040 | 7,690 | 1.36 |
| Hawaii | $108,000 | $78,980 | $165,940 | 320 | 0.44 |
| Idaho | $107,620 | $70,720 | $174,510 | 720 | 0.72 |
| Illinois | $132,790 | $81,630 | $201,190 | 7,810 | 1.11 |
| Indiana | $124,190 | $76,270 | $174,580 | 2,030 | 0.55 |
| Iowa | $103,050 | $62,850 | $160,320 | 1,170 | 0.65 |
| Kansas | $100,610 | $62,320 | $159,920 | 1,770 | 1.06 |
| Kentucky | $103,740 | $62,850 | $168,350 | 1,710 | 0.74 |
| Louisiana | $106,620 | $78,930 | $162,340 | 470 | 0.21 |
| Maine | $108,570 | $83,990 | $158,480 | 570 | 0.77 |
| Maryland | $159,460 | $98,900 | $213,140 | 5,860 | 1.83 |
| Massachusetts | $155,060 | $98,730 | $211,580 | 6,270 | 1.49 |
| Michigan | $112,040 | $71,400 | $167,960 | 3,210 | 0.63 |
| Minnesota | $133,270 | $81,500 | $171,700 | 2,040 | 0.6 |
| Mississippi | $90,990 | $57,760 | $174,600 | ||
| Missouri | $103,130 | $62,080 | $168,820 | 3,360 | 0.99 |
| Montana | $104,300 | $73,970 | $162,590 | 250 | 0.42 |
| Nebraska | $116,420 | $77,570 | $163,200 | 1,350 | 1.14 |
| Nevada | $138,060 | $83,830 | $164,880 | 1,010 | 0.56 |
| New Hampshire | $125,420 | $76,080 | $209,530 | 560 | 0.71 |
| New Jersey | $162,350 | $101,730 | $213,630 | 5,660 | 1.14 |
| New Mexico | $109,080 | $70,680 | $152,260 | 420 | 0.42 |
| New York | $140,390 | $83,260 | $214,590 | 9,800 | 0.88 |
| North Carolina | $127,320 | $79,120 | $173,410 | 8,350 | 1.46 |
| North Dakota | $108,990 | $76,320 | $146,550 | 230 | 0.46 |
| Ohio | $131,070 | $84,340 | $180,640 | 5,150 | 0.8 |
| Oklahoma | $109,450 | $70,290 | $165,730 | 1,320 | 0.67 |
| Oregon | $135,660 | $90,360 | $173,880 | 1,540 | 0.68 |
| Pennsylvania | $131,840 | $79,240 | $188,120 | 6,080 | 0.87 |
| Puerto Rico | $78,200 | $49,450 | $122,500 | 240 | 0.23 |
| Rhode Island | $131,320 | $58,760 | $175,800 | 460 | 0.8 |
| South Carolina | $134,990 | $82,060 | $185,160 | 1,950 | 0.73 |
| South Dakota | $153,390 | $96,670 | $199,420 | 420 | 0.8 |
| Tennessee | $123,860 | $82,340 | $172,980 | 4,330 | 1.14 |
| Texas | $133,310 | $70,110 | $191,800 | 13,650 | 0.84 |
| Utah | $121,000 | $75,640 | $182,790 | 1,330 | 0.66 |
| Vermont | $110,930 | $84,970 | $155,420 | 130 | 0.37 |
| Virginia | $141,340 | $85,050 | $210,180 | 9,380 | 1.97 |
| Washington | $168,070 | $93,610 | $224,910 | 4,730 | 1.15 |
| West Virginia | $122,520 | $79,440 | $146,440 | 360 | 0.44 |
| Wisconsin | $131,720 | $87,280 | $172,690 | 2,170 | 0.64 |
| Wyoming | $100,520 | $79,180 | $134,970 | 50 | 0.16 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for computer network architects
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 9,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for computer network architects
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Computer and Information Sciences, General CIP 11.0101
- Information Technology CIP 11.0103
- Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst CIP 11.0501
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications CIP 11.0901
- Cloud Computing CIP 11.0902
- Network and System Administration/Administrator CIP 11.1001
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance CIP 11.1003
- Computer Engineering, General CIP 14.0901
- Computer Engineering, Other CIP 14.0999
Licenses and certifications
AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Cisco Certified Network Associate
Cisco
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
ISC2
Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
Google Cloud
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Develop disaster recovery plans.
- Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
- Develop and implement solutions for network problems.
- Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup.
- Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.
- Coordinate installation of new equipment.
- Monitor and analyze network performance and reports on data input or output to detect problems, identify inefficient use of computer resources, or perform capacity planning.
- Develop network-related documentation.
Technology skills
- Amazon Web Services AWS software (in demand)
- Ansible software (in demand)
- Border Gateway Protocol BGP (in demand)
- IBM Terraform (in demand)
- Linux (in demand)
- Microsoft Azure software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerShell (in demand)
- Oracle Java (in demand)
- Python (in demand)
- Structured query language SQL (in demand)
- Firewall software (in demand)
- AJAX (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Amazon DynamoDB (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Programming, Systems Evaluation, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Coordination.
Common job titles: Computer Network Technologist, Network Analyst, Network Consultant, Network Systems Consultant, Networking Systems Engineer, Solutions Architect, System Programmer, Systems Engineer, WAN Engineer (Wide Area Network Engineer), Wireless Network Engineer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do computer network architects make?
The national median annual wage for computer network architects was $134,050 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $79,900 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $202,680. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do computer network architects need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with 5 years or more of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is computer network architects a growing career?
BLS projects employment of computer network architects to change +7.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 9,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay computer network architects the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($168,070), New Jersey ($162,350), Maryland ($159,460). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.