How to become a network administrator

By the RoleMath Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-06-14. Every figure traces to a cited official source; we sell none of the options discussed. Draft pending human review.

"How to become a network administrator" is a common career change into tech — and one where the honest path matters, because most sources answer it while selling you something. We sell nothing. A network administrator installs, configures, and maintains an organization's computer networks — keeping connectivity, performance, and security running day to day. Here is the cited, step-by-step version, with no guarantees attached.

Key takeaways

• The core skills to build are TCP/IP and routing/switching fundamentals, network configuration and monitoring, and basic network security — proven with a portfolio, not just a certificate.
• Start with a beginner-appropriate certification, not an experience-gated one — check eligibility first.
• Follow a sequenced learning roadmap and prove your skills with hands-on projects; credentials alone don't land the job.
• The mapped occupation's BLS median is $99,130, but the realistic early-career band (10th–25th percentile) is $62,640–$78,010, with a -4.2% projected change — occupation-level context, not a personal salary or hiring guarantee. The projected decline means it's best used as a stepping stone.
• Study free and use funding to keep your out-of-pocket cost low; no route guarantees a job.

What a network administrator does — the cited day-to-day

A network administrator installs, configures, and maintains an organization's computer networks — keeping connectivity, performance, and security running day to day. Day to day, ONET — the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database — lists core tasks for the mapped occupation such as: maintain and administer computer networks and related computing environments, including computer hardware, systems software, applications software, and all configurations; perform data backups and disaster recovery operations. ONET lists technologies for this occupation such as Linux, Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft Active Directory, PowerShell. By O*NET's interest data the work tends to fit structured, detail-oriented work and hands-on, practical work — the occupation's typical profile, not a verdict on whether it fits you. Heads-up: BLS groups this role with a junior systems administrator in one occupation, so the cited pay and outlook figures here are shared across those guides — the day-to-day differs, and a network administrator focuses on keeping networks and connectivity running.

• See the full role profile
• What interests fit this role
• How to become a junior systems administrator
• What working in tech is really like

The honest entry path, step by step

Rather than collecting credentials, follow this sequence:

1. Build the foundational skills. For a network administrator, that means TCP/IP and routing/switching fundamentals, network configuration and monitoring, and basic network security.

2. Earn one beginner-appropriate certification (see the next section) — not a stack of them.

3. Prove your skills with a portfolio. For example: a virtual network lab — routing, switching, DNS, DHCP — that you configured and documented.

4. Apply, and keep learning on the job. Entry roles expect you to grow into them.

Networking is a solid foundation that opens doors to cloud and security, but the mapped occupation is projected to decline slightly, so weigh it against higher-growth adjacent paths.

• The learning roadmap

Do you need a degree for this role?

By the cited BLS data, the typical entry-level education for the mapped occupation is a bachelor's degree, and it typically lists no prior work experience. "Typical" is BLS's judgment of the common entry route, not a hard requirement or a legal gate. Where a degree is the typical route, competing without one is harder — but many employers, especially in IT, cloud, and security, will consider a relevant certification plus a portfolio instead. That's employer-dependent, not guaranteed.

• Do you need a degree to work in tech?
• Which certifications you can earn now

Certifications: where to start (and what to avoid)

A foundational networking certification (such as CompTIA Network+ or an entry Cisco credential) is the common starting point — open to beginners. Avoid experience-gated credentials as a first cert. Whatever you target, confirm the credential is genuinely open to a beginner before you pay.

• Which certifications you can earn now

What it costs and how long it takes

The honest cost is the exam plus any optional training and renewal — see the full cited breakdown rather than an exam-only figure, and study with free official resources to keep the rest near $0. Timelines vary with your background and study intensity; no honest source can promise a fixed timeline or guarantee a job.

• What certifications really cost
• Free official study resources

What it really pays — the cited percentiles

This role maps to a BLS occupation, the Network and Computer Systems Administrators. As a career changer you'll most likely start near the lower end of the range: the cited 10th–25th percentile runs $62,640–$78,010 (BLS OEWS May 2025) — read that as a realistic early-career planning range, not a rule, since these are all-worker percentiles. The occupation's overall median is $99,130, but that's the midpoint across all workers including experienced ones, so treat it as where the broader occupation tops out with experience, not a starting wage. The chart shows the full spread. Every figure is occupation-level context — not what you personally will earn, not a certification outcome, and not a hiring guarantee.

• See the cited salary detail
• Compare entry paths on pay

Is the field growing? The cited outlook

BLS projects a -4.2% change for the mapped occupation over 2024–2034 (~14.3k annual openings). A projection is occupation-level context for the broader occupation, not a personal guarantee. Note the projected decline: treat this as a stepping stone toward higher-growth adjacent roles, not a long-term destination.

• Compare entry paths on outlook

How to do it without going broke

The unavoidable cost is the certification exam fee. Study with free official resources to avoid paying for training, and use funding — public workforce programs (WIOA), veterans' benefits, or employer tuition assistance — to cover the exam itself, which can bring your out-of-pocket cost close to zero. No amount of spending guarantees a job.

• Ways to fund it

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a network administrator?

It varies with your background and study pace — often several months of focused study for a foundational certification plus hands-on practice. No honest source can promise a fixed timeline or guarantee a job.

What certifications do you need to become a network administrator?

A foundational networking certification (such as CompTIA Network+ or an entry Cisco credential) is the common starting point — open to beginners. Avoid experience-gated credentials as a first cert. See which certifications you can actually earn now, and the role's roadmap for the cited sequence.

Can you become a network administrator with no experience?

You can begin with no work experience — entry certifications are open to beginners — but you'll need demonstrable, hands-on skills and a portfolio. "Entry-level" still means you can do the work.

How much does a network administrator make?

The mapped BLS occupation has a national median wage of $99,130, but as a career changer you'll more likely start nearer the cited 10th–25th percentile band ($62,640–$78,010). These are occupation-level figures for the broader occupation, not your guaranteed salary — see the cited detail and compare across entry paths.

Is being a network administrator a good career?

It's an accessible entry point, but be honest about the trade-off: BLS projects the mapped occupation to decline modestly (-4.2%), so it's best used as a stepping stone toward higher-growth roles. No role is right for everyone.

Related, with the cited detail

• See the full role profile
• The learning roadmap
• Certification eligibility
• What certifications really cost
• Ways to fund it
• Start the RoleMath planner

Sources

Figures in this article are cited to the sources named in the Citation Ledger below and on each linked cited page. Charts are drawn from those cited BLS figures, with the source noted in each caption. This page stays draft_noindex pending human citation review.

Citation Ledger