What the numbers say about this work

Government occupation data for the role this maps to — Computer Network Architects (SOC 15-1241). This is planning context for the occupation, not a salary or a job this role guarantees you.

Median pay (occupation)

$134,050 / yr · $79,900 to $202,680 (10th–90th percentile)

Projected change (2024–34)

+11.9% · ~11.2k openings/yr

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS OEWS — occupation-level, national BLS Employment Projections 2024–34 This role uses a broad O*NET-SOC/BLS occupation mapping. Treat salary, outlook, and task data as occupation-level evidence, not a guarantee for this exact job title.

What it pays by metro

The national median hides a wide geographic spread. Below is the occupation’s median in some of the highest-paying and largest-employment metros, adjusted for local prices — regional price-level context, not take-home pay or a salary this role guarantees you.

See all metros and how this is calculated → Sources: BLS OEWS (May 2025), occupation-level metro median ÷ BEA Regional Price Parities (2024, US=100).

What this work involves

The tasks the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET lists most central to this occupation — role-fit evidence to weigh against your background, not a measure of employer demand.

• 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.

O*NET — occupation-level

Skills that matter

The skills O*NET rates most important for this occupation. A starting map for what to build — weigh it against the specific job you’re targeting.

• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Writing
• Speaking
• Active Learning
• Monitoring
• Learning Strategies

O*NET — occupation-level

What employers ask for right now

The skills and certifications employers most often name in a sample of 27public job postings for this role. Treat it as a to-learn list — it’s dated hiring language, not a count of open jobs, demand, or salary.

Most-named skills

• Python 18
• Troubleshooting 10
• API 8
• Software development 8
• Java 7
• AWS 7
• Ansible 7
• firewall 6
• Bash 5
• VPN 5
• JavaScript 5
• Networking fundamentals 4

Certifications named

• CCNA 2

Compare what employers ask across roles → Qualitative employer-language sample only; do not use as official demand, market-size, salary, or certification ROI evidence.