Network Engineer Salary Guide : Full Earning Potentials [2025]

  • January 30, 2025
  • Networking
  • 10 min read
  • blog views
    156
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Who is a Network Engineer?

A network engineer is a technology expert who designs, implements, and maintains computer networks that provide these services, like voice, data, video, and wireless communications within an organization. Their salaries range from $75,724 to $96,300 in the U.S. and average ₹18.8 lakhs in India. Network engineers make sure all these systems work efficiently and securely. They are vital components of the organizational IT infrastructure.

What does a Network Engineer do?

Network engineers perform a range of activities to ensure optimal performance of network systems. Some of their major responsibilities include:

  • Designing Network Infrastructure: Building the network architecture according to organizational requirements.
  • Setting up routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices Installation and configuration of hardware.
  • Performance Monitored: Tracking network's performance metrics to work towards reliability.
  • Troubleshooting problems: Identify and fix hardware and software issues.
  • Implementing Security Measures: Working with IT teams to safeguard sensitive data from breaches

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What is the Role of a Network Engineer?

A network engineer performs a number of critical functions:

  • Network Design and Implementation: Engineers design new networks or optimize existing ones according to business requirements.
  • Maintenance and Support: They regularly update network configurations and perform maintenance tasks to prevent downtime.
  • Documentation: Records of network configuration, processes, and procedures shall be kept with detail to ease troubleshooting and possible future upgrades.
  • Collaboration: Working closely with other IT professionals to enhance overall network security and performance.

What are the Skills and Background Required for a Network Engineer Role?

To become a successful network engineer, one usually requires:

  • An educational background in a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or similar field is typical.
  • Technical Skills: Familiarity with networks and protocols TCP/IP, equipment experience (such as routers or switches), experience in security aspects.
  • Certifications: Relevant certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or CompTIA Network+ can enhance job prospects.
  • Soft Skills: Other important ones are problem-solving, communication, and the ability to work under pressure.

Is Network Engineer a High Paying Job?

Yes, network engineering is typically one of the more lucrative careers because of its specificity and what can be meant by a very critical role for organizations. With more reliance on complex networking solutions by businesses, the demand for skilled network engineers tends to increase more and more.

What is the Average Salary of a Network Engineer?

The average salary for network engineers varies significantly depending on experience, location, and specific roles. In the United States, it usually ranges between  $85,619 and more than $103,493 a year. In India, it is around ₹4,90,000 a year.(1)

Key Factors Affecting Network Engineer Salary

Several factors influence the salary of network engineers:

  • Experience Level: More experienced engineers command higher salaries.
  • Role Specificity: Specialized roles may command higher wages.
  • Employer Type Salaries can differ depending on working for large companies or small-scale companies.
  • Location: The variation in salaries partly depends on geography.

Network Engineer Salary: Based on Experience

Years of Experience Avg Salary (India) Avg Salary (USA) Source
Entry Level (0-2) ₹3,00,000 $60,000 Coursera
Mid Level (3-5) ₹6,00,000 $90,000

Motion

Recruitment

Senior Level (5+) ₹12,00,000 $120,000 Shine

Network Engineer Salary: Based on Role

Role Avg Salary (India) Avg Salary (USA) Source
Entry Level ₹3,50,000 $65,000 Shine
Mid Level ₹7,50,000 $95,000 Motion Recruitment
Senior Level ₹15,00,000 $130,000 Zippia

Network Engineer Salary: Based on Employer/Company

Employer Type Avg Salary (India) Avg Salary (USA) Source
Large Corporations ₹10,00,000 $110,000 Coursera
Startups ₹5,00,000 $80,000 Shine
Government Jobs ₹6,00,000 $70,000 Motion Recruitment

Network Engineer Salary: Based on Skill-set

Skill-set Avg Salary (India) Avg Salary (USA) Source
Basic Networking ₹4,00,000 $70,000 Shine
Advanced Security ₹10,00,000 $120,000 Coursera
Cloud Networking ₹9,00,000 $115,000 Zippia

Network Engineer Salary: Based on Certifications

Certification Avg Salary (India) Avg Salary (USA) Source
CCNA ₹5,50,000 $85,000 Coursera
CCNP ₹9,00,000 $110,000 Motion Recruitment
CompTIA Security+ ₹7,00,000 $95,000 Shine

Network Engineer Salary: Based on Location

Top Cities in India

City Avg Salary Source
Bangalore ₹8,00,000 Shine
Hyderabad ₹7,50,000 Shine
Mumbai ₹9,00,000 Shine
Pune ₹6,50,000 Shine
Chennai ₹7,20,000 Shine

Top Cities in USA

City Avg Salary Source
San Francisco $130,000 Coursera
New York $120,000 Zippia
Seattle $115,000 Motion Recruitment
Austin $100,000 Zippia
Chicago $95,000 Coursera

Network Engineer Salary Based on Education Background

Education Level Avg Salary (India) Avg Salary (USA) Source
Bachelor's Degree ₹6,00,000 $80,000 Shine
Master's Degree ₹10,00,000 $115,000 Zippia

Top Companies Hiring Network Engineers in USA

Some leading companies actively seeking network engineers include:

  • Cisco Systems
  • Amazon Web Services
  • Google
  • Microsoft
  • IBM

Top Companies Hiring Network Engineers in India

In India’s competitive market for network engineers:

  • TCS
  • Infosys
  • Wipro
  • HCL Technologies
  • Accenture

Network Engineer Salary in Top 10 Industries

Here’s an overview of average salaries for network engineers across various industries:


Industry Average Salary (Annual) Source
Information Technology $130,000 Glassdoor
Telecommunications $126,900 Payscale
Aerospace and Defense $123,000 Indeed
Financial Services $118,000 Robert Half
Government $111,000 Bureau of Labor Statistics
Consulting $131,400 Hired
Cloud Computing $120,000 LinkedIn Salary Insights
Healthcare $117,000 Salary.com
Education $96,300 PayScale
E-commerce $125,900 Glassdoor

Parameters on which the Network Engineer Salary Depends

Network engineer salaries depend on various parameters including:

  1. Experience level
  2. Specific job role
  3. Company size and type
  4. Geographic location
  5. Educational qualifications
  6. Certifications obtained

Future of Being a Network Engineers

The future for network engineers is bright as technology is rapidly evolving. With cloud computing and cybersecurity becoming the most important concerns for organizations around the world, network engineering will continue to be important. Professionals in this field will need to keep learning and adapting to stay relevant. To learn more about programming join the CISCO Programming for Network Engineers.

How to Obtain a Competitive Network Engineer Salary?

To get a competitive salary as a network engineer.

  • Acquire relevant educational qualifications.
  • Get industry-recognized certifications.
  • Gain practical experience through internships or entry-level positions.
  • Keep abreast with the emerging networking technologies.
  • Consider specializing in high-demand areas like cybersecurity or cloud networking.

Conclusion

A career as a network engineer provides challenging and rewarding opportunities, both financially and professionally. As technology is increasingly becoming the backbone of most industries while the requirement for security also continues to increase—network engineering is an indispensable field that is bound to see significant growth in the next few years. If one is interested in continuous education and skill development in Network engineer, its preferable to take up cisco training, so that you can be well positioned in this ever-changing job market.

Jeremy Rogers
Author

Jeremy Rogers

Product Manager,
NetCom Learning

Table of Contents

  • Who is a Network Engineer?
  • What does a Network Engineer do?
  • What is the Role of a Network Engineer?
  • What are the Skills and Background Required for a Network Engineer Role?
  • Is Network Engineer a High Paying Job?
  • What is the Average Salary of a Network Engineer?
  • Key Factors Affecting Network Engineer Salary
  • Top Companies Hiring Network Engineers in USA
  • Top Companies Hiring Network Engineers in India
  • Network Engineer Salary in Top 10 Industries
  • Parameters on which the Network Engineer Salary Depends
  • Why are Network Engineers Paid so Much?
  • Future of Being a Network Engineers
  • How to Obtain a Competitive Network Engineer Salary?
  • Conclusion
  • Related Resources