Computer network administrator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a computer network administrator. Computer network administrators usually study computer science, computer information systems, or business. 50% of computer network administrators hold a bachelor's degree, and 31% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,054 real computer network administrator resumes to see exactly what computer network administrator education sections show.

The most common colleges for computer network administrators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online computer network administrator courses to help get the education required to be a computer network administrator.

There are certain computer network administrator certifications that you should consider. These computer network administrator certifications include CompTIA A+ Certification and Network 5 Certification.

What education do you need to become a computer network administrator?

What degree do you need to be a computer network administrator?

The most common degree for computer network administrators is bachelor's degree, with 50% of computer network administrators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 31% and associate degree degree at 8%.

Bachelor's, 50%

Associate, 31%

Master's, 8%

High School Diploma, 6%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a computer network administrator?

You should major in computer science to become a computer network administrator. 20% of computer network administrators major in computer science. Other common majors for a computer network administrator include computer information systems and business.

Computer Science, 20%

Computer Information Systems, 16%

Business, 10%

Electrical Engineering, 9%

Other Majors, 45%

Most common colleges for computer network administrators

Computer network administrators often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Miami Dade College, and Remington College. Here are the most common colleges for computer network administrators in the US based on their resumes.

Computer network administrator common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	14.93%
Miami Dade College	5.97%
Remington College	5.97%
Strayer University	5.97%
DeVry University	5.97%

Show more common computer network administrator colleges

Best majors for computer network administrators

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Science	20.4%
2	Computer Information Systems	15.7%
3	Business	10.4%
4	Electrical Engineering	9.2%
5	Information Technology	8.0%

Show more common computer network administrator majors

Best colleges for computer network administrators

The best colleges for computer network administrators are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Southern California, and Johns Hopkins University.

A computer network administrator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for computer network administrators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become computer network administrators.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

5. Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$52,202

Enrollment

3,420

6. New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$17,338

Enrollment

7,820

7. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,184

Enrollment

11,675

10. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$19,080

Enrollment

19,127

20 best online courses for computer network administrators

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Top 10 most affordable universities for computer network administrators

The most affordable schools for computer network administrators are Brigham Young University, clayton state university, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for computer network administrators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for computer network administrators.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

5. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

6. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

7. Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$7,879

Cost of attendance

21,223

8. California State University - East Bay

Hayward, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,983

Cost of attendance

21,371

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce

Mercedita, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,914

Cost of attendance

13,564

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for computer network administrators

The hardest universities for computer network administrators to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, University of Southern California, and Johns Hopkins University.

Some great schools for computer network administrators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for computer network administrators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

7. Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,412

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for computer network administrators

The easiest schools for computer network administrators to get into are Capitol Technology University, linfield college, and nyack college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a computer network administrator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for computer network administrators.

1. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

2. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

3. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

4. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,148

5. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

6. Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

1,086

7. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

8. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

9. Illinois State University

Normal, IL • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,122

10. Saint Thomas University

Miami Gardens, FL • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,031

Average computer network administrator salary by education level

According to our data, computer network administrators with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $76,954 annually. Computer network administrators with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $74,475.

Computer network administrator education level	Computer network administrator salary
Master's Degree	$76,954
High School Diploma or Less	$67,177
Bachelor's Degree	$74,475
Some College/ Associate Degree	$67,976

Computer network administrator education FAQs

What is the best college for Computer Network Administrators?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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