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Best states for a computer network engineer
Quoted expert
Kathleen Riley
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to computer network engineer jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Our research found that Rhode Island is the best state for computer network engineers, while Rhode Island and Connecticut are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Rhode Island has a median salary of $92,873 and Rhode Island has the highest median salary among all 50 states for computer network engineers.
In order to get you the best states for computer network engineers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.Rhode Island is the best state, and Newport is the city with the highest pay for computer network engineers.
10 best states for computer network engineers in 2025
1. Rhode Island
Total computer network engineer jobs: 157 Average annual salary: $92,873 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 1.032. Connecticut
Total computer network engineer jobs: 391 Average annual salary: $92,668 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 0.943. Idaho
Total computer network engineer jobs: 179 Average annual salary: $88,994 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 0.874. New Hampshire
Total computer network engineer jobs: 235 Average annual salary: $79,840 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.085. North Carolina
Total computer network engineer jobs: 1,088 Average annual salary: $80,986 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 0.916. Pennsylvania
Total computer network engineer jobs: 1,148 Average annual salary: $82,227 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 0.797. West Virginia
Total computer network engineer jobs: 125 Average annual salary: $89,379 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 0.668. Washington
Total computer network engineer jobs: 1,029 Average annual salary: $79,463 Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 1.139. Delaware
Total computer network engineer jobs: 154 Average annual salary: $79,655 Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location Quotient: 0.9810. Georgia
Total computer network engineer jobs: 989 Average annual salary: $81,630 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
Computer network engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a computer network engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a computer network engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $92,873 | $71,000 | 1,059,639 | 157 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $92,668 | $71,000 | 3,588,184 | 391 |
| 3 | Idaho | $88,994 | $67,000 | 1,716,943 | 179 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $79,840 | $61,000 | 1,342,795 | 235 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $80,986 | $61,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,088 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $82,227 | $62,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,148 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $89,379 | $68,000 | 1,815,857 | 125 |
| 8 | Washington | $79,463 | $59,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,029 |
| 9 | Delaware | $79,655 | $60,000 | 961,939 | 154 |
| 10 | Georgia | $81,630 | $61,000 | 10,429,379 | 989 |
| 11 | Maryland | $79,723 | $61,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,660 |
| 12 | Virginia | $77,178 | $59,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,380 |
| 13 | Colorado | $77,386 | $59,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,105 |
| 14 | Nevada | $76,505 | $56,000 | 2,998,039 | 239 |
| 15 | California | $80,406 | $59,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,065 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $73,033 | $56,000 | 579,315 | 69 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $78,626 | $60,000 | 6,715,984 | 369 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $75,288 | $58,000 | 5,795,483 | 493 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $74,921 | $57,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,319 |
| 20 | Vermont | $72,015 | $55,000 | 623,657 | 113 |
| 21 | Texas | $73,964 | $54,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,230 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $70,757 | $53,000 | 2,088,070 | 273 |
| 23 | New York | $76,391 | $58,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,535 |
| 24 | Ohio | $71,441 | $54,000 | 11,658,609 | 986 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $73,361 | $55,000 | 5,024,369 | 378 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $74,640 | $57,000 | 9,005,644 | 968 |
| 27 | Utah | $69,819 | $52,000 | 3,101,833 | 437 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $70,334 | $54,000 | 1,920,076 | 247 |
| 29 | Oregon | $71,729 | $53,000 | 4,142,776 | 698 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $69,926 | $54,000 | 869,666 | 102 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $71,814 | $57,000 | 1,427,538 | 184 |
| 32 | Illinois | $71,809 | $55,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,314 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $71,339 | $54,000 | 4,454,189 | 249 |
| 34 | Iowa | $70,549 | $54,000 | 3,145,711 | 283 |
| 35 | Missouri | $69,880 | $54,000 | 6,113,532 | 486 |
| 36 | Florida | $69,443 | $51,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,778 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $67,644 | $51,000 | 693,972 | 612 |
| 38 | Arizona | $67,412 | $50,000 | 7,016,270 | 749 |
| 39 | Alaska | $62,672 | $52,000 | 739,795 | 160 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $68,423 | $52,000 | 3,930,864 | 220 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $67,303 | $51,000 | 3,004,279 | 205 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $67,779 | $51,000 | 2,984,100 | 165 |
| 43 | Kansas | $66,974 | $51,000 | 2,913,123 | 242 |
| 44 | Alabama | $64,390 | $48,000 | 4,874,747 | 493 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $65,640 | $51,000 | 755,393 | 78 |
| 46 | Michigan | $65,465 | $50,000 | 9,962,311 | 655 |
| 47 | Maine | $66,639 | $51,000 | 1,335,907 | 104 |
| 48 | Indiana | $64,329 | $49,000 | 6,666,818 | 534 |
| 49 | Montana | $63,662 | $48,000 | 1,050,493 | 124 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $65,859 | $49,000 | 4,684,333 | 202 |
| 51 | Minnesota | $63,095 | $48,000 | 5,576,606 | 681 |
Highest paying states for computer network engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Computer Network Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $92,873 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $92,668 |
| 3 | Idaho | $88,994 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $79,840 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $80,986 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $82,227 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $89,379 |
| 8 | Washington | $79,463 |
| 9 | Delaware | $79,655 |
| 10 | Georgia | $81,630 |
| 11 | Maryland | $79,723 |
| 12 | Virginia | $77,178 |
| 13 | Colorado | $77,386 |
| 14 | Nevada | $76,505 |
| 15 | California | $80,406 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $73,033 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $78,626 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $75,288 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $74,921 |
| 20 | Vermont | $72,015 |
| 21 | Texas | $73,964 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $70,757 |
| 23 | New York | $76,391 |
| 24 | Ohio | $71,441 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $73,361 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $74,640 |
| 27 | Utah | $69,819 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $70,334 |
| 29 | Oregon | $71,729 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $69,926 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $71,814 |
| 32 | Illinois | $71,809 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $71,339 |
| 34 | Iowa | $70,549 |
| 35 | Missouri | $69,880 |
| 36 | Florida | $69,443 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $67,644 |
| 38 | Arizona | $67,412 |
| 39 | Alaska | $62,672 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $68,423 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $67,303 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $67,779 |
| 43 | Kansas | $66,974 |
| 44 | Alabama | $64,390 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $65,640 |
| 46 | Michigan | $65,465 |
| 47 | Maine | $66,639 |
| 48 | Indiana | $64,329 |
| 49 | Montana | $63,662 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $65,859 |
| 51 | Minnesota | $63,095 |
Expert opinions on the best states for computer network engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for computer network engineers to find work opportunities?
Kathleen Riley
Professor, American University
My computer science students from the class of 2020 had a variety of experiences when they entered the job market after graduation. Those who had already signed on at companies like Amazon or Google, whose business stayed strong during the pandemic and whose workplace models adjusted easily to remote work, had a relatively easy time starting their industry jobs. Others, especially those who had planned to work for companies whose business depended on clients or industries which suffered under the pandemic, saw delays, changes in their work plans, and even cancellations of contracts; several found themselves job hunting again over the summer, interviewing remotely and having to assess companies without setting foot outside their own home. Fortunately, there are still a lot of jobs out there for Computer Science graduates, and most of the students I know have found other placements or are well into that process.
We all know about the abundance of computer science opportunities in the Silicon Valley, the Dulles Technology corridor, and other tech hubs, but there is also an abundance of computer science opportunities in large and small cities throughout the country. In addition to businesses whose focus or products are technology-related, many other businesses have significant technology and computer science needs that are provided in-house, and those who thrive and survive will continue to hire.
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Updated January 8, 2025