Core network engineer vs network administrator

The differences between core network engineers and network administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a core network engineer and a network administrator. Additionally, a core network engineer has an average salary of $103,964, which is higher than the $71,357 average annual salary of a network administrator.

The top three skills for a core network engineer include IP, java and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a network administrator are switches, windows server, and troubleshoot.

Core network engineer vs network administrator overview

	Core Network Engineer	Network Administrator
Yearly salary	$103,964	$71,357
Hourly rate	$49.98	$34.31
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	34,068	106,886
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a core network engineer do?

A Core Network Engineer designs and develops the backbone of an establishment's computer network, facilitating connections from one system to another. They conduct research and assessments to identify project requirements, install and maintain networks, establish guidelines and protocols, develop test structures to identify bugs, troubleshoot errors, and provide technical support as needed. It is also their responsibility to implement security systems and policies, all while maintaining records. A Core Engineer often works together with other engineers to strengthen the workflow and quality of networks.

What does a network administrator do?

A network administrator is responsible for managing an organization's computer systems, ensuring its smooth operations and highest efficiency. Network administrators' duties include inspecting network malfunctions, troubleshooting unresponsive programs, improving system processes, analyzing client's specifications, upgrading existing applications, coordinating with the technology department, and creating a report of network issues resolutions. A network administrator should display a strong command of programming languages. Extensive knowledge in the technology industry and analytical and problem-solving skills to manage network problems immediately is also necessary.

Core network engineer vs network administrator salary

Core network engineers and network administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Core Network Engineer	Network Administrator
Average salary	$103,964	$71,357
Salary range	Between $78,000 And $137,000	Between $56,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	Flipboard	Google
Best paying industry	Automotive	Finance

Differences between core network engineer and network administrator education

There are a few differences between a core network engineer and a network administrator in terms of educational background:

	Core Network Engineer	Network Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Computer Science
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Core network engineer vs network administrator demographics

Here are the differences between core network engineers' and network administrators' demographics:

	Core Network Engineer	Network Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.7% Female, 14.3%	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between core network engineer and network administrator duties and responsibilities

Core network engineer example responsibilities.

Design and manage printer repair and installation for the corporate Nortel campus.
Manage Cisco NAS, QNAP NAS encrypt storage device configurations, perform IOS upgrades.
Provide technical support with managing data from the Verizon LTE network to pass through WiFi access points.
Manage deployment and testing updates for wireless systems, such as WCS, WiSM, and WLC.
Manage marketing and exec team's ad-hoc inquiries via PERL, PL/SQL, SQL and Unix script processes.
Utilize advanced encryption devices to secure communications between all locations manage by the department.

Network administrator example responsibilities.

Lead and manage desktop standards project.
Manage backups using EMC Networker and Avamar.
Manage Solarwinds to monitor servers and networks for all locations.
Manage all provisioning and technical issues for new customer IP blocks.
Deploy and manage storage (windows file servers and NetApp NAS).
Manage all technology: Novell, Microsoft, Cisco, email, library, labs, dorms, programs

Core network engineer vs network administrator skills

Common core network engineer skills

IP, 10%
Java, 9%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Linux, 5%
Network Design, 5%
Ethernet, 4%

Common network administrator skills

Switches, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Troubleshoot, 5%
Network Hardware, 5%
Routers, 4%
Lan Wan, 4%

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Core Network Engineer
Core Network Engineer vs Network Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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