Data network technician vs network administrator

The differences between data network technicians 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 data network technician and a network administrator. Additionally, a data network technician has an average salary of $76,522, which is higher than the $71,357 average annual salary of a network administrator.

The top three skills for a data network technician include switches, network equipment and CCNA. The most important skills for a network administrator are switches, windows server, and troubleshoot.

Data network technician vs network administrator overview

	Data Network Technician	Network Administrator
Yearly salary	$76,522	$71,357
Hourly rate	$36.79	$34.31
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	117,801	106,886
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Data network technician vs network administrator salary

Data network technicians and network administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Network Technician	Network Administrator
Average salary	$76,522	$71,357
Salary range	Between $49,000 And $118,000	Between $56,000 And $90,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Google
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between data network technician and network administrator education

There are a few differences between a data network technician and a network administrator in terms of educational background:

	Data Network Technician	Network Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Data network technician vs network administrator demographics

Here are the differences between data network technicians' and network administrators' demographics:

	Data Network Technician	Network Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.8% White, 64.3% 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 data network technician and network administrator duties and responsibilities

Data network technician example responsibilities.

Manage the day-to-day operations of telecommunication services utilize by DuPont.
Install new or troubleshot and replace faulty Cat6 lines and connectors where need for VoIP install.
Create and run Ethernet cables after testing to ensure they are tip properly.
Inventory all computers on base and verify their connections to the CPU and Ethernet ports.
Utilize UNIX tools and analysis systems to perform call traces to replicate call and data scenarios through the network switches.
Install and implementation various types of servers/computers, printers, and networking equipment effectively provide quality service and installation for customers.

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

Data network technician vs network administrator skills

Common data network technician skills

Switches, 29%
Network Equipment, 11%
CCNA, 11%
Telecommunication, 9%
Fiber Optic, 4%
Windows, 3%

Common network administrator skills

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

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Data Network Technician vs Network Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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