How To Become A Manager/Network Administrator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a manager/network administrator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a manager/network administrator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $42.86 an hour? That's $89,144 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 18,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a manager/network administrator?

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.

Clinical Professor and Director of Master of Science in Supply Chain and Operations Management, University of Illinois at Chicago

Most employers tell me that soft skills are equally, if not more important, than technical skills or domain knowledge. This translates into external/internal customer-facing skills, such as communication, team collaboration, writing, presentation, problem-solving, and being resourceful. (Many graduates overlook writing as a vital skill, but they fail to realize that in the course of their jobs, they will likely be required to write lots of memos and tons of emails.) The need to perfect these skills within the confines of a virtual world has become even more challenging and amplified with COVID. I teach in the information systems discipline, and when you view student resumes, many people look the same on paper. The soft skills will make a candidate stand out head and shoulders above the rest. That's why the candidate should pay attention to the screening interviews that they will undergo during the hiring process since employers will use these interviews to vet these skills.

ScoreManager/Network AdministratorUS Average

Salary

7.0

Avg. Salary $89,144

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 8.68%

Black or African American 9.24%

Hispanic or Latino 12.91%

Unknown 5.11%

White 63.74%

Gender

female 18.74%

male 81.26%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a manager/network administrator

Explore manager/network administrator education requirements

Most common manager/network administrator degrees

Bachelor's

52.5 %

Associate

32.8 %

Master's

6.9 %

Start to develop specific manager/network administrator skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	14.60%
Network Administration	4.98%
Database	4.17%
Disaster Recovery	4.00%
Switches	3.88%

Complete relevant manager/network administrator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New managers/network administrator learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a manager/network administrator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real manager/network administrator resumes.

Research manager/network administrator duties and responsibilities

Manage Microsoft SharePoint server and instruct employees how to use system.
Manage DNS server, update DNS entries, and code for secondary and tertiary zone transfers.
Manage projects involving servers, networks, routers and switches, data backups, and system upgrades.
Manage, maintain, troubleshoot, load and provide support to all associate sites for all COMSEC equipment and material.

Prepare your manager/network administrator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your manager/network administrator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a manager/network administrator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable manager/network administrator resume templates

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