Network administrator vs network architect

The differences between network administrators and network architects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a network administrator and a network architect. Additionally, a network architect has an average salary of $105,375, which is higher than the $71,357 average annual salary of a network administrator.

The top three skills for a network administrator include switches, windows server and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a network architect are architecture, BGP, and network infrastructure.

Network administrator vs network architect overview

	Network Administrator	Network Architect
Yearly salary	$71,357	$105,375
Hourly rate	$34.31	$50.66
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	106,886	96,500
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

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.

What does a network architect do?

A network architect is an information technology expert specializing in designing and developing network systems for a company. Their responsibilities typically include performing research and analysis to identify and understand the network needs of a company, planning and performing installations and implementation, establishing guidelines and timelines, upgrading systems, and developing strategies to enhance network operations. Moreover, a network architect must implement security policies and regulations, conduct regular maintenance checks, and perform repairs and modifications to maintain a smooth and efficient workflow.

Network administrator vs network architect salary

Network administrators and network architects have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Network Administrator	Network Architect
Average salary	$71,357	$105,375
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $90,000	Between $75,000 And $146,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	Google	Anaplan
Best paying industry	Finance	Professional

Differences between network administrator and network architect education

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

	Network Administrator	Network Architect
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Computer Science	Computer Science
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	California State University - Long Beach

Network administrator vs network architect demographics

Here are the differences between network administrators' and network architects' demographics:

	Network Administrator	Network Architect
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%	Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 12.3% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between network administrator and network architect duties and responsibilities

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

Network architect example responsibilities.

Design, manage and troubleshoot EIGRP and BGP routing environment.
Manage Linux base systems in private cloud with emphasis on LinuxHA, and security.
Manage and maintain servers running various flavors of Linux including RHEL, CentOS, and Ubuntu.
Design the OU hierarchy, manage DNS naming schemes, and create forests' for efficient domain management.
Manage several projects including a 300 person PC move complete over one weekend with a staff of five persons.
Excele at managing major network-wide upgrades; improve speed and predictability of multicast and order-routing data.

Network administrator vs network architect skills

Common network administrator skills

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

Common network architect skills

Architecture, 8%
BGP, 4%
Network Infrastructure, 4%
Firewall, 4%
Switches, 4%
Emerging Technologies, 4%

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Network Administrator vs Network Architect

Updated January 8, 2025

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