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Job outlook for network assistants in the United States
Network assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected network assistant job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 18,200 new jobs for network assistants are projected over the next decade.
Network assistant salaries have increased 9% for network assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 65,798 network assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 49,513 active network assistant job openings in the US.
The average network assistant salary is $33,392.
Are network assistant jobs in demand?
Network assistant job and salary trends over time
Network assistant jobs over time
Network assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 65,798 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 138,270 | 0.04% |
| 2019 | 60,379 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 51,357 | 0.02% |
| 2017 | 52,531 | 0.02% |
Average network assistant salary over time
Network assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,392 | $16.05 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $32,292 | $15.52 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $31,561 | $15.17 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $31,195 | $15.00 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $30,657 | $14.74 | +2.4% |
Network assistant jobs by state
Most common states for network assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 399 | 57% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,633 | 19% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,074 | 18% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 131 | 18% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 94 | 15% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 169 | 13% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 658 | 12% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 385 | 12% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 112 | 11% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 659 | 10% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 169 | 9% |
| 12 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 123 | 9% |
| 13 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 557 | 8% |
| 14 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 440 | 8% |
| 15 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 333 | 8% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 173 | 8% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 86 | 8% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 73 | 8% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 68 | 8% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 45 | 8% |
Most common cities for network assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupertino | 1 | 2% | $46,154 |
| 2 | West Palm Beach | 1 | 1% | $28,317 |
| 3 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $45,234 |
Network Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of network assistant experts
California State University - East Bay
California State University - Long Beach
Grantham University
Utah Valley University
Dominican University
Governors State University
Carleton College
Tufts University
University of North Texas
Slippery Rock University
Stetson University
Saint Peter's University
American University
Dr. Bobby Roohparvar Ph.D.
Professor of Computer Science and Computer EngineeringCalifornia State University - East Bay
Computer Systems Networking And Telecommunications
What Network Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Bobby Roohparvar Ph.D.: *Favor:*
*Variety: Each day presents new challenges and opportunities for problem-solving.*
*Demand: The field offers strong job growth and stability.*
*Impact: Your work ensures businesses and organizations remain connected and operational.*
*Learning: There's always something new to learn with emerging technologies.*
*Dislike:*
*Troubleshooting: Issues can be complex and take a lot of time to resolve.*
*On-call: Network problems can occur at any time, requiring on-call availability.*
*Pressure: Maintaining network uptime can be stressful, especially during critical periods.*
*Keeping Up-to-Date: Rapid technological changes necessitate continuous learning.*
Laura Kier
Network Design and Administration InstructorWhat general advice would you give to a Network Assistant?
Laura Kier: Students graduating from the Computer Network Design and Administration program will enter the job market with a solid foundation in networking technologies. Above that they should also be able to develop and demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Networking has a strong emphasis on teamwork and being able to communicate well with customers, co-workers and teammates is vital. Attaining certifications in Cisco, Linux, Windows, and security will also help the student stand out within the industry (classes in the program help to learn the knowledge needed to attain certifications). Students should participate in any local or online communities and groups to enhance skills and knowledge and find networking opportunities.
What Network Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Laura Kier: Computer Networking is a dynamic field with a wide variety of opportunities in many different industries. Some skills that will be more important in general are skills in software defined networking and automation. Skills in the DevOps field will be necessary, as well as skills leveraging AI tools. Cybersecurity is always important and using AI tools to enhance security and monitoring is necessary.
What will help Network Assistants increase their earning potential?
Laura Kier: Learn to present your skills well from the interview and into your career. Those communication skills count! Industry certifications like CCNA matter. They help you demonstrate a willingness to grow and learn beyond what was required for your degree. Be willing to take on new challenges with your new job and keep learning new skills. It is really important for graduates to understand that talented IT professionals can move up quickly in a company, but they often must start at the bottom to showcase their technical and soft skills. Because of that, they should not shy away from entry level jobs if there is potential for growth.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Network Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Lesley Farmer: Many employees have trouble pivoting to online work so in the short term, tech support and instructional design jobs are in high demand. Data privacy and security are also hot topics and need ed tech expertise. Tech maintenance, including cloud services and networks, continue to be needed, rather like car maintenance. Thinking forward, software development is another area of need, particularly with more online-based education. If grads have data analytics expertise, they can find jobs on data management and learning analytics.
Disabilities continue to be an issue, particularly in terms of equity, so jobs dealing with assistive technology and other ed tech supports are possible. Finally, grads should broaden their concept of educational settings; informal education is more important than ever: in business/HR, libraries and museums, recreational and youth-serving clubs, mass media, government and non-profit agencies. All of these entities are involved in training, outreach, PR, and public awareness/education. Be creative and persistent.
What Network Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lesley Farmer: Internships are probably the best option, even if unpaid. Some institutions provide career placement services, and grads could contact their instructors about possible options. Companies, professional associations, and non-profits also advertise internships.
What general advice would you give to a Network Assistant?
Dr. Lesley Farmer: Get to know the site before interviewing, and remember that even interviews are an opportunity to practice communication skills-and to see if there's a good match between you and the site. Once hired, learn about the organizational culture and develop trustful relationships. Make one memorable contribution the first month, but focus on becoming an expert before changing others. In addition, join a local and national professional association to keep current and network.
What experience really stands out on Network Assistant resumes?
Lisa Sietstra: The job seeker's experiences will stand out when they've described previous accomplishments and shown a potential employer the value they have added in the past. Students/recent graduates (or really any job seeker at all) need to include quantifiable data in their statements; clearly painting a picture of achieved results. Connect the dots for the recruiter or hiring manager and really show that you have the potential to join the team and immediately contribute in positive ways.
Add details about academic projects if you do not yet have work experience in your field. Include a section of highlights from your coursework that applies to what the company is asking for in the job description.
Curtis Welborn
ProfessorUtah Valley University
Computer Science Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Network Assistants?
Curtis Welborn: Not that I can see. The high tech sector and jobs for CS students remains very strong, and as the economy recovers, these areas will continue to grow as they have over the past 40 years.
What type of skills will young Network Assistants need?
Curtis Welborn: First, they need a strong fundamental understanding of Computer Science. People think they have to learn language X or environment Y or this thing or that thing because it is hot. Well, the thing to know about Computer Science jobs is there is always some new thing, always some new language better than the last, always something that is hot. Learning the hottest new thing might get you a job today, but it will not keep you a job tomorrow.
Having strong fundamental skills in Computer Science will equip you to learn ANY new thing. A good fundamental education in CS includes knowledge of programming languages, data structures, database, computer architecture, internet programming and networking, incremental design and development, and some advanced topic, which can vary based on a person's interest. Beyond this, everyone should have a basic understanding of math and the ability to write clearly because you always have to write something.
What experience really stands out on Network Assistant resumes?
Curtis Welborn: That can really depend upon the company. Some companies want people with a strong background in machine learning right now. But I've met people who shy away from hiring people with too much machine learning on their resume even when the company wants someone to do machine learning because too many of these people only want to, or only can, do machine learning. They don't have a strong fundamental understanding of Computer Science (see No. 2). Our students who complete the Compiler course get jobs, not because companies are building a compiler but because companies know that someone who can build a compiler can most likely do anything they would want done. So people should not focus on finding that thing that makes their resume look good today. Just be great at everything you do. Take hard classes, and excel at them. Learn EVERYTHING you can, and companies will want you.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Network Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Kate Marek Ph.D.: Probably an acceleration of existing trends - remote working, skill-set based job openings (rather than degree-specific), along with an ongoing need for necessary skills such as writing, problem-solving, collaboration, and project management.
What Network Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kate Marek Ph.D.: If possible, find a paid internship in your area of interest, which will help expand your professional network and build your skillset. Use this time to keep scanning job ads to identify skill sets in demand; look for online mini-courses to make those skill sets.
What general advice would you give to a Network Assistant?
Kate Marek Ph.D.: Choose an organization in tune with one's values. Look for a job in growth areas, such as data asset management, data analysis, etc.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Network Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Stephen Hyzny: Security, as more people need online services, the protection behind that technology will be needed.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Network Assistants in the next 3-5 years?
Stephen Hyzny: IoT having small devices connected to networks that control everything in our lives will become more integrated into our lives.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Stephen Hyzny: As everything involves technology, more educated people will need it in the future. As our cars, houses, and lives connect, people will be required to make it all work.
How do you envision technology impacting Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Joshua Davis Ph.D.: Electronic communication has enabled new collaborative projects in academic math, sometimes involving tens of mathematicians, spontaneously organizing around new problems. In industrial math, computers' ever-increasing power is getting more and more math turned into practical technology. Many of today's biggest buzzwords --- machine learning, self-driving cars, etc. --- are based on sophisticated math and statistics. I expect that math will only grow in importance as these technologies become more prevalent in society.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Network Assistants to find work opportunities?
Joshua Davis Ph.D.: Math is arguably the highest of high-tech, in the sense that it leads to other high-tech fields. For example, differential geometry and complex analysis were developed in the early 1800s; they became central to the language of physics in the early 1900s; those physics led to consumer products such as GPS and electronics in the present day. So it's unsurprising that companies in technology centers with research and development divisions often employ mathematicians. But I also have friends in the financial industry, the video game industry, the federal government, etc.
What type of skills will young Network Assistants need?
Joshua Davis Ph.D.: Studying mathematics is good practice for rigorous thinking and problem solving, which are valued across the workforce. For science and engineering applications, it is often also helpful to have R, Python, Matlab, or another popular programming language. But technical abilities get the graduate-only so far. They need interpersonal communication skills so that they can understand the needs of stakeholders and cooperate with colleagues. For this reason, many faculty at my school emphasize writing, speaking, listening, and teamwork skills.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Ming Chow: On the one hand, there are many opportunities in tech currently. On the other hand, new college hires will be competing with crowds of people with real experience who were laid off during COVID. Five years is too far ahead to predict.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Network Assistant job market given the pandemic?
Ming Chow: -Need to hit the ground running as many employees and companies don't have the time, energy, and training infrastructure.
-The soft skills, including communications, how to deal with change and the basics are becoming more critical-things like using a calendar, following-up, etc.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Network Assistants in the next 3-5 years?
Ming Chow: Infrastructure, including cloud and networking, Security, Machine Learning, and Data Science.
References:
1. cybersecurity
2. cybersecurity
What experience really stands out on Network Assistant resumes?
Mark Albert Ph.D.: Projects. For resumes, it needs to be beyond a standard course final project. This can include a capstone team effort, a consistent theme among course projects, or engaging with faculty as a part of multi-year research pursuits. Also, we encourage our students to engage in the local community and seek internships to validate further their ability to work as part of a team.
How do you envision technology impacting Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Mark Albert Ph.D.: AI is impacting everything we do, and the Biomedical Engineering program is integrating both human-based decision making and moral, well-validated, artificial intelligence into research and development. We also engage students in the MS in AI program and Data Engineering, both of which have Biomedical Engineering concentrations as part of the course sequence.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Network Assistants?
Mark Albert Ph.D.: They are now better at working remotely than ever before! It sure did accelerate the transition. Interestingly, our students are now more engaged beyond our academic borders than before, given remote collaboration capabilities.
Abdou Karim Jallow Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorSlippery Rock University
Department of Information Systems
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Network Assistants?
Abdou Karim Jallow Ph.D.: It is obvious that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted and transformed the lives of many people, including students all over the world. A major effect is requiring students to stay and learn from home because of the closure of educational institutions as a precautionary measure. Missing saying the traditional goodbye to friends, fraternities, and sororities, and having to watch commencement ceremonies in bedrooms online will leave an indelible mark in graduates.
This means a great U-shift in memories of college life, including physical interaction and learning environment, and systems adopting a new way of doing things. Graduates will enter the job market with uncertainties of availability of traditional jobs and how to work in a new normal. Many graduates will find themselves having to search for jobs virtually and having to start working remotely from the beginning in most cases and in most industries. What would have been a new beginning, along with the excitement of stepping through the doors of the new office and career, will not be there physically. This will have an impact on these graduates because of the transformation of society as a result of the pandemic.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Network Assistants to find work opportunities?
Abdou Karim Jallow Ph.D.: Sometimes new graduates from college can find it hard to get the perfect or preferred job location. This may be different for those with information sciences or information systems and related degrees. Luckily there are big companies, multinational companies as well as some-sized enterprises who need skills in that discipline. Most of these can be found in some of the big cities beyond Silicon Valley such as NY, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Denver, Colorado, Philadelphia, Chicago, DC, Charlotte, Houston, Boston, Dallas, and Minneapolis, just to name a few.
Some of these locations are where some of the big tech companies reside, such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, IBM, HP, SAP, etc. The advantage of this degree is that graduates not only can work for tech companies but any company because of the need to manage data, information, process, and technology. Companies all over have or are putting together strategies to harness the potential of big data, and graduates with information sciences, information systems, and related degrees are sought after continuously.
How do you envision technology impacting Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Abdou Karim Jallow Ph.D.: The trend we have witnessed in the past two decades in terms of development in technology is unprecedented. This has a ripple effect on the field of information sciences and systems. Most traditional jobs have changed or rebranded. For example, consider how information and data processing and management (IDPM) has revolutionized into what is today information management or management information systems; business intelligence is almost transformed into business analytics, data science; high-performance computing, and grid computing is today predominantly engulfed by cloud computing services.
These are changing how data and information are managed. The decision-making process is changing in various information and knowledge-intensive and process-oriented industries such as healthcare, banking, transportation, engineering, education, security, just to name a few, despite the fact that roles and services still remain. New and emerging disciplines and services are added, driven by the advancement and greater capabilities of technology. Without a doubt, in the next few years, data and information services will be revolutionized by technology hugely. Consider the development in artificial intelligence, data science, blockchain, 5G, and broadband networks, all of which have huge potential to impact the discipline. This means that information sciences and information systems courses must adapt to take into consideration the emerging skills required by the professionals and businesses of the future. The education and training of professionals in this domain have to be continuously changing to prepare graduates adequately.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Network Assistants?
Dr. Hala ElAarag: I didn't see any negative impact of coronavirus on our graduates. Our graduates did not have any problem finding internships and jobs during the pandemic. After the pandemic, there will be even more demand and opportunities for our graduates.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Network Assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Hala ElAarag: Not really. With the increasing shift of working remotely, the jobs now are not tied to a specific location in the US or anywhere in the world.
How do you envision technology impacting Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Dr. Hala ElAarag: In our field, it might be more appropriate the other way around. I would like to rephrase the question as to how does the computer science field impact technology in the next five years? The answer is tremendous. With fields like quantum computing, artificial intelligence, visual, and augmented reality making great strides, there is no doubt that we will witness a revolution in technology in the next five years.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Network Assistants?
Edward Moskal: While it's unclear how the pandemic will play-out, it will, without a doubt, change the landscape on how companies conduct business and the type of college graduates they will be looking to hire. Graduating into a bad economy can affect everything from obtaining that first full-time position to short- and long-term earnings. Recent college graduates and entry-level workers are being hit especially hard, as I see companies rescinding offers for jobs and internships as they navigate their recovery during the recession. As companies have shifted to remote work and phased returns, with furloughs and job eliminations, look for those graduates that can differentiate themselves from others to make the cut.
So internships, apprenticeships, certifications from professional organizations, acquiring skills, and on-the-job-training (above and beyond the related technical instruction acquired while in college), will be of paramount importance to have in your portfolio. However, it's not all doom and gloom for graduates who are having some challenges landing that first job. Graduate schools could be a prime pivot. While graduate school could result in additional student loans, it could also provide a career pathway by acquiring additional skills and a lever to start building a network of professionals that could provide the conduit to the job market.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Network Assistants to find work opportunities?
Edward Moskal: Top places for graduates to find work opportunities would be in areas surrounding these cities: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, and Boston. So look at a 50-mile radius surrounding these cities, and those areas would be prime. These cities and their surrounding geographic areas will provide job connections to major financial services, manufacturing, tech, and logistics companies. According to cyberseek.org, just for cybersecurity job openings, New York has 15,000 openings, California has 68,000, Illinois has 18,000, Washington has 10,000, Texas has 47,000, and Massachusetts has 15,000.
How do you envision technology impacting Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Edward Moskal: Technology will have a significant impact over the next five years. While technology associated with the software, databases, blockchain, cloud computing, and cybersecurity will still have an impact, we are likely to see significant changes and advancements in fields such as artificial intelligence, combinations of augmented and mixed reality, and quantum computing. Industry and business will be driving these advancements, in particular, the healthcare industry and large tech companies like Google and Facebook that have already started establishing a strong presence in these fields.
How do you envision technology impacting Network Assistants in the next 5 years?
Kathleen Riley: I expect some of the changes we've seen in the work world as a result of the pandemic to remain part of our lives long after the virus is no longer a threat. In particular, the pandemic has caused a lot of people to think more favorably about remote work, online meetings and conferences, and other video interactions. Not only do I expect to see increased availability of jobs supporting such technology, but I also anticipate that there will be more opportunities for computer scientists to join companies in other parts of the country without having to move to high cost-of-living areas like the Silicon Valley.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Network Assistants?
Kathleen Riley: The job market has been good for Computer Science graduates in the last several years, and I expect it to stay good, despite the pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic is changing the job market overall, with some industries cutting back and others increasing hiring, so there has been some redistribution of job opportunities as a result, but I fully expect the demand for our graduates to stay high. One of the changes we see in the industry right now is a growing demand for technology that enables and facilitates remote and touchless interactions; there will be significant demand for people with computer science skills to make that technology successful.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Network Assistants to find work opportunities?
Kathleen Riley: 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.