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The differences between network engineers and network managers 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 engineer and a network manager. Additionally, a network manager has an average salary of $97,578, which is higher than the $83,557 average annual salary of a network engineer.
The top three skills for a network engineer include switches, troubleshoot and network infrastructure. The most important skills for a network manager are customer service, fault management, and network infrastructure.
| Network Engineer | Network Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $83,557 | $97,578 |
| Hourly rate | $40.17 | $46.91 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 72,346 | 36,831 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A network engineer is responsible for managing a network system, monitoring its performance, and upgrading its features to optimize performance and boost efficiency. Network engineers also create new systems, designing them based on clients' specifications and business needs. They also check network defects, perform troubleshooting, improve data security systems, and install security updates. A network engineer must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a broad understanding of system codes, programming languages, and network configurations.
A network manager is responsible for monitoring the efficient network connection of the company's technology systems, analyzing system designs, and overseeing installation processes and programs. Network managers inspect the efficiency of existing network management systems, upgrading network data to boost optimal performance and communication transportation. A network manager must have excellent knowledge of technology disciplines and should always be updated with the recent technology trends, guiding the network staff on their tasks and immediately resolving system defects and discrepancies.
Network engineers and network managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Engineer | Network Manager | |
| Average salary | $83,557 | $97,578 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $111,000 | Between $71,000 And $132,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a network engineer and a network manager in terms of educational background:
| Network Engineer | Network Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between network engineers' and network managers' demographics:
| Network Engineer | Network Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 83.3% Female, 16.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |