How To Become A Network Engineer Supervisor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a network engineer supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Professor David Sanford

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a network engineer supervisor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $54.98 an hour? That's $114,368 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 network engineer supervisor?

Professor David Sanford

Associate Professor an Department Chair (MIS, CS, CYB MGT, IS CYB), Northwood University

Workers like that they are challenged to solve problems and lead technological innovations.
They appreciate the diversity of projects
They enjoy the need for continuous improvement and education
Many see the global impact of their work.
They also desire and appreciate the need for versatile skills
A competitive salary is also an item that employees like

Workers dislike that the work can be stressful
Dealing with tight deadlines and/ or cybersecurity concerns.
This is a positive and a negative: The need to constantly stay up to date with technology can be a bit overwhelming for some.
There may be times of isolation, and
The unexpected system failures can be frustrating as they often require extra hours or the need to be on-call.
The multiple responsibilities and managing repetitive tasks are also issues workers point out in this field.

In short, the workplace offers exciting opportunities but comes with its fair share of pressures and challenges. Different people have different experiences based on their roles and personal preferences.

ScoreNetwork Engineer SupervisorUS Average

Salary

8.0

Avg. Salary $114,368

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 9.80%

Black or African American 8.88%

Hispanic or Latino 12.56%

Unknown 5.08%

White 63.37%

Gender

female 14.62%

male 85.38%

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 network engineer supervisor

Explore network engineer supervisor education requirements

Most common network engineer supervisor degrees

Bachelor's

61.5 %

Associate

25.2 %

Master's

11.1 %

Start to develop specific network engineer supervisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Technical Support	14.66%
Is-Is	14.50%
Network Equipment	11.56%
Technical Expertise	9.40%
BGP	9.23%

Complete relevant network engineer supervisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New network engineer supervisors 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 network engineer supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real network engineer supervisor resumes.

Research network engineer supervisor duties and responsibilities

Coordinate marketing brainstorming meetings, prepare minutes, manage project follow-up, and create summary PowerPoint presentations.
Configure, troubleshot, upgrade software and replace hardware for MNS customers' routers and switches.
Create VOIP IP reallocation project.
Provision, configure and troubleshoot VOIP equipment including Metaswitch, Cisco phones, Aastra phones, Polycom phones.

Apply for network engineer supervisor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a network engineer supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do network engineer supervisors rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

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1 star

Network engineer supervisor reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Pros

talking to people

Cons

outside weather, I work as a network technician and the main problem I always encounter is the cold weather.