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The differences between network operations managers and network engineers 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 operations manager and a network engineer. Additionally, a network operations manager has an average salary of $98,658, which is higher than the $83,557 average annual salary of a network engineer.
The top three skills for a network operations manager include network operations, project management and network infrastructure. The most important skills for a network engineer are switches, troubleshoot, and network infrastructure.
| Network Operations Manager | Network Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $98,658 | $83,557 |
| Hourly rate | $47.43 | $40.17 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 86,381 | 72,346 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Network operations managers are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for managing the operation and stability of an organization's network. These managers usually work with local area networks (LAN) or sometimes with wide area networks (WAN), where information can be shared in a building or between different locations. They serve as the middlemen between the IT department and the company's management team to provide an understanding of their IT needs. Network operations managers must also assist the human resource team in recruiting new employees and providing training related to the field of information technology.
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.
Network operations managers and network engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Operations Manager | Network Engineer | |
| Average salary | $98,658 | $83,557 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $136,000 | Between $62,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between a network operations manager and a network engineer in terms of educational background:
| Network Operations Manager | Network Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between network operations managers' and network engineers' demographics:
| Network Operations Manager | Network Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.7% Female, 15.3% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |