How To Become A Network Services Project Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a network services project manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Laura Deeter PhD

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a network services project manager. For example, did you know that they make an average of $37.73 an hour? That's $78,468 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 services project manager?

Dr. Laura Deeter PhD

Professor of Practice: Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University

Be open to learning and trying something outside of your comfort zone.
Be willing to work hard and don't expect to be project manager right out of school. Hard work will get you there fast enough.

ScoreNetwork Services Project ManagerUS Average

Salary

6.1

Avg. Salary $78,468

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 8.80%

Black or African American 8.77%

Hispanic or Latino 12.46%

Unknown 5.07%

White 64.58%

Gender

female 29.87%

male 70.13%

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 services project manager

Explore network services project manager education requirements

Most common network services project manager degrees

Bachelor's

78.4 %

Associate

9.8 %

Master's

8.8 %

Start to develop specific network services project manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Project Plan	14.70%
Network Infrastructure	11.29%
Project Management	8.22%
Network Operations	5.91%
VoIP	4.99%

Complete relevant network services project manager training and internships

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

Research network services project manager duties and responsibilities

Develop and manage the procurement process for Telecom HW orders.
Manage a bank ATM re-branding project (change ATM signage and associate items to reflect new bank name).
Manage project to maximize available bandwidth and throughput by implementing QOS technologies including compression, traffic shaping and priority/custom queuing.
Coordinate ISDN line migration projects from remote telephone switches to their host switch.

Apply for network services project manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a network services project manager 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 services project managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Network services project manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020

Pros

I love managing teams and taking the challenge

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019

Cons

Above 50% Travel can be distracting and I’ll prefer to travel less