How long does it take to become a computer network technician?

It takes between 2 and 4 years to become a network technician. This is the time it takes to earn a technical associate's or bachelor's degree. Network technicians install and manage network systems. Roughly half of all network technicians have a four-year bachelor's degree, while 32% have just an associate's, usually taking two years to complete. The most common areas of study are computer science, business, and engineering.

How much does a network tech make?

A network tech makes $67,081 a year, on average. That equates to $32.25 an hour. Network technicians are responsible for the installation and maintenance of network systems. Top-earning network techs earn upwards of $85,000 a year, on average. On average, the bottom 10% of network techs make $52,000 a year. Strong predictors of network tech pay are location, industry, and race.

Is network technician a good career?

Yes, network technician is a good career. Network technician careers are typically profitable with a good outlook and a low barrier to entry. Network technicians yield high average annual salaries. Network technicians make $67,081 a year, on average. This puts this career in the range for the cost of living and well-being satiation. Compared with other careers in information technology, network technician pay is less impressive.

What qualifications do you need to be a network technician?

The qualifications you need to be a network technician are a college degree, technical knowledge, and various soft skills. Though it is possible to be a network technician with only a high-school diploma or equivalent, it is rare.

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

What is a network technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

A network technician is an individual who is responsible for installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting computer networks for businesses or organizations. They are in charge of ensuring that the network infrastructure runs smoothly and securely by setting up hardware and configuring software and applications. They work closely with other IT professionals to ensure that all components of the network are functioning properly and efficiently. Effective communication skills are necessary in this role.

What general advice would you give to a network technician?

Dr. Ariful Azad Ph.D.

Director of Graduate Studies for the Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Assistant Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University Bloomington

Look for a job that you would enjoy doing, even if it takes some time to find such a position. Internships are great to explore various options.

ScoreNetwork TechnicianUS Average

Salary

5.4

Avg. Salary $68,938

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 9.35%

Black or African American 8.87%

Hispanic or Latino 12.55%

Unknown 5.08%

White 63.83%

Gender

female 12.70%

male 87.30%

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

What are the pros and cons of being a network technician?

Pros

High demand for network technicians
Good salary and benefits
Opportunity for career growth and advancement
Chance to work with cutting-edge technology
Ability to work remotely or from home

Cons

High stress and pressure to perform well
Long working hours, including weekends and holidays
Risk of burnout due to high workload
Dealing with frustrated or angry customers or clients
Need to be available 24/7 for emergency situations

Key steps to become a network technician

Explore network technician education requirements

Most common network technician degrees

Bachelor's

50.5 %

Associate

32.4 %

Master's

6.5 %

Start to develop specific network technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	9.40%
Switches	6.44%
Troubleshoot	6.18%
Routers	4.38%
Lan Wan	3.50%

Complete relevant network technician training and internships

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

Gain additional network technician certifications

Network technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific network technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for network technicians include CompTIA Network+ and Network 5 Certification.

More About Certifications

Research network technician duties and responsibilities

Install and manage DHCP servers including setting up DHCP scopes, enabling DHCP clients, viewing and managing active leases.
Manage city wide IIS deployment.
Manage Virtualization system, using ESX server/client.
Install, configure and manage Symantec Antivirus on all network computers

Prepare your network technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your network technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a network technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable network technician resume templates

Build a professional network technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your network technician resume.

Apply for network technician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a network technician 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 did you land your first network technician job

Daniel Juma

Network Technician, Jlink Networks

To become a technician, you may want to know that my journey started in high school, when I took drafting and mechanical drawing classes. I found that I just enjoyed the discipline of working with tools.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always had a burning desire to know more about how everything works.After college i joined a company that deals with internet connection at home a an intern thats where the need to know more about networking grew.After the internship i got a job at a company as a network technician.

How do network technicians rate their job?

5/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Network technician reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020

Cons

I don’t too much simple tickets

Pros

I really love technical job which is hands on.

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020

Pros

I love the fact that I have self taught myself by trouble shooting issues for fifteen years while working in corrections as the Video court officer with no prior experince or degree

Cons

I dislike the fact that I don't get paid as a Video technician although I'm called to fix issues

5.0

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.

What is a network technician and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a network technician?

What are the pros and cons of being a network technician?

Network technician career paths

Key steps to become a network technician

Explore network technician education requirements

Most common network technician degrees

Start to develop specific network technician skills

Complete relevant network technician training and internships

Gain additional network technician certifications

Research network technician duties and responsibilities

Prepare your network technician resume

Choose from 10+ customizable network technician resume templates

Apply for network technician jobs

How did you land your first network technician job

Average network technician salary

How do network technicians rate their job?

Network technician reviews

Network technician FAQs

How long does it take to become a computer network technician?

How much does a network tech make?

Is network technician a good career?

What qualifications do you need to be a network technician?

Search for network technician jobs

Network technician jobs by state