What is a Network Technician?

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

You've probably been annoyed after losing your network connection while talking with your friends. Or perhaps, while watching your favorite movie on Netflix on a Saturday evening. It's frustrating, I know. Especially now, electronic communications are just as important as personal catch-ups. That's why we have our network technicians to save the day!

Network technicians are responsible for all your network and systems concerns. Most of them work in 24/7 service centers, day and night, seven days a week. Their schedules aren't usually like those of regular employees, that's the reason we're able to reach out to them whenever we have a problem - no matter what time of day it is. They are also tech geniuses, and they handle all concerns and updates from the users' inquiries. The world's modernization makes technology in-demand. Now, companies hire tech-savvy people to provide services for clients. And because this job requires high-level skills, the compensation for them is pretty good, too. How much? You should see it for yourself.

Sounds exciting, isn't it? Right. Especially if you love navigating and experimenting with computers. Sure, this job might be the best fit for you.

What Does a Network Technician Do

There are certain skills that many network technicians have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, communication skills and multitasking skills.

Learn more about what a Network Technician does

How To Become a Network Technician

If you're interested in becoming a network technician, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 50.5% of network technicians have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 6.5% of network technicians have master's degrees. Even though most network technicians have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Network Technician

Top Network Technician Jobs Near You

Network Technician Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a network technician can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as network administrator, progress to a title such as systems engineer and then eventually end up with the title manager, systems engineering.

Top Careers Before Network Technician

Network Administrator (106,886 Jobs)

11.7 %

Computer Technician (95,688 Jobs)

11.4 %

Technical Support Specialist (157,425 Jobs)

10.5 %

Top Careers After Network Technician

Network Engineer (72,346 Jobs)

13.7 %

Systems Administrator (134,500 Jobs)

13.3 %

Network Administrator (106,886 Jobs)

10.1 %

Average Salary for a Network Technician

Network Technicians in America make an average salary of $68,938 per year or $33 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $92,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $51,000 per year.

Average Network Technician Salary

$68,938 Yearly

$33.14 hourly

$51,00010%

$68,000Median

$92,00090%

See More Salary Information

What Am I Worth?

Roles and Types of Network Technician

The role of a network technician includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general network technician responsibilities:

Facilitates all installation, maintenance, testing, upgrades,
Service and sell our product portfolio of integrated communications services. Personally represent centurylink as a full-throttle, next-generation communications company. Deliver the future of voice, data, internet, entertainment,
Setting up information technology (it) support systems so end users can utilize systems with minimal issues. Monitoring the effectiveness of the incident management process

There are several types of network technician, including:

Computer Technician

Role:

A Computer Technician is responsible for repairing and maintaining computers and servers. They set up computer hardware and technological equipment. They install, configure, and update software and drivers, create, and support computer networks. They manage security options and ensure the privacy of networks and the information stored on the devices.

They are responsible for an adequate and functional IT infrastructure at a company or institution. They troubleshoot any issue occurring with hardware, components, peripheral devices, software, and networks. They perform diagnostic tests, resolve errors, and maintain internet connectivity, making sure the system runs correctly.

They are diligent workers with acute problem-solving skills. They are service-oriented, patient, and have excellent communications skills to be able to deal with a continuous flow of co-workers seeking IT support on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Average Salary: $39,767
Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Technical Support Technician

Role:

A Technical Support Technician is the heart and soul of an IT system. They are tech-savvy geniuses who set up, maintain, and repair computer systems for businesses and organizations.

They install and configure hardware and software, maintain the efficiency of the network, run diagnostic tests and electrical checks to identify any technical issue or fault in the system, and nip it in the bud. They test and review new technologies as well and suggest improvements if they see fit.

They are not just excellent technicians, however, but charming people's persons as well, who are able to effortlessly elicit crucial information from customers about their IT issues. They bear with them until they solve the problem with patience and tenacity, give timely feedback to customers following up on matters if necessary, and create documentation of their cases along with reports on the efficiency of the service they provide.

Average Salary: $40,210
Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Information Systems Technician

Role:

Information system technicians work with computers and communication systems. They build networks and databases, maintain intranet sites, install hardware and software, develop programs, protect the system from malware, and provide technical support for system users.

They may work for various organizations and are members of the IT staff comprising of programmers, IT specialists, software developers, and the like.

This is a very stable and predictable career path with next to no twists and turns along the way. It is hard to find an enterprise, big or small, that could bypass the use of computers, so you are highly unlikely to run out of work. On average, you will earn $44,850 a year.

Average Salary: $46,346
Degree: Bachelor's Degree

States With The Most Network Technician Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active network technician jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where network technicians earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Network Technician Jobs By State

Rank	State	Number of Jobs	Average Salary
1	California	2,834	$81,711
2	Texas	2,070	$63,920
3	Florida	1,964	$55,323
4	Virginia	1,756	$66,826
5	Illinois	1,363	$66,198
6	Maryland	1,284	$72,077
7	New York	1,220	$72,319
8	Georgia	1,181	$63,270
9	Massachusetts	1,062	$76,050
10	North Carolina	1,011	$65,669
11	Colorado	1,005	$62,480
12	Pennsylvania	888	$69,673
13	Arizona	823	$67,321
14	Ohio	794	$68,345
15	Michigan	726	$66,395
16	New Jersey	722	$70,935
17	Indiana	711	$63,367
18	Minnesota	682	$68,751
19	Washington	676	$72,401
20	Missouri	603	$60,377
21	Wisconsin	545	$68,996
22	Alabama	503	$55,571
23	Tennessee	487	$56,525
24	Utah	431	$57,437
25	Connecticut	422	$70,572
26	Oregon	416	$73,762
27	Iowa	413	$60,540
28	South Carolina	412	$60,733
29	Kentucky	384	$66,662
30	Kansas	319	$65,310
31	Louisiana	286	$60,415
32	Oklahoma	265	$56,640
33	Arkansas	253	$58,846
34	Nevada	251	$73,423
35	Maine	223	$67,625
36	Mississippi	214	$57,108
37	New Hampshire	209	$74,450
38	Alaska	208	$81,606
39	New Mexico	208	$60,840
40	Nebraska	203	$59,901
41	West Virginia	186	$66,547
42	Delaware	168	$74,399
43	Hawaii	158	$101,723
44	Idaho	157	$64,511
45	Vermont	134	$62,943
46	Rhode Island	127	$72,944
47	Montana	116	$57,203
48	South Dakota	114	$54,764
49	North Dakota	93	$66,662
50	Wyoming	80	$68,001

Network Technician Education

Network Technician Majors

Computer Science

15.6 %

Computer Information Systems

13.4 %

Business

12.0 %

Network Technician Degrees

Admissions

Most Popular Majors

Computer Technical Support

Computer Science

Electrical Engineering

Business

Information Systems

Top Skills For a Network Technician

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 9.4% of network technicians listed customer service on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and communication skills are important as well.

Customer Service, 9.4%

Switches, 6.4%

Troubleshoot, 6.2%

Routers, 4.4%

Lan Wan, 3.5%

Other Skills, 70.1%

Choose From 10+ Customizable Network Technician Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Network Technician templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Network Technician resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Network Technician Demographics

Network Technician Gender Distribution

Male

87%

Female

13%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

Among network technicians, 12.7% of them are women, while 87.3% are men.

The most common race/ethnicity among network technicians is White, which makes up 63.8% of all network technicians.

The most common foreign language among network technicians is Spanish at 46.9%.

Online Courses For Network Technician That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure

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Learn the basic fundamentals of computer networking & OSI model for desktop support and IT service desk technicians...

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3. Active Directory Administration for Helpdesk Technicians

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Active Directory & Group Policy Administration Basics for Helpdesk and Desktop / IT Support Technicians...

See More on Udemy

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Job type you want

Full Time

Part Time

Internship

Temporary

Best States For a Network Technician

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a network technician. The best states for people in this position are Hawaii, California, Alaska, and Massachusetts. Network technicians make the most in Hawaii with an average salary of $101,723. Whereas in California and Alaska, they would average $81,711 and $81,606, respectively. While network technicians would only make an average of $76,050 in Massachusetts, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Hawaii

Total Network Technician Jobs: 158

Highest 10% Earn:

$126,000

Location Quotient:

1.7

$101,723

Avg. Salary

View 158 Network Technician Jobs In HI

2. Alaska

Total Network Technician Jobs: 208

Highest 10% Earn:

$103,000

Location Quotient:

2.24

$81,606

Avg. Salary

View 208 Network Technician Jobs In AK

3. New Hampshire

Total Network Technician Jobs: 209

Highest 10% Earn:

$97,000

Location Quotient:

1.08

$74,450

Avg. Salary

View 209 Network Technician Jobs In NH

Full List Of Best States For Network Technicians

How Do Network Technician Rate Their Jobs?

5.0

network technician • November 2019

5.0

network technician • November 2019

What do you like the most about working as Network Technician?

talking to people Show More

What do you NOT like?

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

Top Network Technician Employers

We've made finding a great employer to work for easy by doing the hard work for you. We looked into employers that employ network technicians and discovered their number of network technician opportunities and average salary. Through our research, we concluded that AT&T; was the best, especially with an average salary of $89,993. Windstream follows up with an average salary of $46,420, and then comes US Air Conditioning Distributors with an average of $70,084. In addition, we know most people would rather work from home. So instead of having to change careers, we identified the best employers for remote work as a network technician. The employers include HonorHealth, AmeriHealth Caritas, and Verizon Communications

Most Common Employers For Network Technician

Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
1	AT&T	$89,993	$43.27	642
2	IBM	$83,624	$40.20	195
3	Compunnel	$83,229	$40.01	134
4	Northrop Grumman	$80,756	$38.83	102
5	Qwest	$78,096	$37.55	204
6	TEKsystems	$76,164	$36.62	180
7	Lockheed Martin	$74,958	$36.04	116
8	General Dynamics	$71,342	$34.30	119
9	Computer Science Corporation	$70,301	$33.80	92
10	US Air Conditioning Distributors	$70,084	$33.69	276

Network Technician Videos

A Day in the life of a Network Technician

Network Technician Tool Bag

CISCO Computer Network Technician - Career Tech Online

Becoming a Network Technician FAQs

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.

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

Search For Network Technician Jobs

Updated February 6, 2023

What is a Network Technician?

What Does a Network Technician Do

How To Become a Network Technician

Network Technician Career Paths

Top Careers Before Network Technician

Top Careers After Network Technician

Recent Job Searches

Average Salary for a Network Technician

Roles and Types of Network Technician

Computer Technician

Technical Support Technician

Information Systems Technician

States With The Most Network Technician Jobs

Number Of Network Technician Jobs By State

Network Technician Education

Network Technician Majors

Network Technician Degrees

Top Colleges for Network Technicians

1. University of Pennsylvania

2. Carnegie Mellon University

3. University of Southern California

4. University of California, Irvine

5. New York University

6. Boston University

7. North Carolina State University

8. Stevens Institute of Technology

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

10. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Top Skills For a Network Technician

Choose From 10+ Customizable Network Technician Resume templates

Network Technician Demographics

Network Technician Gender Distribution

Online Courses For Network Technician That You May Like

Best States For a Network Technician

How Do Network Technician Rate Their Jobs?

What do you like the most about working as Network Technician?

What do you NOT like?

Top Network Technician Employers

Most Common Employers For Network Technician

Network Technician Videos

Becoming a 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 Related Careers

Network Technician Related Jobs

Network Technician Jobs By Location

Network Technician Jobs By Company