What Is a Network Engineer?

Network engineers (also called network architects) plan, build, and manage networks to ensure they are optimized and perform as expected.

As a network engineer, you are responsible for founding the IT system of an organization (and, by default, the entire organization).

While network technicians or IT administrators assist in IT and daily problem solving, network engineers face the high-level challenge of designing and improving networks.

Depending on the company, it will create and implement physical and wireless networks, solving problems and researching and integrating new technologies. Here are some common questions about online careers:

Is Networking a Good Career? Network engineering is a rapidly growing occupation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the employment of network technicians is expected to increase by 6% from 2016 to 2026, above the average for all professions.

How much do network engineers earn? The national average salary for network engineers is over $ 72,000. Junior network engineers earn around $ 64,000. The average salary for network analysts is $ 59,000.

Experience level: Most network engineers have 5-10 years of experience.

How to become a network engineer

If you're looking to get into network engineering, here's how to get started.

Get your degree

Businesses generally require a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer systems, or computer engineering. Depending on the role, some organizations may also require you to obtain a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Computer Science before applying.

Gain relevant IT experience

A bachelor's or master's degree will let you in. But that is not enough. Learning IT skills in the workplace is critical to becoming a network engineer.

First, you need to create a network base. An initial IT help desk or support role is a great way to develop critical IT skills in the real world.

If you're just starting out, here are the networking skills you should focus on developing:

Basic concepts of the network engineer.

• Clients and servers: such as emails, websites, and pages that connect through networks.
• IP addresses - unique identification codes for network devices that control data flow
• Network Hubs, Cables & Switches - The Hardware Components of Any Network
• Firewalls and routers: tools that organize and control the flow of network traffic.

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