Network Engineers Career Growth
It’s no surprise given the demand for network engineers, that the network engineer salary varies with different factors like a company, job role, job difficulty, experience, and location. The starting network engineer salary goes around $47K to $58K whereas the median network engineer salary goes around $59K to $71K per annum and the highest network engineer salary is around $86K.
Network Engineer vs Network Administrator
People often confuse the terms network engineer and network administrator by using them interchangeably. Since both of the terms belong to the same background but have some differences in their job roles, let’s have a quick look at what distinguishes them from each other.
- A network engineer designs and develops both the physical and wireless networks, whereas a network administrator is responsible for maintaining the network once it is developed.
- A network engineer troubleshoots network problems and a network administrator implements security programs with hardware and software.
- For a network engineer, a B.S or M.S in Computer Science, engineering or programming is required. However, for a network administrator, many organizations prefer a degree and additional certifications in programs such as Cisco, Juniper, Microsoft, and Red Hat
Starting a Career in Network Engineering:
Before you get into the computer networking industry, you should know what area you want to specialize in. Networking alone is a huge industry. There are many specialties you can concentrate in. Some concentration options include practical experience in security, server administration, WAN (Wide Area Network) monitoring, NOC (Network operation center) checking, work area organization, and even cabling and equipment installation, such as, switches and enterprise routers. It’s important to choose what interests you to ensure that you don’t burn out.
Network Engineering can certainly be self-taught. You can begin with a CCNA Home Lab, for instance, for a couple of hundred dollars. However, if you are just beginning, looking into professional schools, colleges, or online training that offer a specialization in networking would be beneficial. You can get the standard education as an undergraduate in Computer Science or Computer Engineering. Whichever education choice you pick, simply ensure the organization has the correct classes that help you learn the trade.
Specific Positions