How to Become a Network Engineer: Your 2025 Guide

Businesses across the world rely on internet and cloud services to support their daily tasks, and it’s crucial that the computer networks their teams use every day stay reliable and secure. Additionally, due to this increasing reliance on computer networks for work, the demand for network professionals continues to grow. Network engineers are responsible for creating, building, implementing, and managing computer networks. The route to becoming a network engineer offers a lot of different options and opportunities for you to pursue, depending on your background, experience, and interests. Learn more about how to become a network engineer, what network engineer jobs are like, and the projected salary you can expect to earn as a network engineer.

What is a network engineer?

A network engineer is an IT professional who provides computer network support to businesses and organizations, whether developing new networks or maintaining existing ones. These networks often include intranets, extranets, phone systems, wide area networks (WANs), or local area networks (LANs). 

Network engineers spend their days monitoring networks for performance, troubleshooting any issues, and completing regular maintenance. They are also responsible for network security, ensuring that virus protection software and other security tools are updated consistently.

Network engineers design networks that can support hundreds, if not thousands, of users at any given time.

Network engineer vs. network architect vs. network administrator: what’s the difference?

Some jobs use these titles interchangeably, but each role has its own specifications that set it apart from the others. Network engineers design, build, and manage a network. Network administrators monitor and support an existing network. A network architect creates the designs for a network that other professionals use to build it.

How to become a network engineer

To become a network engineer, you must have a robust educational and experiential background that provides you with expertise in hardware, network protocols, and both analytical and technical skills. Typically, that means earning a degree and obtaining an IT certification. Then, you’ll need to gain hands-on experience, which also tends to involve continuous learning.

Education and certification paths

To become a network engineer, you’ll most likely need to earn some sort of degree before pursuing any entry-level role. According to Zippia, 62 percent of network engineers have a bachelor’s degree, while an additional 21 percent have an associate degree [1]. It might be possible to find a role without a degree, but it’s important to keep in mind that employers tend to prefer potential hires with one, which means you might find yourself at a disadvantage otherwise.

Relevant degrees

Look for degrees that offer courses in systems administration, network security, and hardware. Electrical engineering and network engineering are popular choices, while computer science and information technology also offer similar learning opportunities.

Certifications

IT certifications are a highly valued asset in this field, as they help further demonstrate your skills and commitment to the industry. You might expect to spend between six and 18 months earning certifications. Some widely accepted, vendor-neutral options include the following:

• CompTIA A+

• CompTIA Network+

• CompTIA Security+

Some organizations might prefer you to hold a vendor-specific certification. These might include the following:

• Cisco’s CCNA

• Juniper’s JNCIA-Junos 

• SolarWinds Certified Professional

• Wireshark’s WCNA

Steps to start your career in network engineering

Once you’ve earned the necessary degrees and certifications to make you qualified for a network engineer role, you can increase your competitiveness and advance your expertise through the following steps.

Gain relevant experience

Practical experience is key to becoming a network engineer. It helps expand your knowledge base and prepares you to advance into more complex roles. If you’re new to the field, look for entry-level positions, internships, or lab work to help sharpen your skills. Even volunteering to manage a small company’s network provides you with vital experience.

Adjacent roles, such as help desk technician, IT support specialist, or junior systems administrator, can also give you opportunities to learn network engineering skills.

Build a portfolio

A portfolio is an effective way of displaying all of the hard work you’ve accomplished and the experience you’ve gained to succeed as a network engineer. Include configurations, diagrams, and explanations for your methods and any troubleshooting you’ve done. This way, employers can see what you’ve learned and how you’ve implemented that knowledge in real-world situations.

Network in the field

Networking is a great opportunity to advance your career by building genuine relationships with other professionals in your field. It provides you with the chance to find internships, mentors, and job openings. Look for professional associations to join and participate in social media groups or online forums. You can also meet new people and develop connections by attending boot camps or conferences.

Required skills as a network engineer

Network engineers use a combination of technical and workplace skills to succeed in their roles. Some of these skills include the following:

Technical skills

• Analytical skills

• Network fundamentals, such as switching, routing, and public cloud

• Network devices and configurations

• Firewalls and cybersecurity

• Network design and implementation 

• Automation and scripting

• Network monitoring and analytics

Workplace skills

• Communication skills

• Project management

• Adaptability

• Collaboration

• Written communication

Job outlook and career growth

Network engineer jobs exist across a wide range of industries, from private organizations to federal departments. Some industries that employ network engineers include health care, financial services, technology, education, and telecommunications.

Network engineers are in demand. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that network architect and engineer jobs will grow 13 percent between 2023 and 2033 [2]. According to Glassdoor, the average annual network engineer salary in the US is $96,682 [3].

Learn more about network engineering on Coursera

To become a network engineer, you’ll first need to earn a degree and certification, then pursue hands-on experience through networking and entry-level jobs. You can uncover more about this dynamic field and take the first steps toward a network engineering career with courses and certificates on Coursera. With options such as IBM’s IT Support Professional Certificate or Google’s UX Design Professional Certificate, you can gain more foundational IT knowledge and a competitive edge.