By CBT Nuggets Editorial · Last reviewed May 2026
Network engineers are advanced IT professionals who design, set up, and maintain the networks businesses run on. Networks are the digital backbone connecting devices, users, and applications. Without a network engineer in the loop, those connections get slow, inefficient, and unreliable — the problems that surface as outages, latency complaints, and capacity stalls.
On a network team of 5-15 engineers, one senior network engineer is typically the architect of record — the person who decides what 'normal' looks like at the network layer.
What a network engineer actually does
Network engineers handle a mix of proactive and reactive work daily, almost always at a computer. The role monitors network performance, troubleshoots connectivity issues, and designs and implements new network configurations for future needs.
A typical day starts with checking network health, responding to alerts, and tuning configurations to optimize speed and security. From there, the work runs across upgrades, new-user setup, and special projects on capacity, throughput, location expansion, or high-availability design. No two days look the same, but the focus stays on creating or maintaining a network that runs fast, secure, and stable.
- Monitor network performance and respond to alerts
- Design and implement new network configurations
- Lead upgrades, capacity expansions, and high-availability work
- Troubleshoot connectivity issues across routers, switches, firewalls
- Partner with security on segmentation, access control, and incident response
Skills the role demands
Network engineering blends hardware knowledge, technical expertise, and increasingly, automation skills. Core capability spans network hardware (routers, switches, firewalls, wireless access points); networking protocols and implementations (TCP/IP, DNS, VPN); and scripting and automation in Python and PowerShell for streamlining repetitive tasks and ensuring consistent configuration.
Do you need a degree?
Technically, no. But a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or network administration helps. Without one, hands-on experience needs to be supplemented with deliberate networking training to expand knowledge and skills.
Many network engineers come up without a degree — through certifications and practical experience. It's a path many have walked.
Certifications that matter
Depending on experience level and career stage, several certifications serve the network engineering path well.
- CompTIA Network+ — early-career foundation across networking concepts
- Cisco CCNA — gateway certification for any Cisco-shop role
- Cisco CCNP Enterprise — the next step for engineers deepening Cisco expertise
- CompTIA Security+ — security knowledge is increasingly expected of network engineers
- AWS or Azure networking certifications — for hybrid and cloud-first networks
Career path
The path to network engineer is flexible. Most engineers come up through entry-level IT (help desk, IT support, network technician), move into junior networking roles (network administrator, network specialist), and either specialize (security, cloud, wireless) or broaden their skill set. Leadership experience matters too — leading projects, mentoring junior IT staff, and stepping into managerial roles all broaden understanding and make stronger candidates.
Network Engineer vs. Network Administrator
Network engineers and administrators work closely but their roles differ in scope. Engineers design and build network systems — they plan the layout of routers, switches, firewalls, and other components, ensuring the design is robust, secure, and scalable. They tend to be project-based and forward-thinking. Administrators handle day-to-day management and maintenance: monitor performance, manage configurations, troubleshoot incidents, push updates. Engineers build; administrators sustain.
Compensation
How much does a Network Engineer make?
| Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (0-2 years) | $85,000 - $100,000 |
| Mid-Level (3-5 years) | $100,000 - $130,000 |
| Senior-Level (5+ years) | $130,000 - $156,000+ |
Salary figures reflect 2026 market data.
Hiring a Network Engineer in the U.S. starts around $85,000/yr and runs significantly higher for senior roles. Training one internally on a CBT Nuggets Team plan is $749/seat/year — virtual labs, practice exams, and Trainerbot AI included.
For hiring managers
If you're hiring Network Engineers
If you're hiring a network engineer, the cert stack signals readiness but doesn't replace pattern recognition. The right candidate has lived through a real outage, designed a migration that didn't break, and can explain why your IGP choice matters at scale. Promote from your strongest network admins where you can — they already know your topology, vendor mix, and the politics of who owns which segment.
Train Network Engineers on your team
Two paths into CBT Nuggets, depending on whether you're hiring for the role or growing into it yourself.
Hiring or training Network Engineers on your team?
See how CBT Nuggets builds Network Engineer bench depth with role-based training, admin reporting, and certification tracking — $749/seat/year on the Team plan.
For IT Directors & training managersStart training as a Network Engineer
Browse the courses, certifications, and hands-on labs that map to the Network Engineer path.
For individual learnersBuild the capability
Related CBT Nuggets training
Each link routes to training that maps to the skills on this career path.