Network administrator: Salary and Earnings 2026 at a Glance

Network administrators plan, implement and operate a company's network infrastructure. They configure routers, switches and firewalls, monitor network traffic, fix connectivity problems and ensure the security and performance of the company network. In times of remote working and cloud services, a reliable network is business-critical. The technical requirements include knowledge of network protocols such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP and BGP, experience with network hardware from manufacturers such as Cisco, Juniper or HP as well as knowledge of VPN technologies, WLAN infrastructure and software-defined networking. Certifications such as Cisco CCNA, CCNP or CompTIA Network+ are standard in the industry and are expected by many employers. Salaries for network administrators are solid and increase significantly with specialisation and experience. Experts with knowledge of cloud networking, SD-WAN and network security are particularly in demand. Companies with distributed locations, data centres and complex network environments offer the most attractive remuneration packages, with career opportunities ranging from Junior Network Administrator to Senior Specialist to Network Architect or IT Infrastructure Manager. Specialisations in network security, cloud networking or wireless engineering open up additional career opportunities. Increasing networking and the requirements for secure network architectures guarantee good long-term prospects.