Computer Network Architects: Career Overview
Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.
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What Tasks Do Computer Network Architects Do?
Typical responsibilities of computer network architects include:
- Develop disaster recovery plans.
- Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
- Develop and implement solutions for network problems.
- Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup.
- Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.
- Coordinate installation of new equipment.
- Monitor and analyze network performance and reports on data input or output to detect problems, identify inefficient use of computer resources, or perform capacity planning.
- Develop network-related documentation.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful computer network architects draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Computer Network Architects Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Cloud Architect
- Cloud Network Engineer
- Computer Network Analyst
- Computer Network Engineer
- Computer Network Technologist
- Data Communications Analyst
- Enterprise Architect
- IT Analyst (Information Technology Analyst)
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 144,576 computer network architects working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -0.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Computer Network Architects
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $63,411 |
| Hourly median | $30.49 |
| 10th percentile | $44,169 |
| 25th percentile | $53,790 |
| 75th percentile | $73,032 |
| 90th percentile | $82,653 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Computer Network Architects Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $155,890 |
| South Dakota | $149,300 |
| Virginia | $148,080 |
| New Jersey | $147,650 |
| Maryland | $143,260 |
| District of Columbia | $140,050 |
| California | $138,350 |
| Massachusetts | $136,930 |
| New York | $136,230 |
| Colorado | $134,680 |
| Connecticut | $134,150 |
| New Hampshire | $133,100 |
| Illinois | $132,310 |
| Georgia | $132,300 |
| Nevada | $132,080 |
| Oregon | $130,810 |
| Florida | $130,320 |
| Texas | $129,110 |
| Utah | $128,990 |
| Alabama | $128,210 |
| Delaware | $127,970 |
| Minnesota | $126,680 |
| North Carolina | $126,000 |
| Rhode Island | $125,140 |
| Arizona | $124,700 |
| Ohio | $124,520 |
| Wisconsin | $121,060 |
| Pennsylvania | $120,420 |
| Idaho | $119,110 |
| Michigan | $117,330 |
| Tennessee | $115,930 |
| Hawaii | $114,590 |
| New Mexico | $113,070 |
| South Carolina | $112,850 |
| Alaska | $112,560 |
| Maine | $111,320 |
| Arkansas | $109,900 |
| Nebraska | $109,590 |
| North Dakota | $109,150 |
| Missouri | $108,480 |
| Indiana | $107,770 |
| Iowa | $107,060 |
| Kentucky | $106,990 |
| Oklahoma | $105,180 |
| Louisiana | $103,880 |
| West Virginia | $103,350 |
| Montana | $101,240 |
| Kansas | $100,910 |
| Wyoming | $97,510 |
| Mississippi | $95,710 |
| Puerto Rico | $61,430 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for computer network architects differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $140,214 | 15.2% | 0.93 |
| Middle Atlantic | $136,979 | 16.1% | 1.15 |
| New England | $133,885 | 5.1% | 1.13 |
| Rocky Mountains | $131,982 | 9.1% | 3.24 |
| Southeast | $129,428 | 25.2% | 1.23 |
| Southwest | $126,266 | 12.8% | 1.02 |
| Great Lakes | $123,840 | 10.8% | 0.78 |
| Plains States | $113,433 | 5.5% | 0.84 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $174,120 | 2,950 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | NC | $172,280 | 820 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $166,880 | 3,370 |
| Rochester, MN | MN | $163,920 | 100 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $163,570 | 8,910 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $162,320 | 1,410 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | CT | $160,520 | 120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $155,480 | 5,340 |
Industry Breakdown
Most computer network architects are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 65,030 | $131,470 |
| Information | 32,580 | $125,140 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 17,530 | $137,770 |
| Finance and Insurance | 17,110 | $136,230 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 10,830 | $127,800 |
| Wholesale Trade | 6,990 | $147,170 |
| Manufacturing | 6,790 | $137,280 |
| Educational Services | 4,950 | $105,810 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: AJAX (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Amazon DynamoDB (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Redshift (hot technology)
- Cloud-based management software: Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Expert system software: Ansible software (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Cassandra (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Hadoop (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Hive (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Apache Kafka (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for computer network architects is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Spend Time Sitting
Education and Training
Entry-level computer network architects positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Computer and Information Systems Managers (Supplemental)
- Computer Systems Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Information Security Analysts (Supplemental)
- Computer Network Support Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Computer User Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Telecommunications Engineering Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Database Administrators (Primary-Long)
- Database Architects (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Future computer network architects commonly pursue programs in:
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
7 programs across 4 majors
- Computer Information Systems
- Information Technology
- Computer Systems Networking
- Computer Systems Analysis
Engineering
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 15-1241.00 (Computer Network Architects).
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