US Network Administrator Salary & Employment Study – How Much Does a Network Admin Make by State?

A network administrator plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of an organization’s IT infrastructure. They are responsible for managing, maintaining, and supporting computer networks, including local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), and cloud-based systems. Their primary goal is to ensure the availability, security, and performance of these networks, enabling employees to communicate, access resources, and collaborate effectively.

Key Duties of a Network Administrator:

1. Network Configuration and Installation
   One of the primary duties of a network administrator is to configure and set up networks. They install routers, switches, firewalls, and other networking hardware. They configure network protocols, IP addresses, and ensure proper integration of devices across the network.
2. Network Maintenance and Monitoring
   Network administrators continuously monitor network performance, identify potential issues, and ensure that all systems are functioning optimally. They use various network management tools to detect bottlenecks, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and resolve performance problems. Regular maintenance tasks, such as software updates and hardware checks, keep the network running smoothly.
3. Network Security
   Security is a critical responsibility for network administrators. They implement firewalls, antivirus software, and other security protocols to protect the network from external and internal threats. They monitor for security breaches, conduct regular audits, and ensure compliance with security policies and standards. Regular backups and disaster recovery planning are essential to network security.
4. User Support and Troubleshooting
   Network administrators provide support for end-users, addressing issues related to connectivity, access permissions, and hardware malfunctions. They assist with troubleshooting network problems, ensuring minimal disruption to business operations.
5. Documentation and Reporting
   Net admins maintain detailed documentation of network configurations, changes, and security protocols is an essential task. Administrators also report on network performance, outages, and security incidents to management.

In summary, a network administrator maintains the integrity and security of an organization’s network infrastructure. Their duties encompass technical tasks, security management, user support, and strategic planning, ensuring that the network remains reliable and secure.

In 2024, the average mean salary for a network and computer systems administrator was $101,190 per year–a slight increase of 0.6 percent on 2023’s salary of $100,580 and a four percent increase on 2022’s mean salary of $97,160. Meanwhile, the number of people in these roles decreased by almost 0.3 percent (322,500 to 321,580) from 2023 to 2024.

Over the next 10 years (2023 to 2033), the number of people in net admin is set to decline by -3 percent. This is lower than the average job growth rate of 4 percent. It’s also significantly lower than the 31 percent growth predicted for information security analysts, as seen in our recent study. While net admins help with the day-to-day running of organizations’ networks, information security analysts monitor networks and systems for vulnerabilities. This suggests that organizations are focusing more on shoring up their cybersecurity measures when looking to add new talent. Qualifications also vary between these roles with net admins requiring the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification, while information security analysts often require degrees and may need a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certificate.

So, how is the job landscape for network administrators changing, and how do the roles shape up on a state-by-state basis?

We compared data from the last couple of years to find out. We reveal where the network admin job hotspots are, including where you’ll get the highest salary, where the most jobs are, and where the best long-term projections for these roles are. To establish these rankings, we compared each state based on ten criteria, with each criterion being equally weighted to give us our overall scores.

How has the network admin job market changed in recent years?

As you can see from the above chart, one state in particular saw a dramatic change in rankings this time around. In our previous update (conducted using 2021 data), Montana ranked first, but in this edition it takes the 43rd spot.

This dramatic drop is due to Montana’s decline in four out of the five main categories: annual salary decreased over 2.7 percent from $81,370 to $79,150, the number of people in these roles decreased by almost 18 percent (1,060 to 870), employment per 1,000 jobs decreased by nearly 25 percent, and long-term growth dropped from 8.3 percent (2020-2030) to 7.5 percent (2022-2032). The only category that saw an improvement was job vacancies, with a 15 percent increase from 9 to 24 (while declines in this category were seen across the board).

On the other hand, Tennessee made a remarkable leap to first place, climbing from 32nd place. This was thanks to significant improvements in four out of the five main categories: average annual salary (rising from $79,370 to $104,740), number of people in these roles (up to 5,830 from 4,370), employment per 1,000 jobs (1.779 compared to 1.464), and the number of current job vacancies (68 compared to 59). Colorado, Texas, and Virginia remain toward the top, but with a few changes in rankings.

Maryland and North Carolina also showed significant improvement this year to take fifth and sixth place, respectively.

Average US-wide changes:

• Average annual salary for network administrators increased by 0.6 percent from $100,580 (2023) to $101,190 (2024)
• # of people in network administrators roles decreased by 0.3 percent from 322,500 (2023) to 321,580 (2024)
• Employment per 1,000 people (the number of jobs in the given occupation per 1,000 jobs in the given area) decreased by over 8 percent from 2.22 (2022) to 2.04 (2024)
• # of vacancies available decreased by 24.5 percent from 7,354 (2022) to 5,552 (2025)
• 10-year growth projection for roles decreased from 3 percent for 2021-2031 to -3 percent for 2023-2033 (according to the latest BLS data)

As you can see above, the only positive change for these roles is that average salaries have increased. Employment rates within these roles continue to decline. As employers continue to navigate an ever-changing world post-pandemic, many employers are making cuts and changes, especially when it comes to hiring new employees.

Our recent studies demonstrate how ransomware attacks are an ongoing threat to all types of organizations. Companies must invest in digital security to safeguard their daily operations and customer data. Furthermore, the fact that we have seen an increase in annual salary for the majority of states suggests that these roles are still developing and improving year on year.

Annual salary

The biggest average salary increases for network and computer server administrators (from 2023 to 2024) were observed in Tennessee (17.24 percent), New Mexico (14.19 percent), and Louisiana (11.38 percent).

These increases could have been partially facilitated by Biden’s billion-dollar state and local cybersecurity grant program, which was aimed at strengthening cyber resilience at the state and local levels. However, while the program appears to have contributed to improvements over the past few years, it’s now facing expiration and growing uncertainty. With states encountering funding challenges, shifting federal support, and increasing cyber threats, it will be interesting to see in the next update whether this positive momentum can be maintained, especially if the program is not renewed or improved.

One state that saw a significant decline in average salary for these roles was Ohio (dropping by -5.36 percent from $102,290 in 2023 to $96,810 in 2024). This was in spite of the fact that average salaries across all types of employment increased in the state by 4 percent (from $59,890 in 2023 to $62,280 in 2024).

Number of people in roles

The number of people in network administration roles increased the most in Louisiana, rising by 29.29 percent from 1,400 to 1,810. North Carolina and North Dakota also saw significant growth in this category, with increases of 27.86 percent and 21.05 percent, respectively. In sharp contrast, North Carolina saw a huge decline, with figures dropping from 13,080 to 9,310.

Available job vacancies

The number of job vacancies available this time around dropped significantly across the board. Despite more than half of states showing a slight increase in job vacancies, the total number of vacancies dropped sharply, from 7,354 in 2022 to 5,552 this year, representing a 24.5 percent decrease overall.

Much of the decline could be attributed to ongoing economic uncertainty. Many employers are hesitant to expand their IT teams. Recent statistics say 46 percent of IT leaders noted a hiring freeze in 2023.

Research from the Recruitment and Employment Federation (REC) found a 40.7 percent decrease in job postings for IT networking professionals from 2023 to 2024. It cites an increased focus on training talent internally (largely due to increased competition within the job market due to a lack of skilled workers) and ongoing budget concerns as the main reasons for the sharp decline.

The largest decline in job vacancies was recorded in New York. Here, the number of available positions fell by over 77 percent, dropping from 238 in 2022 to just 56 in 2025. The District of Columbia and Michigan also experienced significant decreases, from 1,088 to 382 (a 65 percent drop) and 138 to 69 (a 50 percent decline), respectively.

Long-term growth projections

Please note: while BLS data provides estimates from 2023 to 2033, state-by-state projections are only available for 2022 to 2032 (via Projects Central).

Perhaps the most interesting comparisons are the changes in long-term growth projections, which indicate how fast employment is expected to increase or decrease during the projection period. The state that saw the most positive increase was Wisconsin. Projections from 2020 to 2030 were placed at 1.3 percent, but the projections from 2022 to 2032 were revised to grow by 4.9 percent.

Some notable declines in long-term growth projections were observed in New Jersey (falling from 3.8 percent to -1.3 percent), Michigan (from 3 percent to -0.7 percent), and Massachusetts (from 19.3 percent to 2 percent). California also saw a decline (from 13.4 to 4.4), which is likely due to a high number of roles currently available in the area, leading to some saturation in the market.

Overall, long-term growth in these roles still looks positive. In our 2022 study, which looked at long-term growth from 2030 to 2030, the average growth across all 52 states was 9.4 percent. Now, from 2022 to 2032, it’s 5.9 percent. While the rate has slowed slightly, this still underscores the ongoing importance of cybersecurity and network stability in an increasingly volatile online world. Filling these roles is non-negotiable for companies that need a safe and secure online network.

The top-scoring states for cybersecurity roles

According to our research, Tennessee is the best state to be a network administrator. It was the highest-ranking state for its one-year increase in annual salary (17.24 percent) and also came out on top when comparing the average state salary across all types of employment to the average salary for net admin jobs ($58,700 compared to $104,740). Tennessee showed good prospects in long-term growth projections and its 5-year annual salary increase.

One area where Tennessee did fall short was current job vacancies, with just 68 positions available. This suggests that, despite its strong overall performance, the state may not offer as many new opportunities for these roles in the near future.

Colorado came a close second, ranking top for its employment per 1,000 jobs (3.84) and almost top for its job vacancy numbers (427). Texas, Virginia, and Maryland were the other three states that made up the top five. All of these states, bar Texas, offer an above-average salary for net admin role. Maryland leads the pack, offering the highest average salary nationwide at $122,000.

Texas scored highest for the number of people currently in net admin roles (34,640) and for its long-term growth projection (18.6 percent). Meanwhile, Virginia tops the list with its number of current vacancies with 433 positions available.

Despite these states making it to the top five overall, only Maryland was among the top five for the average annual salary for net admin roles. After Maryland, the highest salaries are in the District of Columbia, California, Virginia, New York, Washington, and Massachusetts, each offering an average annual salary exceeding $110,000. If a large paycheck is your priority, then those might be the best states to choose from.

The top 5 at a glance

The highest-scoring states per category were:

• Highest average annual salary – Maryland – $122,000
• Highest % difference to state average annual salary for all types of employment – Tennessee – 56.34%
• Highest number of people currently in these roles – Texas – 34,640
• Highest employment per 1,000 jobs – Colorado – 3.84
• Highest number of jobs currently being advertised for – Virginia – 433
• Best long-term projection for roles – Texas – 18.6% growth
• Best 5-year increase in employment numbers (from 2019 to 2024) – Hawaii – 69.05%
• Best 5-year increase in average annual salary (from 2019 to 2024) – Idaho – 36.07%
• Best 1-year increase in employment (from 2023 to 2024) – Louisiana – 29.29% growth
• Best 1-year increase in average annual salary (from 2023 to 2024) – Tennessee – 17.24% growth

The lowest-scoring US states and territories for cybersecurity roles

This time around, Vermont ranked as the lowest-scoring US state for net admin roles. It recorded the fewest people currently employed in these positions (just 430) and saw the sharpest five-year decline in employment, with a drop of 57.84%. In addition, Vermont had a low number of job vacancies currently available (33) and saw a 0.88% year-on-year decrease in its average salary.

Maine, Puerto Rico, Missouri, and Indiana were the other four states in the bottom five. Puerto Rico and Maine had very low numbers of people currently employed in these roles (850 and 1,270, respectively) and also ranked low in terms of job vacancies, with just 26 and 44 openings, respectively. Puerto Rico reported the lowest average annual salary at $56,800 (just less than half the average of $101,190), and also had the lowest employment per 1,000 of jobs (0.908). Maine recorded the worst long-term growth projection of all states with an expected decline of 5.1%, and also had the lowest five-year increase in average annual salary at just 2.51%.

Missouri and Indiana didn’t rank at the bottom for any of the categories, but Missouri did record a 17.22 percent decrease in its employment figures from 2023 to 2024. Meanwhile, Indiana’s lowest-scoring categories were its number of current vacancies (55) and number of people currently in these roles (5,050).

The bottom 5 states at a glance

The lowest-scoring states and territories per category were:

• Lowest average annual salary – Puerto Rico – $56,800
• Lowest % difference to state average annual salary for all types of employment – District of Columbia – 8.31%
• Lowest number of people currently in these roles – Vermont – 430
• Lowest employment per 1,000 jobs – Puerto Rico – 0.908
• Lowest number of jobs currently being advertised for – Delaware – 15
• Worst long-term projection for roles – Maine – 5.1% decline
• Worst 5-year change in employment numbers (from 2019 to 2024) – Vermont – 57.84% decline
• Worst 5-year change in average annual salary (from 2019 to 2024) – Maine – 2.51% increase
• Worst 1-year change in employment numbers (from 2023 to 2024) – Ohio – 21.35% decline
• Worst 1-year increase in average annual salary (from 2023 to 2024) – Ohio – 5.36% decline

Which state should you head to for the best network administrator roles?

Initially, you might be drawn to Tennessee for its positive growth projects and year-on-year increase in salary. Or, you may opt for Maryland thanks to its above-average salary of $122,000.

You could even look somewhere like Virginia, which has the highest number of job vacancies (433) and a high average salary ($113,980). But, as we noted above, lower scores in areas like long-term growth projection suggest the job market for net admins is becoming somewhat saturated there.

Texas could be a good choice, too. It boasts the strongest long-term growth projection with an expected 18.6% increase in network admin roles over the next decade. It employs the largest number of professionals in the field at 34,640. That said, Texas has a lower average salary than some states at $98,170. But, with a 10.5 percent increase in the annual salary over the last five years, it might not be long until you’re enjoying the same or better salary.

Ultimately, the majority of states offer great prospects for net admin roles, so it’s worth looking into which state will offer you the most benefits. It’s also worth mentioning that 48 states and territories show some positive growth (when looking at the long-term projections). Only Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, and Maine show a decline (by 0.4 percent, 0.7 percent, 1.3 percent, and 5.1 percent, respectively). All states and territories have higher salaries for net admin roles than the average annual salary by state for all types of employment.

Our methodology: how did we find the best and worst states for cybersecurity roles?

To figure out how well (or poorly) these roles were represented in each state, we used ten different criteria, each of which was equally weighted to give us our overall scores. These were:

• The average state annual salary for network administration roles
• The % difference of the annual salary for network administration roles to the average annual salary of all types of employment in each state
• The number of people employed in network administration roles in the state
• The number of people in network administration roles per 1,000 jobs (the number of jobs–employment–in the given occupation per 1,000 jobs in the given area)
• The number of network administration roles currently being advertised for by the state
• The long-term projections for network administration roles in each state (over a 10-year period)
• The 5-year change in employment numbers (from 2019 to 2024) in each state
• The 5-year change in average annual salaries (from 2019 to 2024) in each state
• The 1-year change in employment numbers (from 2023 to 2024) in each state
• The 1-year change in average annual salaries (from 2023 to 2024) in each state

To score each criterion, we gave each state a point based on where it appeared between the highest- and lowest-scoring states. The state that received the best score for a criterion got 100 points, while the lowest-scoring stats received a zero. Then, all of the states in between these two figures were ranked on a percentile basis to give them their scores.

To achieve the total score we averaged the state’s score across all ten of the categories.

Limitation – Colorado. No data was available for net admin roles in Colorado for 2024. Therefore, 2023 figures were used as the most current figures (and were compared to 2022 figures in one-year comparisons and 2018 figures in five-year comparisons). This is the case across all of the categories, bar the number of current job vacancies available and the long-term growth projection (2022-2032) for these roles.

Researcher: Danka Delić

Sources

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes151244.htm

https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm

https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=Network%20and%20Server%20Administrator&l=Alabama&vjk=cdd539c586a40073

https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm