Network Engineer job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$134,050

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Computer Network Architects (O*NET-SOC 15-1241.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Develop disaster recovery plans. importance 4.4 of 5
2. Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes. importance 4.3 of 5
3. Develop and implement solutions for network problems. importance 4.2 of 5
4. Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup. importance 4.2 of 5
5. Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades. importance 4.2 of 5
6. Coordinate installation of new equipment. importance 4.0 of 5
7. 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. importance 3.9 of 5
8. Develop network-related documentation. importance 3.9 of 5
9. Develop and write procedures for installation, use, or troubleshooting of communications hardware or software. importance 3.8 of 5
10. Participate in network technology upgrade or expansion projects, including installation of hardware and software and integration testing. importance 3.8 of 5
11. Design, build, or operate equipment configuration prototypes, including network hardware, software, servers, or server operation systems. importance 3.8 of 5
12. Adjust network sizes to meet volume or capacity demands. importance 3.8 of 5
13. Communicate with system users to ensure accounts are set up properly or to diagnose and solve operational problems. importance 3.8 of 5
14. Develop conceptual, logical, or physical network designs. importance 3.8 of 5
15. Evaluate network designs to determine whether customer requirements are met efficiently and effectively. importance 3.7 of 5
16. Communicate with vendors to gather information about products, alert them to future needs, resolve problems, or address system maintenance issues. importance 3.7 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Working with Computers, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards and Making Decisions and Solving Problems.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Visit vendors, attend conferences or training sessions, or study technical journals to keep up with changes in technology.
• Develop or maintain project reporting systems.
• Maintain or coordinate the maintenance of network peripherals, such as printers.

Knowledge areas: Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology, Telecommunications, English Language and Education and Training.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Ansible software, Border Gateway Protocol BGP, IBM Terraform, Amazon Web Services AWS software, Linux, Microsoft Azure software. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists 5 years or more of work experience in a related occupation as typical.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a network engineer.

Most O*NET's occupation experts for this occupation (55%) name a bachelor's degree as the education the job requires.

Job title: Network Engineer
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Network Engineer to design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- 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.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists 5 years or more in a related occupation as typical; adjust to this role]
- Strength in critical thinking, reading comprehension and complex problem solving
- Working knowledge of Computers and Electronics and Engineering and Technology
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Ansible software or Border Gateway Protocol BGP]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $134,050 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $64.45. BLS estimates about 179,740 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Computer Network Architects to grow 7.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 9,600 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full network engineer salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real network engineer posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Develop disaster recovery plans”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only network engineer work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (critical thinking and reading comprehension); network engineer interview questions turns them into practice questions.