Computer Network Architects Salary: $154,087 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 177,010 computer network architects nationally earn a mean of $154,087. Employment in the series shown rose about 13% from the first to the last year; much hiring sits in professional, scientific, and technical services.
Key Statistics
Computer Network Architects: what the data shows
Common questions about computer network architects careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a computer network architects?
Computer Network Architects is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 15-1241.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 177,010 workers.
What does a computer network architects do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Working with Computers, Analyzing Data or Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Getting Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a computer network architects make?
BLS national median annual wage: $130,390 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $154,087 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $86,334 |
| 25th percentile | $112,712 |
| Median (50th) | $142,110 |
| 75th percentile | $180,198 |
| 90th percentile | $222,189 |
What education do you need?
For Computer Network Architects, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making, and knowledge areas including Computers and Electronics, Telecommunications, Engineering and Technology, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is computer network architects in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.4% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 1.9%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 3.9%.
Current U.S. headcount: 177,010.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do computer network architectss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 177,010 | 19.0% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 168,980 | 18.2% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 65,030 | 7.0% |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 65,030 | 7.0% |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 46,280 | 5.0% |
| Telecommunications | 40,460 | 4.3% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Computer Network Architects in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | 497,800 | $103,790 |
| Information Security Analysts | 179,430 | $124,910 |
| Computer Programmers | 109,870 | $98,670 |
| Web Developers | 200,000 | — |
| Software Developers | 1,654,440 | $133,080 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts | 199,800 | $102,610 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | 146,450 | $73,340 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Computer Network Architects workforce.
Employment Over Time
177,010 Workforce in 2023
The Computer Network Architects workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Computer Network Architects.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$154,087 Average Wage
In 2023, Computer Network Architects earned an average of $154,087.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Computer Network Architects.
Salary distribution for Computer Network Architects.
Employment Growth Projections
0.4% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
74,747 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 1.9%
76,202 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 3.9%
This occupation is projected to grow at 0.4% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Computer Network Architects.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Computer Network Architects and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Computer Network Architects employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Computer Network Architects.
Wage Trends by Industry
-0.5% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Computer Network Architects.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Computer Network Architects.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 19,800 employees, $150,010 avg wage
- TX: 16,160 employees, $130,090 avg wage
- CO: 12,720 employees, $140,720 avg wage
- VA: 9,340 employees, $153,960 avg wage
- NY: 9,180 employees, $144,910 avg wage
- FL: 8,690 employees, $132,580 avg wage
- NC: 7,440 employees, $127,820 avg wage
- IL: 6,450 employees, $137,110 avg wage
- NJ: 6,440 employees, $148,960 avg wage
- GA: 5,980 employees, $134,920 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Computer Network Architects.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 10,600 employees, $154,900 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 8,910 employees, $163,310 avg wage
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO: 8,250 employees, $139,020 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 7,570 employees, $134,550 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 5,340 employees, $160,830 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 4,880 employees, $142,170 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 4,730 employees, $138,540 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 4,660 employees, $150,000 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 4,520 employees, $142,010 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 3,490 employees, $133,260 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Computer Network Architects.
Diversity
Demographic information on Computer Network Architects in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Computer Network Architects in 2023 was 177,010 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Computer Network Architects.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Computer Network Architects.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Computer Network Architects.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Computer Network Architects in 2023 were Computer Science, Information Systems, Network Engineering.
Common majors for Computer Network Architects.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Computer Network Architects workers.
Education level distribution for Computer Network Architects.
Skills
Computer Network Architects need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking.
Required skills for Computer Network Architects.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Computer Network Architects.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Computer Network Architects include Computers and Electronics, Telecommunications, Engineering and Technology, English Language, Design.
Knowledge areas required for Computer Network Architects.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Computer Network Architects include Information Ordering, Oral Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Computer Network Architects.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Computer Network Architects.
Daily Activities
Computer Network Architects spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Analyzing Data or Information, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.
Most important work activities for Computer Network Architects.
About
Computer Network Architects
The average yearly wage for Computer Network Architects was $154,087 in 2023.
SOC Code
15-1241 - Computer Network Architects
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Computer Network Architects reports an average salary of $154,087, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 177,010 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 0.4%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.