Network Operations Engineer Salary Guide 2026

Key takeaways

• The network operations engineer salary ranges from $106,000 to $160,000 in the US, which represents the total pay, including base salary and additional pay [1].

• Network operations center engineer salary ranges increase with experience, education, and certification.

• Junior network operations salary data from Glassdoor shows a range from $78,000 to $121,000 in the US [1].

A senior network operations engineer’s salary ranges from $101,000 to $155,000 in the US, which represents the total pay after 10 to 14 years of experience [1]. Learn more about the factors that impact the salary you might receive as a network operations engineer and what you can do to increase your earning potential.

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Network operations engineer salary

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the median network operations engineer salary in the US to be $134,050 per year, or $64.45 per hour [2]. Employment in this field is expected to grow 8 percent between 2025 and 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations [2]. Glassdoor users report total network operations engineer salaries to range between $106,000 and $160,000, with $92,000 to $133,000 representing the base salary range and $14,000 to $27,000 representing additional pay [1]. Additional pay insights may include profit sharing, bonuses, and commissions.

Factors that can impact your network operations center engineer salary

Your earning potential in a network operations engineering role depends on a few factors, including experience and education level, the industry you work in, and the company you work for. Explore these factors in the following sections to get a better idea of how much you can make.

Education

Zippia reports that 62 percent of network operations engineers have a bachelor’s degree, 22 percent have an associate degree, 8 percent have a master's degree, and 3 percent have a high school diploma [3]. Most commonly studied majors include electrical engineering, computer science, computer information systems, and information technology. The educational background required varies by employer and industry, so be sure to check job postings that you're interested in to find opportunities to fill gaps in your experience.

Higher education levels can increase your earning power. Here is the average network operations engineer salary you can expect to earn based on your degree level [3]:

• High school diploma: $95,886

• Associate degree: $97,063

• Bachelor’s degree: $106,656

• Master’s degree: $110,322

Certifications

In addition to academic qualifications, certifications may give you access to more opportunities and increase your salary in the role of a network operations engineer. Some options to consider and the average salaries that accompany these certifications include:

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA): $95,000 [4]

• Certified Network Defender (CND): $81,749 [5]

• CCNP Service Provider: $113,000 [6]

• CompTIA Network+: $83,000 [7]

Experience

Prior experience in the field is important to becoming a network operations engineer. One to two years is typically expected to build the relevant skills needed for the role, with more years of experience needed to reach more senior positions. Many network operations engineers start in entry-level roles such as network technician, network engineer, or network administrator to build experience. Internships serve as an opportunity to build experience while studying for a degree.

Here are the median total salary ranges for network operations engineers based on years of experience [1]:

• 0–1 year: $78,000–$121,000

• 1–3 years: $83,000–$128,000

• 4–6 years: $91,000–$137,000

• 7–9 years: $95,000–$144,000

• 10–14 years: $101,000–$155,000

All salary information represents the total pay from Glassdoor as of September 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Location

Not all cities and states are equal regarding network operations center engineer salaries. Some pay higher than others, so you may compare salaries by location before accepting a job offer or even applying. However, keep in mind that salaries tend to be higher in alignment with higher costs of living.

Highest-paying cities for a network operations engineer

The highest-paying cities for a network operations engineer and the associated salaries are [3]:

• San Francisco, CA: $128,383

• Redmond, WA: $120,492

• New York, NY: $108,733

• Wilmington, DE: $103,884

• Jersey City, NJ: $101,366

• Greenwich, CT: $101,254

Highest-paying states for a network operations engineer

The highest-paying states for a network operations engineer and the associated salaries are [3]:

• Washington: $119,919

• California: $118, 901

• New York: $108,460

• Delaware: $103,776

• Massachusetts: $103,142

• Idaho: $102,162

Industry

The industry factors into your average salary, with the technology industry generally having the highest salaries overall. Network operations engineers usually work within design and engineering teams, and industries that hire for this position include technology, the internet, finance, telecommunications, and manufacturing.

Highest-paying industries for a network operations engineer

The highest-paying industries and the corresponding average annual salary include [3]:

• Technology: $99,128

• Professional: $96,555

• Manufacturing: $96,297

• Internet: $94,631

• Finance: $91,674

Company

Within each industry, you may find companies that pay higher than others, so it may be beneficial to research which companies pay the highest salaries to maximize your potential income.

The top-paying companies, according to Glassdoor, include [1]:

• Google: $177,000–$287,000

• Meta: $166,000–$268,000

• SpaceX: $156,000–$234,000

• Roblox: $146,000–$231,000

• Apple: $140,000–$218,000

• TikTok: $134,000–$208,000

All salary information represents the total pay from Glassdoor as of September 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Is network engineer a high-paying job?

Yes, network engineering, which is related to network operations engineering but focuses more on building infrastructure and maintaining networks, is generally considered a high-paying job, with even starting salaries for this role ranging from $73,000 to $118,000 per year [8]. For comparison, the median weekly salary for all occupations in the US is $1,204, which comes to approximately $62,608 annually [9]. If you specialize as a network operations engineer or a network security engineer, your median total salary could reach $130,000 or $169,000, respectively [1, 10].

Related job titles

Working as a network operations engineer may lead to other opportunities, such as advancing to management-level positions or using your technical and workplace skills to move in slightly different directions. Some related job titles to consider and their average annual salaries include:

• Network engineer: $124,000 [8]

• Systems engineer: $152,000 [11]

• Information technology manager: $145,000 [12]

• Network administrator: $100,000 [13]

*All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of September 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Read more: System Administrator vs. Network Administrator: Navigating Your Career Choices

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