BLS SOC 15-1241 · Technology
Network Engineer Salary
Network engineers design, implement, and maintain computer networks including LANs, WANs, and cloud networks. They ensure reliable, secure, and performant network infrastructure.
Data: BLS OEWS · 2026
National Median
$86,667
annual
25th Percentile
$66,734
annual
75th Percentile
$110,934
annual
90th Percentile
$138,667
annual
National Salary Distribution
P25: $66,734Median: $86,667P75: $110,934P90: $138,667
1
Top Paying Cities for Network Engineer
Ranked by median annual salary
| # | City | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $119,000 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $116,000 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $114,000 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $105,000 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $103,000 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $102,000 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $99,000 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $95,000 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $95,000 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $92,000 |
2
Best After Cost of Living
Salary adjusted for cost of living (US avg = $100k)
| # | City | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $83,516 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | $83,333 |
| 3 | Raleigh, NC | $82,524 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $82,022 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $81,308 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $81,308 |
| 7 | Indianapolis, IN | $81,111 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $80,583 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | $80,357 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $78,704 |
3
Network Engineer Salary — All Cities
All 30 metro areas, sorted by median salary
| City | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $91,630 | $119,000 | $152,320 | $190,400 | 78,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $89,320 | $116,000 | $148,480 | $185,600 | 87,000 |
| New York, NY | $87,780 | $114,000 | $145,920 | $182,400 | 102,000 |
| Boston, MA | $80,850 | $105,000 | $134,400 | $168,000 | 63,000 |
| Washington, DC | $79,310 | $103,000 | $131,840 | $164,800 | 67,500 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $78,540 | $102,000 | $130,560 | $163,200 | 72,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $76,230 | $99,000 | $126,720 | $158,400 | 36,000 |
| Austin, TX | $73,150 | $95,000 | $121,600 | $152,000 | 57,000 |
| Portland, OR | $73,150 | $95,000 | $121,600 | $152,000 | 30,000 |
| Denver, CO | $70,840 | $92,000 | $117,760 | $147,200 | 42,000 |
| Dallas, TX | $69,300 | $90,000 | $115,200 | $144,000 | 52,500 |
| Chicago, IL | $66,990 | $87,000 | $111,360 | $139,200 | 52,500 |
| Houston, TX | $66,990 | $87,000 | $111,360 | $139,200 | 42,000 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $66,220 | $86,000 | $110,080 | $137,600 | 33,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $65,450 | $85,000 | $108,800 | $136,000 | 45,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | $65,450 | $85,000 | $108,800 | $136,000 | 33,000 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $63,910 | $83,000 | $106,240 | $132,800 | 37,500 |
| Miami, FL | $63,140 | $82,000 | $104,960 | $131,200 | 33,000 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $63,140 | $82,000 | $104,960 | $131,200 | 27,000 |
| Nashville, TN | $61,600 | $80,000 | $102,400 | $128,000 | 27,000 |
| Charlotte, NC | $60,060 | $78,000 | $99,840 | $124,800 | 30,000 |
| Richmond, VA | $60,060 | $78,000 | $99,840 | $124,800 | 21,000 |
| Columbus, OH | $58,520 | $76,000 | $97,280 | $121,600 | 24,000 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $57,750 | $75,000 | $96,000 | $120,000 | 21,000 |
| Detroit, MI | $56,210 | $73,000 | $93,440 | $116,800 | 22,500 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $56,210 | $73,000 | $93,440 | $116,800 | 22,500 |
| Louisville, KY | $52,360 | $68,000 | $87,040 | $108,800 | 15,000 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $51,590 | $67,000 | $85,760 | $107,200 | 13,500 |
| Memphis, TN | $50,050 | $65,000 | $83,200 | $104,000 | 12,000 |
| El Paso, TX | $46,200 | $60,000 | $76,800 | $96,000 | 9,000 |
Top Skills for Network Engineer
CiscoTCP/IPRouting & SwitchingFirewallsNetwork Security