CompTIA Network+ certification — A 2025 salary analysis

Before we dive into potential salary and career growth, let's focus on the Network+ exam itself, including domains, recent updates and content. 

The Network+ exam validates the core skills necessary to establish, maintain, troubleshoot and secure networks in any environment, preparing you for a rewarding career in cybersecurity: 

• Understanding basic networking concepts like the OSI model, network appliances, applications, cloud concepts, connectivity options and more 

• Implementing physical installations as well as configuring switching technologies and wireless devices 

• Monitoring and optimizing network networks to ensure business continuity 

• Understanding security concepts and network attacks to harden infrastructure against threats 

The Network+ exam supports a wide range of technical and hands-on skills for early career network administrators and is vendor-neutral to cover any environment. Recommended experience includes CompTIA A+ certification and a minimum of 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience working in a junior network administrator or network support technician role. 

Understanding networking job roles 

Network+ is a highly sought-after certification for competitive, exciting IT and cybersecurity roles. 

Potential job titles include: 

• Network security analyst: Designs, plans and implements security measures to protect data, networks and computer systems 

• Network engineer: "Unsung heroes" who design, implement, maintain and troubleshoot complex networks from malware, ransomware and cyberattacks 

• Data architect: Defines policies and procedures for data management and creates advanced data models while implementing new technologies for the collection, organization and storage of data 

• Network security specialist: Responsible for procurement, set up and maintenance of hardware and software systems for network security 

• Solutions architect: Customer-facing role that designs, describes and manages technical relationships 

• Cybersecurity analyst: Plans, monitors and protects an organization's computer systems from cyber threats 

Average CompTIA Network+ salary 

For a thorough assessment of potential Network+ salaries, we analyzed annual averages from three different credible sources: 

• Payscale: Specifically focuses on salary data for CompTIA Network+ holders 

• Salary.com: Includes salary estimates for more junior networking titles for Network+ individuals 

• Glassdoor: Aggregates salary ranges from user-submitted data, including additional compensation like bonuses and benefits 

According to our research, these sites claim these are the average salaries: 

• Payscale: CompTIA Network+ certification = $78,000 base 

• Glassdoor: Network support specialist = $80,000 base (additional compensation of $9,444) 

• Salary.com: Network technician = $84,687 base (additional compensation of $2,941) 

Based on this data, we can say the average total salary of a Network+ holder is approximately $81,643. Previous reports showed an average salary of $77,078 and $72,430, showcasing significant job growth and demand in 2025. 

Factors influencing Network+ salaries 

While $81,643 is the average salary of a Network+ certification holder, many factors influence earning potential, such as job role, experience level, location and industry. Specific career paths and job titles massively influence compensation, so take a look at how some of the roles we mentioned earlier translate into salary ranges based on data from Payscale: 

• Network security analyst: $49,000 - $114,000 

• Network engineer: $57,000 - $117,000 

• Data architect: $86,000 - $176,000 

• Network security specialist: $67,000 - $141,000 

• Solutions architect: $83,000 - $175,000 

• Cybersecurity analyst: $36,000 - $122,000 

Even from our 2024 report on these salaries, annual compensation significantly increased across the board, showing intense demand for these different roles. 

How experience affects salary 

More experience definitely equals a higher salary, and early career professionals can expect their annual pay to jump every several years. Glassdoor.com shows a clear progression for wage growth from junior to senior titles: 

• Junior network engineer (1-3 years): $107,000 

• Network engineer (4-7 years): $118,974 

• Senior network engineer (8+ years): $129,746 

How location and industry affect salary  

Preparing for your Network+ 

Ready to pursue the Network+ certification? 

Check out the Network+ training hub with domain breakdowns, exam details and study materials. The CompTIA Network+ Learning Path is another way to learn on demand with video lectures, interactive labs and practice exams. 

For more hands-on guidance, learn more about the Network+ Boot Camp that covers network administration expertise, configuration and troubleshooting skills, and network knowledge, finishing up with the industry-recognized Network+ certification to jumpstart your career.