Computer network architects held about 159,300 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of computer network architects were as follows:
| Computer systems design and related services | 27% |
| Telecommunications | 11 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 8 |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | 5 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 4 |
Computer network architects spend most of their time in offices, but occasionally work in server rooms where they have access to the hardware that make up an organization’s computer and information network.
Work Schedules
Most computer network architects work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week.
Most computer network architects have a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field and experience in a related occupation, such as network and computer systems administrators.
Education
Computer network architects usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related field. Degree programs in a computer-related field give prospective network architects hands-on experience in classes such as network security or database design. These programs prepare network architects to be able to work with the wide array of technologies used in networks.
Employers of network architects sometimes prefer applicants to have a master’s of business administration (MBA) in information systems. MBA programs generally require 2 years of study beyond the undergraduate level and include both business and computer-related courses.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Network architects generally need to have at least 5 to 10 years of experience working with information technology (IT) systems. They often have experience as a network and computer system administrator but also may come from other computer-related occupations such as database administrator or computer systems analyst.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Certification programs are generally offered by product vendors or software firms. Vendor-specific certification verifies a set of skills to ensure network architects are able to work in specific networking environments. Companies may require their network architects to be certified in the products they use.
Advancement
Some network architects advance to become computer and information systems managers.
Computer network architects typically have an interest in the Building, Thinking and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Thinking interest area indicates a focus on researching, investigating, and increasing the understanding of natural laws. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Thinking or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a computer network architect, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Computer network architects should also possess the following specific qualities:
Important Qualities
Analytical skills. Computer network architects have to examine data networks and decide how to best connect the networks based on the needs and resources of the organization.
Detail oriented. Computer network architects create comprehensive plans of the networks they are creating with precise information describing how the network parts will work together.
Interpersonal skills. These workers must be able to work with different types of employees to accomplish their goals.
Leadership skills. Many computer network architects direct teams of engineers who build the networks they have designed.
Organizational skills. Computer network architects who work for large firms must coordinate many different types of communication networks and make sure they work well together.
The median annual wage for computer network architects was $112,690 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $64,770, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $168,390.
In May 2019, the median annual wages for computer network architects in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Insurance carriers and related activities | $117,720 |
| Computer systems design and related services | 115,430 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 114,330 |
| Telecommunications | 112,660 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 81,400 |
Most computer network architects work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week.
Employment of computer network architects is projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Demand for computer network architects will increase as firms continue to expand their information technology (IT) networks. Designing and building these new networks, as well as upgrading existing ones, will create opportunities for computer network architects. The expansion of healthcare information technology will also contribute to employment growth.
Adoption of cloud computing, which allows users to access storage, software, and other computer services over the Internet, is likely to dampen the demand for computer network architects. Organizations will no longer have to design and build networks in-house; instead, firms that provide cloud services will do this. Smaller firms with minimal IT requirements will find it more cost effective to contract services from cloud service providers. However, because architects at cloud providers can work on more than one organization’s network, these providers will not have to employ as many architects as individual organizations do for the same amount of work.
Job Prospects
Applicants with relevant certification should have better prospects for positions in which specific hardware or software knowledge and expertise is preferred.
For more information about computer careers, visit
Association for Computing Machinery
Computing Research Association
For information about opportunities for women pursuing information technology careers, visit
National Center for Women & Information Technology