Thinking about a career in network engineering? The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is often hailed as the gold standard for getting your foot in the door. But beyond being a powerful resume builder, what does it mean for your earning potential? The great news is that obtaining a CCNA is a significant step toward a lucrative and stable career.
On average, professionals in the United States holding a CCNA certification can expect to earn a salary ranging from $70,000 to over $115,000 per year. This wide range reflects that the CCNA is a key that unlocks various doors, and your final salary will depend on your specific role, experience, location, and other critical factors.
This guide will break down what you can expect to earn with a CCNA and, more importantly, how you can maximize your salary.
What Does a CCNA Professional Do?
First, it's essential to clarify that "CCNA" is a certification, not a job title. It validates that you have the fundamental skills to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-sized routed and switched networks. This qualification prepares you for a variety of roles.
Common job titles for professionals with a CCNA include:
- Network Technician: An entry-level role focused on hands-on tasks like running cables, racking equipment, and performing initial device configurations and troubleshooting.
- Network Administrator: A role focused on the day-to-day maintenance, management, and monitoring of an organization's computer network to ensure it runs smoothly.
- Network Engineer: A more advanced role that involves designing, implementing, and managing complex network infrastructures.
- Systems Administrator: A broader role that may include network management as part of overall responsibility for an organization's IT systems.
Your responsibilities will revolve around ensuring network connectivity, performance, and security—the digital backbone of any modern organization.
Average CCNA Salary
While salary depends on your specific job title, the CCNA certification provides a significant boost to your earning potential across the board. Based on the most recent data from authoritative sources, here's a snapshot of what you can expect.
According to data compiled from Payscale, Salary.com, and Glassdoor, the average salary for a professional with a CCNA certification in the United States typically falls between $75,000 and $98,000 per year.
Let's break this down by experience level:
- Entry-Level (0-2 years experience): Professionals in roles like Network Support Technician or Junior Network Administrator can expect to earn between $55,000 and $72,000.
- Mid-Career (3-5 years experience): With solid experience, Network Administrators and junior-to-mid-level Network Engineers often see salaries in the $70,000 to $95,000 range.
- Senior-Level (5+ years experience): Senior Network Engineers and architects with a CCNA (and often additional certifications) can command salaries of $95,000 to $125,000+.
Key Factors That Influence Salary
Your salary is not a fixed number. It's a dynamic figure influenced by several key variables. Understanding these factors is crucial for negotiating your salary and planning your career trajectory.
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Level of Education
While the CCNA is a skills-based certification, a formal degree can still impact your starting salary and long-term career options. Many employers, especially larger corporations, prefer or require a bachelor's degree in a related field like Computer Science, Information Technology, or Engineering. An employee with both a Bachelor's degree and a CCNA may command a higher starting salary than someone with only the certification. However, for many technical roles, demonstrable experience and certifications can often outweigh the lack of a four-year degree.
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Years of Experience
Experience is arguably the most significant factor in determining your salary. An entry-level professional is expected to handle basic configuration and troubleshooting, while a senior engineer is trusted with network design, high-stakes project implementation, and mentoring junior staff.
- 0-2 Years: Focus is on learning and executing assigned tasks.
- 3-5 Years: You are expected to work independently, manage moderately complex projects, and contribute to network planning.
- 5+ Years: You are a subject-matter expert, leading projects, designing solutions, and developing network strategy. Each leap in responsibility comes with a substantial pay increase.
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Geographic Location
Where you work matters—a lot. Tech hubs and cities with a high cost of living offer significantly higher salaries to compensate. According to data from Salary.com, a Network Administrator's salary can vary by 20-30% or more depending on the metropolitan area.
| City | Average Salary for a Network Administrator |
| :--- | :--- |
| San Jose, CA | ~ $98,000 |
| New York, NY | ~ $94,000 |
| Washington, D.C. | ~ $91,000 |
| Dallas, TX | ~ $80,000 |
| Kansas City, MO | ~ $76,000 |
*Source: Salary.com (2024 data, adjusted for a generic "Network Administrator II" profile). Always check a salary aggregator for the most current data for your specific location.*
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Company Type
The size and type of your employer play a major role. A large technology firm like Cisco or a major financial institution will typically offer higher salaries than a small local business or a non-profit organization. Government positions might offer a slightly lower base salary but often come with excellent job security and superior benefits, which contribute to the total compensation package.
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Area of Specialization
The CCNA is a fantastic foundation, but specializing can dramatically increase your value. Professionals who add skills in high-demand areas earn a premium. Consider advancing your knowledge in:
- Network Security: Adding certifications like CompTIA Security+ or pursuing the CCNP Security track. As cybersecurity remains a top priority for all businesses, these skills are highly compensated.
- Cloud Networking: As companies migrate to the cloud, expertise in platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure is invaluable. An AWS Certified Advanced Networking certification alongside a CCNA is a powerful combination.
- Automation: Knowledge of scripting languages like Python for network automation is a game-changer. It allows companies to manage large, complex networks more efficiently, and employers will pay top dollar for this skill.
- Advanced Cisco Certifications: Progressing to the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or the elite Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) demonstrates deep expertise and leads to the highest-paying roles in the field.
Job Outlook
The career outlook for networking professionals is strong and stable. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for Network and Computer Systems Administrators is projected to grow 2% from 2022 to 2032.
While this growth rate appears modest, it represents a steady and essential demand. Every organization that uses technology relies on a network, and skilled professionals are needed to manage, secure, and upgrade these critical systems. The continuous rise of cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and heightened cybersecurity threats ensure that networking skills will remain in high demand for the foreseeable future. The median pay for this role was $90,520 per year in May 2022, reinforcing the solid earning potential in this field.
Conclusion
Obtaining a CCNA certification is a proven and powerful investment in your professional future. It provides the foundational knowledge to enter and thrive in the world of IT networking, with an average salary that reflects its value in the industry.
However, your starting salary is just that—a start. The key takeaways are:
- Gain Experience: Hands-on experience is the most critical factor for salary growth.
- Never Stop Learning: Supplement your CCNA with specializations in security, cloud, or automation to become indispensable.
- Know Your Worth: Understand how factors like location and company type affect salary so you can negotiate effectively.
For those willing to build on the CCNA foundation, a career in networking is not just stable—it's a path to a financially and professionally rewarding future.