Let’s talk about the most interesting topic: salaries for modern IT specialists. Naturally, the figures mentioned here aren’t set in stone, but rather serve as a rough benchmark.
Junior Network Engineer (or simply Network Engineer)
This person has studied the basics of network technologies.
They know what routing is and how switches work.
They have heard of firewalls.
They have a basic understanding of existing IT systems, servers, and virtualization—at the level of “read a couple of articles on Wikipedia or similar resources.”
With this background knowledge, zero experience, but plenty of motivation, they arrive at an interview. After successfully passing it, they start working in a position paying $65,000–$71,000 per year.
At this new job, they handle simple, routine tasks: configuring equipment using pre-made templates, investigating why communication links are down, and fulfilling access requests. They handle other mundane duties. At the same time, thanks to constant practice and hands-on work with hardware, they dive much deeper into the theoretical aspects of how technologies work, while also gaining experience interacting with the company’s specific network equipment.
They work like this for about 2–3 years, gaining invaluable experience and knowledge, after which they begin to qualify for the position of Senior Network Engineer.
Senior Network Engineer
This position brings the engineer $90,000–$110,000 per year. It includes all the same duties as the Junior Network Engineer, but at this level, the specialist is assigned to solve particularly important or complex routine tasks.
Management also starts occasionally assigning them unique new tasks for which no templates or regulations exist within the organization yet.
For example: There are 10 offices, and a VPN tunnel is built with each one. Every office uses the exact same equipment from the same manufacturer. Suddenly, a new office opens, and a similar VPN tunnel needs to be established. However, it turns out the new office bought equipment of the same class, but from a different manufacturer. A VPN tunnel needs to be configured with it.
On the surface, it’s the same task the specialist has solved before. But the use of new, unfamiliar equipment adds complexity.
Furthermore, assuming the engineer is smart, they have continued to study networking theory deeper and broaden their horizons this whole time.
But what does “broaden their horizons” mean? It sounds complex and vague. However, in the modern world, there is a huge number of existing technologies and just as many emerging ones. One way or another, we constantly hear new words and terms. To broaden your horizons, all you need to do is write down any new term you hear in a notebook, and at the end of the day, simply search online for “what is this term and technology anyway.” It doesn’t necessarily have to be about networking—let it be virtualization, databases, or even something new about programming languages. I assure you, if you read just one short article every day, in a year you will accumulate a very solid knowledge base that will help in any field of activity.
Returning to IT salaries, we see a picture where this Senior Network Engineer has 5–6 years of work under their belt, excellent practical skills in equipment configuration, a wealth of theoretical knowledge, and a decent outlook on the world of IT technologies. With all this, they are ready to apply for the position of “Lead Engineer” with a rate of $123,000 per year.
Lead Engineer
These engineers no longer need templates. They clearly know how everything is organized, the optimal way to configure specific equipment, and generally understand how to optimize any given area of their work.
In this role, the engineer begins to solve more and more new, non-standard tasks, most of which boil down to two directions:
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How to change the existing network so that it meets new tasks, requirements, and conditions.
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How to introduce new devices into the existing network so that they perform their functions without damaging the company’s existing infrastructure (so-called integration of new technologies).
This can include:
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Replacing old equipment with new or more powerful hardware.
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Installing new systems that had no prior analogue in the organization.
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Complex changes to the network schema itself.
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Other interesting tasks and challenges.
At this point, your horizons begin to expand almost automatically. Every task is a new challenge. New equipment, new integrations into the existing network, and other fascinating aspects.
The next few years in this position turn you into a true professional who knows their business and is ready to squeeze the maximum out of available equipment to benefit the company.
Chief Engineer, Architect, and Project Manager
After approximately 5–7 years of a career, the engineer—now a true professional—faces a choice of three vectors to pursue. Each position allows for a salary between $113,000 and $170,000 per year, but the role the engineer plays will change depending on the chosen path.
If the specialist works in a relatively small company with few employees, their position will likely include all three of these roles. However, in a large organization, these will likely be three separate positions. An engineer can become a Chief Engineer, an Architect, or a Project Manager.
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The Chief Engineer is a direct path of development implying a concentration of effort and experience on the support and maintenance of the existing network. All new projects and implementations pass through this engineer. They are responsible for ensuring everything works normally and that any technical glitches or difficulties are resolved as quickly as possible. Usually, this position is occupied by people with pronounced technical skills, strong memory, knowledge, and practical experience. Often, they do not like excessive communication. They find it much more interesting to tinker with equipment and get the most out of it.
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The Network Architect, conversely, is responsible for network development. This is an engineer with a good imagination, a creative streak, and strategic thinking. They are constantly on trend, trying to learn about new equipment and technologies appearing on the market. Their main task is to design new sections of the network, actively participate in product integrations, draw up schemas for system operations, and so on.
This role implies much more communication with colleagues, even those who do not understand technical issues very well. The Network Architect needs to understand existing tasks, study all currently available technical solutions, and then choose the most effective one. After that, they work through all theoretical issues and, together with the implementation team, realize the vision, taking responsibility for the final success. -
The Project Manager. This is a person with a massive outlook and experience in the field they manage. This is the least “technical” role at this level, but no less important. This specialist must tie together all existing points of view: the manager setting the task, the network architect proposing a path for execution, and the chief engineer along with the colleagues who will have to configure and support the equipment. The Project Manager must find a common language with everyone and constantly synchronize the actions of the process participants. Communicative, active people who are less interested in technical details and prefer organizational work feel very comfortable in this position.
If we take a non-networking direction—for example, a Systems Engineer—the salary ranges and general scope of duties will be absolutely the same. Only the specific tasks and nuances related to the chosen direction will change.