JobAfterNext

Computer Network Support Specialists

Analyze, test, troubleshoot, and evaluate existing network systems, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), cloud networks, servers, and other data communications networks. Perform network maintenance to ensure networks operate correctly with minimal interruption.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$76,220
Employment, U.S.146,190
Median hourly wage$36.64
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$47,120$58,240$76,220$98,750$127,780
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama940$61,8900.47
Alaska300$86,1101.00
Arizona1,460$68,8800.48
Arkansas1,470$59,4601.20
California13,620$79,1900.80
Colorado4,530$82,7501.68
Connecticut850$81,8900.53
Delaware330$60,5800.72
District of Columbia450$91,3700.68
Florida9,450$75,7401.01
Georgia4,440$79,1800.96
Hawaii350$83,6200.59
Idaho780$63,3400.97
Illinois6,960$68,5301.21
Indiana5,030$73,1001.67
Iowa1,920$64,6001.31
Kansas310$60,0600.23
Kentucky1,720Not available0.91
Louisiana1,290$58,6800.71
Maine680$72,9901.14
Maryland8,200$96,6803.16
Massachusetts1,980$88,6500.58
Michigan2,470$65,9000.60
Minnesota2,930$76,0001.06
Mississippi1,240$63,4101.14
Missouri3,910$72,7801.42
Montana890$61,1501.85
Nebraska1,490$65,4501.54
Nevada2,460$85,7901.69
New Hampshire680$72,3301.06
New Jersey3,370$87,4400.84
New Mexico1,300$64,5501.59
New York7,170$77,5400.79
North Carolina6,080Not available1.31
North Dakota500$73,5501.24
Ohio7,480$70,0801.43
Oklahoma1,940$78,7401.21
Oregon2,660$68,9001.44
Pennsylvania4,170$78,3100.73
Rhode Island620$82,9701.32
South Carolina2,660$76,7901.23
South Dakota480$53,6501.12
Tennessee2,660$77,6400.86
Texas9,930$66,7800.75
Utah990Not available0.61
Vermont120$72,4000.41
Virginia5,650$76,7601.46
Washington3,300$101,7500.99
West Virginia600$46,8400.90
Wisconsin1,140$81,0100.41
Wyoming270$61,7801.01

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Computer User Support Specialists30.961
2Network and Computer Systems Administrators30.959
3Information Security Analysts40.958
4Computer Network Architects40.955
5Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists40.950
6Broadcast Technicians30.947
7Computer Systems Engineers/Architects30.946
8Computer Systems Analysts40.945
9Telecommunications Engineering Specialists30.941
10Database Administrators40.940

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Computer Network Support Specialists, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Broadcast TechniciansOperation and Control1.130.947
Information Security EngineersProgramming3.380.935
Web AdministratorsProgramming2.880.934
Audio and Video TechniciansOperation and Control0.880.932
Power Distributors and DispatchersOperation and Control1.000.916
Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and RepairersInstallation0.760.915
Sound Engineering TechniciansOperation and Control1.130.914
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and FilmCoordination1.000.903
Document Management SpecialistsTime Management0.760.901
Remote Sensing TechniciansMathematics1.260.901

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Computer Network Support Specialists, excluding software Computer Network Support Specialists already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
C15 of 2010.0x
Oracle Fusion Middleware10 of 2028.8x
PHP13 of 2012.8x
Amazon Web Services AWS software13 of 2011.5x
JavaScript15 of 208.2x
Ansible software11 of 2017.5x
Red Hat WildFly10 of 2023.1x
C#13 of 2010.9x
Enterprise JavaBeans10 of 2022.0x
Oracle WebLogic Server10 of 2018.5x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.75 3.75
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.50 3.62
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.38 3.88
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.38 3.38
MonitoringEssential skill 3.25 3.62
SpeakingEssential skill 3.25 3.50
Active LearningEssential skill 3.25 3.38
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.25 3.25
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.12 3.38
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
WritingEssential skill 3.00 3.50
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.00 3.25
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.00 3.12
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 2.62
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 2.88 3.12
RepairingTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
InstallationTransferable skill 2.75 3.12
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.75 2.75
InstructingTransferable skill 2.62 3.25
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.62 3.25
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 2.62 2.75
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.50 2.88
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.50 2.75
ProgrammingTransferable skill 2.25not rated
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.25 2.62
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.25 2.25
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.25 2.00
MathematicsEssential skill 2.12 2.62
Technology DesignTransferable skill 2.12 1.88
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.00 2.12
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.00 1.62
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.88 1.88
ScienceEssential skill 1.88 1.50
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Computers and Electronics 4.96 6.58
Telecommunications 3.79 4.69
Customer and Personal Service 3.45 3.78
Engineering and Technology 3.40 4.12
English Language 3.31 3.35
Administration and Management 3.12 3.72
Communications and Media 2.99 3.45
Education and Training 2.95 3.42
Administrative 2.91 3.71
Design 2.63 3.09
Production and Processing 2.61 2.68
Public Safety and Security 2.51 2.38
Mathematics 2.45 3.08
Mechanical 2.18 2.23
Personnel and Human Resources 1.96 1.93
Law and Government 1.90 1.45
Psychology 1.85 1.36
Economics and Accounting 1.78 1.03
Building and Construction 1.65 1.45
Geography 1.35not rated
Sales and Marketing 1.34 0.54
Foreign Language 1.27not rated
Physics 1.27not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.23not rated
Chemistry 1.17not rated
Transportation 1.16not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.13not rated
History and Archeology 1.12not rated
Fine Arts 1.05not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.05not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.01not rated
Biology 1.00not rated
Food Production 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Oral Comprehension 3.88 4.25
Deductive Reasoning 3.88 4.00
Problem Sensitivity 3.88 3.50
Oral Expression 3.75 4.00
Inductive Reasoning 3.75 3.62
Written Comprehension 3.62 4.00
Information Ordering 3.50 3.75
Written Expression 3.38 3.75
Near Vision 3.38 3.25
Speech Recognition 3.38 3.12
Speech Clarity 3.38 3.00
Selective Attention 3.12 3.12
Fluency of Ideas 3.00 3.50
Category Flexibility 3.00 3.38
Flexibility of Closure 3.00 3.00
Finger Dexterity 3.00 2.88
Visualization 2.88 3.25
Far Vision 2.75 2.75
Originality 2.62 3.12
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.62 2.62
Speed of Closure 2.62 2.62
Perceptual Speed 2.62 2.50
Visual Color Discrimination 2.50 2.88
Memorization 2.50 2.75
Mathematical Reasoning 2.38 2.38
Manual Dexterity 2.38 2.25
Multilimb Coordination 2.38 2.00
Number Facility 2.25 2.50
Auditory Attention 2.25 2.38
Time Sharing 2.25 2.25
Control Precision 2.25 2.12
Depth Perception 2.12 1.88
Hearing Sensitivity 2.00 1.88
Extent Flexibility 2.00 1.38
Static Strength 1.88 1.25
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.38 0.50
Sound Localization 1.12not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.12not rated
Trunk Strength 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 142
  • Splunk Enterprise hot
  • Structured query language SQL hot
  • Teradata Database hot
  • UNIX hot
  • UNIX Shell hot
  • Anti-spyware software
  • Antivirus software
  • Application management software
  • Arping
  • Automated installation software
  • B&W Port Scanner
  • BMC Software Control-M
  • BMC Software Remedy IT Service Management Suite
  • Bentley Systems ProjectWise
  • BitWizard B.V. mtr
  • BlackBerry Enterprise Server
  • Cisco Systems Cisco NetFlow Collection Engine
  • Cisco Systems Cisco Traffic Analyzer
  • Cisco Systems CiscoWorks
  • Cisco Systems CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution
  • Citrix cloud computing software
  • Clarified Networks Clarified Analyzer
  • Colasoft Capsa Enterprise
  • Colasoft Capsa Free
  • Compuware ClientVantage Agentless Monitoring
  • Congruity Technologies Inspector
  • Connectivity software
  • Customer information control system CICS
  • Dartware InterMapper
  • Database management software
  • Dig
  • EMC Ionix Network Configuration Manager
  • EMC NetWorker
  • EMC Symmetrix DMX
  • Encryption software
  • Ethereal
  • Ettercap NG
  • File server software
  • Fluke Networks Enterprise LANMeter
  • Help desk software
  • Hewlett Packard HP-UX
  • Hewlett-Packard HP Network Node Manager
  • IBM AIX
  • IBM Domino
  • IBM Notes
  • IBM Power Systems software
  • IBM Security Network Intrusion Prevention System
  • IBM Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager
  • IBM WebSphere
  • Intrusion prevention system IPS
  • Job control language JCL
  • KornShell
  • LAMP Stack
  • Load testing software
  • LogMatrix NerveCenter
  • McAfee
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Microsoft Hyper-V Server
  • Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)
  • Microsoft Network Monitor
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript
  • Microsoft Windows PowerShell
  • Microsoft Windows Sysprep
  • NIKSUN NetDetector
  • Nagios
  • NetScout Sniffer Global Analyzer
  • NetScout Sniffer Portable Professional Analyzer
  • Network Instruments Observer Standard
  • Network and system vulnerability assessment software
  • Network design software
  • Network intrusion detection software
  • Norton AntiVirus
  • NortonLifeLock cybersecurity software
  • NovaStor NovaBACKUP
  • Novell eDirectory
  • Nslookup
  • OPNET SP Sentinel
  • Oracle Solaris
  • Packet analyzers
  • Packet filter software
  • Patch and update management software
  • Ping Identity
  • Port scanners
  • Project planning software
  • Remote control software
  • Root kit detection software
  • Route
  • Roxio Retrospect
  • Security incident management software
  • SolarWinds
  • Sonicwall SonicOS Enhanced
  • Storage area network SAN software
  • Symantec Veritas NetBackup
  • Symantec pcAnywhere
  • Tape backup system software
  • Tcpdump
  • Traceroute
  • Traffic shapers
  • Ubuntu
  • VMware
  • Veritas NetBackup
  • Virtual private networking VPN software
  • Voice over internet protocol VoIP system software
  • WildPackets OmniPeek Network Analyzer
  • Wireshark
  • Zabbix
  • ifconfig
  • ipconfig
  • nbtstat
  • netstat
  • ngrep

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Ames, IA2003.85$82,360
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD4,9103.85$102,980
Champaign-Urbana, IL3003.00$66,260
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL6602.87$76,630
Cheyenne, WY1202.65$63,080
Helena, MT1102.59$62,440
Bloomington, IL2102.55$68,840
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO3,5802.37$82,750
Evansville, IN3002.35$66,910
Cedar Rapids, IA2902.24$60,450

More metros, other thresholds