How to become an iT network professional
Official title: IT network professionals
Also called: Network analyst, Network planner, Network designer, Network engineer, Network consultant, Network specialist, Network design engineer, Network support engineer, Network systems engineer, Network services consultant, Network integration engineer, Network installation engineer
IT network professionals design, set up and maintain computer networks, support the network users and fix problems which arise.
Main tasks
- Implements and evaluates new networking environments, including software and hardware
- Monitors performance and makes recommendations concerning network quality.
- Creates users' accounts and provides troubleshooting service to users
- Ensures network security, reports on, investigates and fixes network faults
- Writes operational documentation and provides subsequent support and training for users
How to become one
Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification, although entry with other academic qualifications and/or significant relevant experience is possible. There is a variety of relevant vocational, professional and postgraduate qualifications available.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Network engineer (level 4). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0127.
- University: Computing & IT degrees, Offered by 26 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £48,907 a year The middle half earn £40,104 to £66,230.
- About 35,000 people work in this job now, and about 38,800 are projected by 2035. (+11.1%)
Related jobs
- IT project managers
- IT managers
- IT business analysts, architects and systems designers
- Programmers and software development professionals
- Cyber security professionals
- IT quality and testing professionals
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Questions people ask
How do I become an iT network professional?
Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification, although entry with other academic qualifications and/or significant relevant experience is possible. There is a variety of relevant vocational, professional and postgraduate qualifications available.
How much does an iT network professional earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £48,907 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £40,104 to £66,230.
Is an iT network professional a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2035, from about 35,000 to about 38,800 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become an iT network professional?
Not always. 55% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Computing & IT degrees; Network engineer (level 4).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.