Its computer network architects page shows a median annual wage of $134,050 in May 2025. That page counts 181,800 jobs and projects employment growth of 8% from 2025 to 2035. The lowest 10% earned less than $79,900, and the highest 10% earned more than $202,680.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook has a profile for network and computer systems administrators. It shows a median wage of $99,130 a year in May 2025. BLS counts 323,600 jobs, and employment is projected to fall 4% from 2025 to 2035. The highest 10% earned more than $155,050.
Put the two medians side by side and the gap is $34,920 a year. The two jobs move in opposite directions over the same ten years. Architect jobs grow and administrator jobs shrink.
| Network job | Median pay | Jobs | Outlook 2025-2035 |
|---|
| Network and computer systems administrators | $99,130 | 323,600 | -4% |
| Computer network architects | $134,050 | 181,800 | +8% |
| Gap between the two medians | $34,920 | Computed from the two rows above |
| Entry education listed by BLS | Bachelor's degree for both jobs |
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for both jobs. A certification alone does not meet that line. Our guide to the best IT certifications without a degree covers the other route.
Neither exam is a pay switch. Choose by the kind of equipment you will work on. Network+ is vendor neutral, so it never asks for Cisco commands. CCNA expects Cisco configuration commands.
What does each exam actually test?
The two exams share a subject and split it in different ways. Both test how networks carry traffic. Network+ is vendor neutral, so the test never asks for Cisco commands. CCNA expects Cisco configuration commands, because Cisco sells that equipment.
| Exam | Domain | Weight |
|---|
| Network+ N10-009 | Networking concepts | 23% |
| Network+ N10-009 | Network implementation | 20% |
| Network+ N10-009 | Network operations | 19% |
| Network+ N10-009 | Network security | 14% |
| Network+ N10-009 | Network troubleshooting | 24% |
| CCNA 200-301 v1.1 | Network Fundamentals | 20% |
| CCNA 200-301 v1.1 | Network Access | 20% |
| CCNA 200-301 v1.1 | IP Connectivity | 25% |
| CCNA 200-301 v1.1 | IP Services | 10% |
| CCNA 200-301 v1.1 | Security Fundamentals | 15% |
| CCNA 200-301 v1.1 | Automation and Programmability | 10% |
Network+ puts its largest block on troubleshooting at 24%, and the exam is 90 minutes long. CCNA puts its largest block on IP connectivity at 25%, and the exam runs 120 minutes. Cisco publishes no official question count for the CCNA. Any figure you read on a training site is an estimate.
Neither exam has a formal prerequisite, but CompTIA publishes advice. It recommends holding the CompTIA A+ certification before you attempt Network+. CompTIA also advises nine to twelve months of practical experience. That experience can come from work as a junior network administrator or a network support technician.
If you plan to earn the A+ first, our guide to CompTIA A+ certification cost covers the price. It also covers the retake bundle.
No lab exam is required for either certification. Cisco sells labs as study material for the CCNA. The lab requirement applies to the tracks above CCNA, not to CCNA itself.
Which exam should you take first if you plan to hold both?
Holding both ends the CompTIA Network+ vs CCNA question, and it costs the same in either order. Network+ at $399 plus CCNA at $300 comes to $699. What changes the total is a failed exam.
If you expect one bad day, buy the Network+ bundle with a retake first at $519. Then add the CCNA at $300, and the pair costs $819. Buying two single vouchers instead reaches $1,098, so the retake bundle saves $279.
The rule that falls out of the table is simple. Pick Network+ first when you want one purchase that covers a failure. Pick CCNA first when you are confident enough to rebook.
If you also plan Security+, our guide to CompTIA Security+ exam cost covers its price.
How do you start this month?
Pick your exam date before you pick your study plan, because the CCNA dates are fixed. If you can sit the current version before February 2, 2027, book that seat first. You then hold the certification now.
If you need more months of study, study against the v2.0 objectives instead. Then book the exam itself.
Our guide to how to pass the CCNA exam walks through the booking steps. It also covers the labs that help with the configuration questions.
One last check before you pay. Read the job postings you want to answer and count how many name a certification. That tells you which exam your market pays for.
Photo: bsdrouin, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/network-server-system-2402637/)
Fazlur Rahman
