Network Engineer Salaries in the UK: What Beginners Can Expect in 2026
Network Engineer

Network Engineer Salaries in the UK: What Beginners Can Expect in 2026

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The short answer: Most beginners start on £24,000–£28,000 a year. Within a couple of years of solid experience, that typically moves into the £34,000–£45,000 range, per GOV.UK’s National Careers Service and Prospects.ac.uk (2026). Experienced engineers can earn £65,000 or more, with senior and specialist roles pushing well past that.

One of the first questions people ask before switching into network engineering is a fair one:

“What am I actually going to earn?”

It’s an understandable question. Retraining takes time. Certifications aren’t free. And most people considering a career change aren’t looking for a vague idea of their projected salary. They want a number they can actually plan a life around.

How Much Does a Junior Network Engineer Earn in the UK?

Here’s the honest answer. According to GOV.UK’s National Careers Service, network engineers in the UK start at around £25,500, rising to £52,000 with experience. Prospects.ac.uk, the UK’s official graduate careers service, puts entry-level pay at £22,000–£28,000, with network engineers more broadly earning in the region of £45,000–£65,000 once established.

Job board data backs this up. Glassdoor’s UK figures put the average total pay at £42,730, with the overall range sitting between £25,618 and £75,860 depending on experience. 

So if you’re starting from nothing, expect around £24,000–£28,000 for your first role. That’s just the starting line.

How Does a Network Engineer Salary Increase With Experience?

Pay tends to grow in fairly predictable steps as you build a track record:

  • 0–1 years: £24,000–£28,000
  • 1–4 years: £30,000–£40,000
  • Mid-level, 3–5 years: £43,000–£57,000
  • Senior/experienced: £57,000–£65,000+
  • Consultant/specialist (CCIE, CCDP and similar): £100,000–£135,000

Does Where You Live in the UK Affect Network Engineer Pay?

Yes, and more than for some other tech roles.

CV-Library’s data puts national averages in the low-to-mid £40,000s, against London averages of around £50,000–£59,500. Reed.co.uk lists candidate salaries for Central London network engineer roles at £28,000–£50,000, with average starting salaries around £45,000 once qualified.

That’s a noticeably bigger salary than you’ll see in some other IT professions, largely because London and the South East host a disproportionate share of the UK’s data centres, financial services networks, and telecoms infrastructure.

Hybrid and remote roles have made a difference, too. Employers outside London increasingly pay competitively for good network engineers, wherever they’re logging in from.

Do You Need Certifications to Earn More as a Network Engineer?

Certifications change which roles you’re even considered for. Employers hiring junior network engineers are typically looking for practical proof and hands-on experience with switching, alongside recognised certifications from providers like Cisco or CompTIA.

For beginners without a related degree, that combination of a certification plus real lab or project work you can talk through in an interview is usually what gets a CV noticed.

How Does a Network Engineer Salary Compare to Other Tech Jobs?

Network engineer is a strong place to start at entry level, with a clear progression path built in.

Prospects.ac.uk’s guide lists these UK ranges for related roles:

  • Network analyst: £30,000–£45,000
  • Network engineer: £45,000–£65,000 (established)
  • Senior network engineer: £55,000–£75,000
  • Network manager: £65,000–£85,000
  • Network consultant (specialist certifications): £100,000–£135,000

Network manager and consultant roles tend to demand years of experience and advanced certifications, which makes network engineering a sensible first step for people who eventually want to move into architecture, security or management.

Is It Worth Starting a Career in Network Engineering in 2026?

Most people don’t start a career in network engineering expecting to stay on an entry-level salary forever.

They choose this path because it offers genuine long-term career progression, strong earning potential, and the opportunity to work in almost every industry. With organisations continuing to depend on secure, reliable connectivity to operate, skilled network engineers remain in high demand.

Your first role can open the door to a rewarding career with opportunities to specialise, take on more responsibility, and significantly increase your earning potential over time.

The people who progress the fastest typically have a few things in common. They focus on developing practical, job-ready skills, earn industry-recognised certifications that employers value, and build real-world experience through labs and projects that demonstrate what they can do.

You don’t need a computer science degree to get started. With the right training, commitment, and support, a career in network engineering is more accessible than many people realise.

The most important step is simply deciding to begin.

Download the Network Engineer career programme brochure to find out more: https://newtotraining.com/career-programmes/network-engineer/

Sources

Figures above reflect data available as of August 2026.

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