Computer Systems Networking

Types of Degrees Computer Systems Networking Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many computer systems networking graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	566
Graduate Certificate	154

What Computer Systems Networking Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to networking and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Networking Majors

Networking majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Skills for Networking Majors

When studying networking, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Networking Majors

A major in networking will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

What Can You Do With a Computer Systems Networking Major?

People with a networking degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Computer Network Architects	6.5%	$109,020
Computer Network Support Specialists	8.2%	$62,770
Informatics Nurse Specialists	9.1%	$88,740
Information Security Analysts	28.5%	$98,350

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Computer Systems Networking?

This major attracts more men than women. About 64% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of networking majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	32
Black or African American	31
Hispanic or Latino	26
White	96
International Students	349
Other Races/Ethnicities	32

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Networking, too. About 61.7% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• India
• China
• Saudi Arabia
• Pakistan
• Nigeria

How Much Do Computer Systems Networking Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a master’s degree in networking have a median salary of $68,726 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $68,726 (25th percentile) and $68,726 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in networking, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Networking majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $68,050 to $102,470 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Computer Systems Networking

Some careers associated with networking require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for networking careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	5.3%
Some College Courses	6.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	12.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	45.3%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	9.9%
Master’s Degree	16.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	2.4%
Doctoral Degree	0.9%

Online Computer Systems Networking Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 629 schools offered some type of computer systems networking program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	242	16
Certificate (2-4 Years)	17	0
Associate’s Degree	370	36
Bachelor’s Degree	21	5
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	42	10
Post-Master’s	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Computer Systems Networking Worth It?

The median salary for a networking grad is $93,610 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 135% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,074,200 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Computer Systems Networking

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to networking.

Major	Number of Grads
Computer Information Systems	20,748
Computer Science	15,813
Information Technology	10,754
Information Science	6,934
Computer Software & Applications	4,047
Computer Systems Analysis	817
Computer Programming	490
Other Computer & Information Sciences	443
Data Processing	205

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Ludovic.ferre under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.