worthsay

Network Administration Salary in New Jersey: Is It a Good Career?

New Jersey · 2026 BLS salary data

Network Administration pay in New Jersey

The median wage is $116,420/yr — 17% above the national median. Among U.S. states, New Jerseyis one of the highest-paying states (#2 of 51).

The numbers in New Jersey

Real BLS state-level figures for Network Administration.

Median salary
$116,420/yr
Pay range (25th–75th)
$90,440 – $137,990
National median
$99,130/yr
Employed in New Jersey
9,280

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS), state estimates, May 2025 release.

What that pay is really worth in New Jersey

Salary alone can mislead — New Jersey costs 9% more than the U.S. average. Here's the median adjusted for local prices (real purchasing power).

Cost of living (US=100)
108.8
Nominal median
$116,420
Adjusted for cost of living
≈ $107,004
State income tax
Up to 10.75%

Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US=100), 2024. Adjusted pay = nominal median ÷ (RPP/100) — purchasing power vs the U.S. average. State income tax = top marginal rate on wage income (Tax Foundation, 2025); your effective rate is lower and depends on income and deductions.

FAQ

How much do network administration professionals make in New Jersey?

The median annual wage is $116,420 (BLS OEWS, state estimates), with the middle 50% earning between $90,440 and $137,990. That's 17% above the national median.

Is New Jersey a good state for network administration?

By raw pay, New Jersey is one of the highest-paying states (#2 of 51). Adjusted for cost of living (New Jersey costs 9% more than the U.S. average), that median is worth about $107,004.

Are network administration professionals in demand in New Jersey?

About 9,280 people work in this field in New Jersey (BLS OEWS). Nationally, BLS projects -4.2% employment growth for this field from 2024 to 2034.

The verdict, pros, and cons below apply to Network Administration nationally — New Jersey pay is 17% above the national median. See the full Network Administration career guide →

The verdict

Caution — network administration still pays decently, but BLS projects the role to decline as cloud and automation absorb traditional on-prem work. Worth it only if you treat it as a stepping stone and continuously move toward cloud, security, or DevOps.

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Decent pay for the required education
  • Solid technical foundation for IT careers
  • Certifications over degrees for entry
  • Skills transfer toward cloud and security
  • Every organization needs networking know-how

Cons

  • BLS projects the role to decline
  • Cloud and automation absorbing on-prem work
  • On-call and outage pressure
  • Requires constant re-skilling to stay relevant
  • Risk of stagnation without moving up

Who it's for

✓ A good fit if…

  • People who'll keep moving toward cloud/security/DevOps
  • Those wanting an IT foundation
  • Anyone treating it as a stepping stone

✗ Probably not if…

  • People expecting the traditional role to stay stable
  • Those unwilling to continuously re-skill

What people are actually asking

Real Reddit discussions on whether Network Administration is worth it — titles link to the original threads.