Network Engineer Salary in India 2024

What Does a Network Engineer Do?

The roles and responsibilities of a Network Engineer are dynamic. As technology keeps changing rapidly, you can become a successful Network Engineer if you improve your craft and have an inquisitive mind. Organizations need Network Engineers to fill several positions. You can expect a host of roles and responsibilities to handle, which may range from simple daily tasks to some complex operations. 

Here are some job positions that you might come across commonly as a Network Engineer.

• Computer Network Maintenance

One of the core responsibilities of a Network Engineer is ensuring computer networks are maintained well, allowing seamless communication and sharing of resources between different devices. This is performed for several devices, such as computers, servers, printers, and other wireless devices. You also need to handle the maintenance of other technologies, from remote resources, such as the internet, to the Internet of Things. This essentially means you, as a Network Engineer, would be required to maintain communication with outside vendors, such as internet service providers and the users.

It is with the help of Network Engineers that organizations can ensure there’s minimal downtime and adequate access. And when organizations plan for future network growth, it is Network Engineers who help strategize and materialize these strategies for successful implementation. Network Engineers ensure every computer network and systems run successfully, without any interruptions, at all times.

• Computer Network Architecture

Network Engineers also build network designs by considering certain aspects in mind. This involves the budget of the organization, the physical layout of the building, and other factors that decide how practical the design is. 

• Implementation and Management

Network Engineers are also expected to play the role of a manager for IT-related projects, which involves implementing and managing these projects.

• Network Security

One of the specializations in the area of computer networks is network security, and a Network Security Engineer is responsible for identifying and finding the most efficient ways to tackle cyber malware, hacking attempts, and bugs. They also keep an eye out for any suspicious activities in an organization’s network security to build effective and fool-proof configurations that help avoid potential IT threats.

• Cyber Security Analysis

Cyber Security Analysts test vulnerabilities in an organization with the help of penetration testing to identify and fix loopholes in the networks of the organization. This involves testing threat patterns and checking for security breaches, identification of weaknesses in firewall, and coming up with plans that help deal with an event of a security breach.

How to Become a Network Engineer?

If you’re planning to become a Network Engineer, you can take steps right from pursuing your bachelor’s degree to instil in yourself the skills that will help you become a master in the field.

• Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s in a computer-related field, such as programming or computer science, helps build a foundation that is critical to learning added skills. In fact, there are quite a few job openings for Network Engineering freshers with a bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field. In recent times, there are more specializations, such as management information systems program, cybersecurity, etc., that can also prove to be useful.

• Master’s Degree

While a bachelor’s degree may fetch you a Network Engineer’s position, you have better job prospects when you complete your master’s degree, especially if you’re aiming for leadership roles. You can choose a specialization that further sharpens your skills, such as an online postgraduate degree in cyber security. Such courses cover concepts ranging from advanced hacking, network packet analysis, software development security, security and risk management, and mobile and web technologies to network security. These concepts deliver the knowledge and skills that can help you find good positions with high Network Security Engineer salary in India.

• Hands-on Experience

Once you’ve completed your master’s degree, starting with internships can be insightful. It helps you understand how things work and what are the expectations from a network security engineer before you actually take up a full-time position.

Network Engineer Salary in India

As internet and network systems are actively becoming a part of every sphere, organizations worry about cyber security and potential threats to security systems. The losses incurred due to security breaches can be significant, and this is why organizations hire professional Network Engineers, explaining how the career and Network Engineer salary are on the rise.

While Network Engineers with experience have a better remuneration package, the entry-level Network Security Engineer salary in India is estimated to be INR 2,50,000 per annum. With an experience of around 1 to 4 years in the field, the average base pay increases to an estimated INR 3,00,000 per annum. Eventually, a mid-career network security engineering position ranging in experience from 5 to 9 years accounts to annual average base pay of INR 5,40,000. With significant experience of around 10-19 years in the field, Network Engineer salary can go up to INR 8,20,000 per annum, which is an average estimate.

However, Network Security Engineer salary in India also depends on the location where they’re hired. Cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, and Pune have a higher pay scale compared to other cities, such as Chennai and Hyderabad. The salary may also vary based on the job role that you’re hired for. Some of the highest paid job roles in the field of network security are that of a Chief Information Security Officer, Security Architect, and Cyber Security Manager. However, these job roles require you to possess exceptional skills and years of experience, as these are leadership roles. Among other job roles in the field for candidates who are either freshers or those with a couple of years of experience are Ethical Hacker, Cyber Security Analyst, and Cyber Security Engineer.

FAQs

1. What is the starting network engineer salary in India?

In India, the average starting salary for a network engineer is roughly 1.8 lakhs per year (15.0k per month). A Network Engineer must have at least one year of experience.

2. What is the highest network engineer salary in India?

In India, the highest income a Network Engineer may earn is 7.0 Lakhs per year (58.3k per month).

3. Do network engineers make a lot of money in India?

An experienced Network Engineer with 10-20 years of experience makes an average income of 11.2 Lakhs per year in Manufacturing businesses.

4. Which network engineer earns the highest salary?

One of the highest-paying occupations in the networking industry is network solutions architect or network architect. Their responsibilities include creating an efficient and cost-effective network design for the firm. They must also manage and analyse the existing networks.

5. Is networking a good career in India?

Because India is Asia's IT hub, networking is in high demand. In India, the scope of networking is enormous. Companies such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Tech Mahindra, and others.

Conclusion

Organizations realize the importance of cyber security more than ever in recent times. This has created a huge demand for skilled and competent professionals. Choosing Network Engineer as a career option can be immensely interesting if you’re into technology, and the current and future demand also makes it a rewarding choice. As a beginner, you can choose to work for start-ups and smaller companies. However, there are abundant opportunities in large-scale organizations as well.

What lays the best foundation for becoming a professional Network Engineer with a good grip on the skills required to suit the job role is a systematic curriculum. Therefore, if you plan to become a Network Engineer, pursuing a reliable course such as Simplileran’s Post Graduate Program in Cyber Security after your bachelor’s degree will help catapult your growth in terms of career to new heights while instilling confidence in you. Once you’re a part of the industry, you can expect a good Network Engineer salary growth over the years. 

If you have any questions or doubts, the feel free to post them in the comments below. Our team will get back to you at the earliest.