Salary for a Network Engineer in India is projected to increase by 20-30% by 2025. Thanks to the rising demand for networking, cloud, and cybersecurity. The global network engineering service market is expected to grow from $58.45 billion in 2025 to $123.88 billion by 2035.

Once you attain intermediate-level knowledge about networking, you become a Network Engineer. There are plenty of career paths you can follow after becoming a Network Engineer. You can either diversify your expertise in network security, network automation, or even cloud computing.

If you want a clear roadmap from L1 to specialist roles with relevant skills, certifications, tools, and growth tips, ensure that you keep reading

TL;DR

• You start your career as a Network Administrator and then move on as a Network Engineer.

• You then eventually move on to Senior or Lead Network Engineer.

• From the lead role, you can specialize in areas such as Network Security, Cloud Networking, Wireless Networking, collaboration and voice systems, Data Center Networking, SD-WAN/SASE, or network automation and DevNet.

•  Further, you can also branch into related roles such as Site Reliability Engineer (SRE), Solutions Architect, or IT Manager.

To conclude, 

Start with a core networking role → move up → choose a specialization → optionally switch to a related field

Navigating Different Career Paths for Network Engineers

Let’s discuss the foundational track first!

1. Foundational Track: Core Network Engineering

The typical ladder to become a core Network Engineer looks like the following:

NOC/L1 → Network Admin → Network Engineer → Senior/Lead.

The core stack includes the following:

• Routing/switching

• TCP/IP

• VLANs

• BGP/OSPF

• Wi-Fi

• Monitoring

You can pursue the following certifications to become a core Network Engineer:

• CompTIA Network+: It is a vendor-neutral certification that helps you gain knowledge in IT infrastructure skills to troubleshoot, configure, and manage networks. 

• CCNA: Offered by Cisco and one of the most prestigious certifications to start a career in networking, the CCNA certification helps you upskill from desktop support roles.

• CCNP ENCOR: Followed by CCNA, the CCNP ENCOR is a core technology certification offered by Cisco. This certification further deepens your knowledge in networking and automation.

2. Specialist Paths

After you’ve mastered the core network specialist role, you can choose any one of the following niches:

• Network Security Engineer/Architect

The following are the main skills you need to master:

• Firewalls

• Intrusion detection system (IDS)/ Intrusion prevention system (IPS)

• Virtual Private Network (VPN)

• Zero-trust

The following are the tools to master:

• PAN-OS

• FortiOS

• Check Point

The following are the main certifications you must master:

• CCNP Security

• Fortinet NSE 4-7

• Certified Security Administrator (CCSA)

• PCNSA (Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator)

• Cloud Network Engineer

The following are the main skills you need to master to become a Cloud Network Engineer:

• VPC/VNet design

• Hybrid connectivity

• Transit gateways

• PrivateLink

You can pursue the following certifications to become a Cloud Network Engineer:

• AWS Advanced Networking - Specialty

• Azure Network Engineer - Associate

• Network Automation/DevNet Engineer

You need to master the following skills to become a Network Automation/DevNet engineer:

• Python

• APIs

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC), such as Terraform, Ansible

• CI/CD for network

You can pursue the following certifications to become an automation engineer:

• Cisco DevNet Associate/Professional

• SD-WAN/SASE Engineer

You need to master the following skills to become an SD-WAN Engineer:

• Overlay routing

• Quality of Service (QoS)

• Security Edges

You can use the following tools:

• Cisco

• Fortinet

• Palo Alto

• VMware

• Wireless/Mobility Engineer

You need to master the following concepts:

• RF design

• Surveys

• 802.11ax

• WPA3

You must master the following tool:

• Ekahau

• Collaboration/Voice (UC) Engineer

You need to master the following skills:

• SIP

• QoS

• SBCs

You need to master the following tools:

• Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM)

• Teams

• Zoom phone

• Data Center/Cloud Edge

You need to master the following skills:

• VXLAN

• EVPN

• Leaf-spine

• Load balancing

You need to master the following tools:

• ACI

• NSX

• F5

3. Adjacent Career Paths Beyond Networking

You can also specialize in the following career paths:

• Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)

SRE is a professional who focuses on reliability, observability, and traffic mgmt.

• Solutions/Enterprise Architect

These professionals often work in pre-sales and design authorities.

• IT Manager/Director

These professionals help with people or process leadership.

Salary Overview for Network Engineering Roles

The following are the approximate ranges of salary annually for network-related roles:

• India: ₹2.5 LPA – ₹15 LPA for core roles, ₹7–22 LPA for network cloud/security/automation

• United States: $60,000 – $105,000 (Core Network Engineer)

• Canada: $54,000 – $149,500 (Cisco Network Engineer)

• United Kingdom: £35,000 – £55,000 for mid-level, £60k–80k for niche roles

• Germany: $75k for Cisco-certified engineers

• Australia: AUD 105,000 – 125,000

• Ireland: €39,000/year for experienced engineers

• Netherlands: €3.5k–7.5k/month

How to Pick Your Career Path in Networking?

You can follow the following 3-step decision framework to build a solid career in networking:

• Strengths and interests

Identify your strength areas, it could be logical thinking, working with hardware, etc. Then collaborate with your interests, such as cloud, automation, or cybersecurity.

• Market demand 

Recognize which field is booming in the industry currently. However, we recommend that you stay away from industry trends and fads.

• Sample project in a niche

You can start building your portfolio. For example, you can build your network simulation on Cisco Packet Tracer.

Where to Upskill in the Networking Domain?

If you want to specialize in any domain, be it core networking or cloud networking, it is important to have a mentor. Don’t have one? Don’t worry, introducing Network Kings, a 100% online platform where you get to learn directly from the top 1% engineers.

The following are the highlighted features of enrolling at Network Kings:

Network Kings is a 100% online IT career platform, especially for becoming a network security expert. The following are the highlighted features of online training at Network Kings:

• You learn from the top 1% engineers working in top tech giants like Cisco, Microsoft, Apple, Aricent, Palo Alto Networks, Juniper Networks, etc.

• You get to practice hands-on in the world's biggest virtual labs like Cisco Packet Tracer and EVE-NG.

• You also get placement assistance as we have partnered with Engineer Edge. They craft your resume and apply for jobs for you.

• You get to become a Network Security Engineer in just 6-8 months.

Ready to supercharge your career as a Network Engineer? Check out more info here.

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FAQs:

1. Is networking engineering dying in the cloud era?

No, network engineers are here to stay, as even cloud servers need physical servers to work. There are various new-gen network automation engineers or cloud network engineers who represent this new era.

2. Do I need programming for network jobs?

No, you don’t need programming for networking jobs. However, minimal coding is required for task automation.

3. Cloud Network Engineer vs Network Engineer—what’s the difference?

Cloud Network Engineer: designs, automates, and secures virtual and hybrid cloud networks (AWS/Azure/GCP) using IaC, cloud services, and provider APIs. Network Engineer: implements and manages on‑prem physical and virtual networks (switches, routers, firewalls, WAN/MPLS) with hands‑on hardware and routing/switching protocols.

4. How long does it take to progress from L1 to Senior Network Engineer?

It typically takes 5–10 years, depending on skill growth, certifications (CCNA/CCNP/CCIE), hands-on experience, and company promotion paths.