Career comparison
Cybersecurity Analyst vs. Network Technician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Cybersecurity analysts earn more at the median ($129,180 vs. $76,220), while network technicians usually get to work faster (6 months–2 years of training). Cybersecurity analysts monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats that target an organization. Network technicians install, monitor and troubleshoot the networks that connect computers and people.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Cybersecurity Analyst | Network Technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $129,180 ($62.11/hr) | $76,220 ($36.64/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $75,090 – $199,850 | $47,120 – $127,780 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +21.0% (much faster than average) | +1.2% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 14,100 | 9,000 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Associate's degree |
| Training time | 1–4 years | 6 months–2 years |
| Key credential | CompTIA Security+ | CompTIA Network+ |
| Work setting | Analysts work in offices, SOCs or remotely, at computers most of the day. | Technicians work in offices, data centers, wiring closets and network operations centers. |
What each job does
Cybersecurity Analyst
- Monitor security alerts from SIEM and EDR tools
- Investigate suspicious activity, phishing and malware
- Respond to and document security incidents
- Run vulnerability scans and track remediation
- Configure and maintain security controls
Network Technician
- Install and configure network equipment
- Monitor network performance and alerts
- Troubleshoot connectivity problems
- Install and test network cabling
- Maintain network documentation
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, problem-solving, shift work, and high-pay. Both are part of the technology field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose cybersecurity analyst if…
- I’m curious about how systems can be attacked and defended
- I like investigating and solving puzzles
- I can stay calm under pressure
Choose network technician if…
- I like figuring out why things aren’t working
- I enjoy hands-on tech work
- I can stay calm during outages
Still torn? Take the Cybersecurity Analyst fit quiz and the Network Technician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, cybersecurity analyst or network technician?
Cybersecurity Analysts earn more at the median: $129,180 versus $76,220 for network technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Network Technicians typically train faster (6 months–2 years) than cybersecurity analysts (1–4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects cybersecurity analysts to grow +21.0% from 2025–35, compared with +1.2% for network technicians.