Career comparison
Network Administrator vs. Web Developer
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Network administrators earn more at the median ($99,130 vs. $92,650), while web developers usually get to work faster (6 months to 4 years of training). Network administrators design, run and secure the networks and servers organizations depend on. Web developers build fast, accessible websites and web applications people love to use.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Network Administrator | Web Developer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $99,130 ($47.66/hr) | $92,650 ($44.54/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $62,640 – $155,050 | $48,100 – $162,290 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | -4.1% (a projected decline) | +3.8% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 13,400 | 5,300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 1–4 years | 6 months to 4 years |
| Key credential | CompTIA Network+ | Portfolio of projects |
| Work setting | Network administrators work in offices, data centers and remotely for businesses, schools, hospitals, government and managed service providers. | Web developers work for agencies, tech companies, corporations, government and as freelancers. |
What each job does
Network Administrator
- Install and configure network hardware and software
- Manage switches, routers, firewalls and wireless access points
- Monitor network performance and security
- Administer servers, user accounts and cloud services
- Apply updates, patches and configuration changes
Web Developer
- Build web pages and applications from designs and requirements
- Write HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Develop back-end services, APIs and databases
- Make sites responsive, accessible and fast
- Test, debug and fix issues
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with information, problem-solving, working independently, and remote-friendly work. Both are part of the technology field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose network administrator if…
- I like understanding how systems connect and communicate
- I troubleshoot methodically
- I’m OK with after-hours maintenance sometimes
Choose web developer if…
- I enjoy building things on a computer
- I like solving logic puzzles
- I care about design and user experience
Still torn? Take the Network Administrator fit quiz and the Web Developer fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, network administrator or web developer?
Network Administrators earn more at the median: $99,130 versus $92,650 for web developers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Web Developers typically train faster (6 months to 4 years) than network administrators (1–4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects web developers to grow +3.8% from 2025–35, compared with -4.1% for network administrators.