---
title: "CCNA Jobs: Career Options, Skills, and Salary Expectations"
description: Explore common jobs for CCNA holders, from support roles to network security. Learn about skills, salaries, and how to enhance your career prospects.
---
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# Common Jobs for Cisco CCNA
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CCNA
## CCNA Jobs: Career Options, Skills, and Salary Expectations
- June 10 2013
- Paul Ricketts
CCNA jobs include roles like network support specialist, network technician, junior network administrator, and junior network engineer. With more experience, they can lead to network administration and network security. The [Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)](https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/enterprise/ccna/index.html) credential shows that you understand networking fundamentals that employers use every day. It doesn't replace an employer's requirements, though. Each organization sets its own expectations for education, experience, and practical skills. This guide explains which roles fit CCNA knowledge, how starting roles differ from later specializations, and what to build beyond the exam.What CCNA Validates
To earn the CCNA, you pass one exam: **200-301 CCNA, Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions v1.1**. [Cisco lists no formal prerequisites](https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/enterprise/ccna/index.html), but it recommends hands-on practice configuring and troubleshooting networks.
According to [Cisco's official exam topics](https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/ccna-exam-topics), the exam covers a specific, foundational scope:
- Network fundamentals and network access, including switching, VLANs, and wireless
- IP connectivity, including IPv4/IPv6 addressing, subnetting, static routes, and single-area OSPF
- IP services such as DHCP, DNS, and NAT
- Security fundamentals and access controls
- Automation and programmability basics, including APIs and configuration-management concepts
The exam runs 120 minutes. Cisco lists the price as US$300 and uses multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based formats.
**Version note (as of November 2, 2026):** The last day to test on v1.1 is February 2, 2027. Version 2.0 starts on February 3, 2027 ([Cisco](https://blogs.cisco.com/learning/stay-on-track-get-certified-before-the-ccna-refresh)). If you're preparing now, check which version you'll test on before you choose study materials.
CCNA certification is valid for three years. You can renew it by passing a qualifying exam or by earning [30 eligible Continuing Education credits](https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/learn/training-certifications/certifications/recertification/index.html) before it expires.
## CCNA Jobs to Consider and How They Differ
CCNA knowledge applies across several networking roles, but not every role is a realistic first step. The table groups roles by how they typically relate to the certification. These groupings are practical guidance, not a ranking of how common each job is.
| Role to explore | Typical focus | How it relates to CCNA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Network support specialist | Diagnosing connectivity problems, testing networks, performing maintenance | Strong match for foundational troubleshooting skills. Education and hiring requirements vary. |
| Network technician / field technician | Onsite equipment and connectivity support | Good fit for hands-on learners. Check each posting for travel and physical requirements. |
| Junior network administrator | Helping with configuration, monitoring, maintenance, and escalation | A realistic target when the employer accepts your skills and background. |
| Junior network engineer | Supporting configuration and troubleshooting under senior staff | A possible target, but certification doesn't automatically earn the title. |
| Network administrator | Maintaining network infrastructure, security, and performance | Often requires broader systems experience beyond exam preparation. |
| Network security analyst | Investigating threats, maintaining protections, assessing vulnerabilities | A specialization. Networking fundamentals help, but you'll need more security skills and experience. |
### Starting roles
[Network support specialists](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-support-specialists.htm) analyze and resolve network problems, test connections, and perform routine maintenance. This work leans directly on CCNA topics like subnetting, VLANs, and DHCP troubleshooting. If you're just starting out, foundational training like [CompTIA A+/Network+](https://www.trainace.com/products/a-plus-network-plus-combined-training-and-certification) can help you prepare for these roles.
**Network and field technicians** install, maintain, and troubleshoot equipment onsite. If you like hands-on work away from a desk, this path can suit you. Duties vary a lot by employer, and some roles involve travel to client locations.
**Junior network administrators and junior network engineers** usually work under experienced staff. They help with configuration changes, monitor performance, and escalate issues they can't resolve. Job titles aren't standardized, so one company's "junior engineer" may do the same work as another company's "network administrator." Compare the actual duties in each posting rather than relying on the title.
### Progression roles
[Network administrators](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm) keep an organization's network running reliably and securely. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), this work can overlap with systems administration, which covers servers and user accounts. Those broader responsibilities usually go beyond what the CCNA exam measures. If you want to go deeper into enterprise networking, the next Cisco level is [CCNP Enterprise](https://www.trainace.com/products/ccnp-enterprise-encor-enarsi-cisco-certified-network-professional-training-certification).
**Network security analysts** protect networks and data. According to BLS, [information security analysts](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm) typically need related work experience, often as network or systems administrators. The CCNA covers security fundamentals, which is a useful base. Moving into security usually takes further study, such as [CompTIA Security+](https://www.trainace.com/products/security-plus-training-and-certification), along with practical experience.
## Can You Get a CCNA Job Without Experience?
You can apply for networking support and junior roles with a CCNA and no professional experience, but the certification doesn't guarantee a job. Keep two questions separate:
1. **Can you take the exam?** Yes. Cisco has no formal prerequisites.
2. **Are you ready for the job?** That depends on each employer's requirements for education, experience, and demonstrated skills.
[According to BLS](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-support-specialists.htm), some network support employers accept applicants with a high school diploma and relevant certifications, while others require a college degree. That's why flexible starting points matter. Help desk, technician, and support roles often let you build the production experience that more advanced positions ask for.
What strengthens your application is evidence that you can apply what you studied. Lab work and documented troubleshooting show practical ability. Be honest about it, though: lab experience is preparation, not professional employment experience, so present it that way in résumés and interviews.
Also consider the working conditions. Some support roles involve travel to clients, nights, or weekends, and administrators may handle maintenance outside normal business hours. A networking job isn't always a remote, weekday position.
## Skills to Build Beyond the Exam
Passing the exam shows knowledge. These exercises help you show ability:
- **Build a small lab.** Configure a routed and switched network with VLANs and routing.
- **Break and fix it.** Diagnose a subnetting, VLAN, or DHCP connectivity fault.
- **Verify your changes.** Confirm each fix works, and practice explaining how you found the problem.
- **Document everything.** Record the topology, symptoms, steps taken, and resolution, the way a support ticket would.
- **Practice communication.** Explain a technical problem in plain language to someone nontechnical.
This checklist is suggested preparation, not a substitute for on-the-job experience. Still, being able to walk an interviewer through a documented troubleshooting example can set you apart.
## Salary Expectations and Job Outlook
No single salary comes with a CCNA. For broad context, BLS reports these May 2025 U.S. median annual wages:
- **[Computer network support specialists](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-support-specialists.htm):** $76,220
- **[Network and computer systems administrators](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm):** $99,130
These are occupation-wide medians. They include workers at every experience level and with every kind of credential, so they aren't starting salaries for newly certified professionals, and they don't show a pay premium from CCNA. Actual offers depend on location, job scope, employer, and your experience.
For the outlook, BLS projects employment changes for 2025–2035 of +1% for network support specialists and −4% for network and computer systems administrators. Employment change and job openings measure different things, though. Even with a projected decline, BLS expects about 13,400 openings each year for administrators, mostly from workers retiring or changing careers.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### Can I get a job with CCNA certification and no experience?
CCNA can support applications for networking support and junior roles, but it doesn't guarantee a job. Cisco has no formal prerequisites, and employers set their own education and experience requirements. Some support roles accept a high school diploma plus certifications, while others require a degree. Lab work helps you show your skills, but present it as preparation, not professional experience.
### How much do CCNA-related jobs pay?
No single salary is tied to the CCNA. BLS reports May 2025 U.S. median annual wages of $76,220 for computer network support specialists and $99,130 for network and computer systems administrators. These figures cover workers with varied experience and credentials. They aren't entry-level CCNA salaries.
### Which CCNA exam is current, and how long does certification last?
As of November 2, 2026, the current exam is [200-301 CCNA v1.1](https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/s/ccna-exam-topics). Its last testing date is February 2, 2027, and v2.0 starts February 3, 2027. The certification is valid for three years. You can renew it with an eligible exam or 30 qualifying Continuing Education credits before it expires.
## Take the Next Step
To build networking skills for these roles, explore TrainACE's [CCNA training and certification course](https://www.trainace.com/products/ccna-routing-switching-training-and-certification). You can review the curriculum, hands-on practice with Cisco equipment, and current schedules, with options in Greenbelt, Maryland, and live online. [Contact a training advisor](https://www.trainace.com/pages/request-more-information) to talk about which training and certification options fit your background and goals.
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