Salary is often the first and most important question when considering a move into network engineering. Yet despite the demand for talent across telecoms, cloud, enterprise, and managed services, clear pay data can be hard to find. Much of what’s available online is focused on senior roles or feels generic and outdated.

In 2025, the UK network engineering market will face regional differences, skill shortages, and hybrid demands, all of which are shaping compensation. For graduates and early-career professionals, understanding what to expect and what can influence your salary is key to planning a successful start.

If you’re researching network engineer salaries in the UK in 2025, this provides accurate, city-specific salary ranges from graduate to mid-level, and outlines what can accelerate your earnings.

What Counts as Graduate, Junior, or Mid-Level?

Job titles can vary widely, but there are common patterns in how employers define experience levels in network engineering.

Graduate Network Engineer: Typically refers to someone with 0-12 months of experience. These roles often involve learning internal systems and getting hands-on with basic troubleshooting and support tasks by shadowing. Employers don’t expect deep technical knowledge but do look for curiosity, commitment, and a good grasp of fundamentals like TCP/IP and routing.

Junior Network Engineer: Usually 1-3 years into their career. Juniors are expected to contribute more independently, taking on configuration, maintenance, and ticket resolution work. Certifications such as CCNA or CompTIA Network+ are often held at this stage, and soft skills like problem-solving and communication become more important.

Mid-Level Network Engineer: You’ll have 3-5 years of experience at this stage. Mid-level engineers are trusted with project work and making network changes with minimal oversight. They often hold advanced certs (e.g., CCNP), have scripting or firewall knowledge, and are involved in architecture discussions.

Understanding where you sit on this spectrum helps when benchmarking your salary and planning your next step. Employers reward impact more than time served, so progression depends on how well you apply your skills in real environments.

Not sure how to stand out as a new network engineer? Empowering Future Network Engineers shares practical tips, templates, and examples to help you start strong

Network Engineer Salary UK: London, Manchester & More

Salary expectations for network engineers vary by more than experience level, they also shift significantly depending on location. Cost of living, demand for talent, and the presence of large employers all influence what companies are willing to pay. Here’s a breakdown of graduate network engineer salary expectations across four UK tech hubs:

London

• Graduate: £28,000 – £32,000
• Junior: £32,000 – £40,000
• Mid-Level: £40,000 – £55,000

The network engineer salary in London remains the highest in the UK, but it also comes with the highest living costs. Salaries are competitive due to the concentration of MSPs, financial firms, and global tech businesses.

Manchester

• Graduate: £26,000 – £30,000
• Junior: £30,000 – £36,000
• Mid-Level: £36,000 – £45,000

Manchester’s growing tech sector and lower living costs make it attractive for early-career professionals. Network engineers in Manchester are in demand across telecoms, cloud, and infrastructure providers.

Birmingham

• Graduate: £25,000 – £29,000
• Junior: £29,000 – £34,000
• Mid-Level: £34,000 – £43,000

The network engineer salary in Birmingham reflects both regional demand and affordability. Salaries trail London slightly but reflect the city’s affordability and lifestyle appeal. 

Leeds

• Graduate: £24,000 – £28,000
• Junior: £28,000 – £33,000
• Mid-Level: £33,000 – £42,000

Leeds continues to grow as a northern tech hub, with opportunities in cloud operations, managed services, and enterprise IT. The market is competitive, particularly for those with strong scripting or security skills.

These salary bands represent permanent roles and reflect core base pay. Contract rates and shift work may sit significantly above these figures. Always weigh salary against potential for progression, exposure to modern tech stacks, and total compensation, including benefits and training support.

To explore current opportunities in each city, visit our Networking Jobs Page or explore our Graduate Hub for entry-level jobs.

How to Increase Your Salary as a Junior Network Engineer

Salary progression depends more on the value you bring than the amount of time you’re in a role. Certain responsibilities and skill sets can move you into a higher bracket faster. They include:

On-call and shift work: 

Roles that require 24/7 support or weekend availability often pay a premium. If you’re open to out-of-hours work, you could see your base salary boosted by 10-20%, especially in support-focused environments like MSPs or data centres.

Certifications: 

Employers value validated skills. Earning your CCNA, CompTIA Network+, or vendor-specific certifications (Juniper, Palo Alto) shows commitment and often triggers a salary review. Certifications can also unlock access to more senior roles or client-facing responsibilities.

Wider tech exposure: 

Engineers who can go beyond core networking, touching firewalls, scripting, cloud environments, or automation, stand out. Even basic knowledge in Python, PowerShell, or AWS can increase your market value and put you in line for hybrid or specialist roles.

Permanent vs Contract Roles

Understanding the differences between permanent and contract networking engineering roles is essential because each path offers distinct trade-offs. 

Here are the key differences:

Permanent Networking Engineering Jobs

They come with structured career progression, access to training budgets, and benefits like pension contributions or paid leave. They offer long-term stability and are often ideal for engineers who want consistent mentorship, exposure to evolving environments, and the security of a full-time salary.

Contract Networking Engineering Jobs

Contact roles generally offer higher day rates and faster earning potential, but without the stability of employment benefits. Contractors are expected to hit the ground running and often work on short-term or project-based engagements. This suits individuals who are confident in their skillset and want variety, autonomy, and potentially higher income.

Where to start?

Early-career professionals are often advised to start with permanent roles to build foundational experience and gain exposure across technologies in a structured setting. Contracting becomes more viable as you build your skills and a portfolio that can command premium rates.

Skills That Boost Your Network Engineer Salary

Salary progression is linked to the extent of your technical capabilities. Employers are always looking for engineers who can handle more than the basics. These are the skills that help you get ahead:

• Routing and Switching: Still the foundation of networking. Engineers with advanced troubleshooting skills, multi-vendor experience (e.g., Cisco, Juniper, Aruba), and hands-on configuration expertise progress faster. Working confidently across platforms adds immediate value.
• Firewalls and Network Security: Highly sought-after skills. Being able to configure and manage devices like Palo Alto, Fortinet, or Cisco ASA, and understanding access policies, NAT, and VPNs, makes you far more valuable in enterprise and MSP environments.
• Scripting and Automation: A key differentiator for career progression. Engineers who use Python, PowerShell, or Bash to automate tasks, analyse logs, or streamline workflows are well-placed for hybrid roles combining networking, DevOps, and cloud.
• Cloud Networking Exposure: Experience with AWS, Azure, or GCP can significantly raise your profile. Even basic certifications or project work involving VPCs, VPNs, or cloud firewalls help position you as a modern, adaptable engineer.

Career Progression for Junior Network Engineers

It’s possible to see rapid progression in your first two years as a network engineer, but you need to take ownership of your development. Employers reward those who go beyond their job description and show they're ready for more.

First 12 months

Start by mastering the basics, not just knowing them. Spend time becoming fluent in your organisation’s tools and systems. This will speed up your work and help you troubleshoot confidently. Taking charge of recurring tasks and documenting processes builds trust with your team and shows you're ready to take on more. Earning a certification like CCNA or CompTIA Network+ during this period can signal commitment.

Months 12 to 24

This is where you should be expanding your scope. Volunteer for project work or cross-team initiatives. Start learning scripting or cloud basics to increase your versatility. If possible, mentor newer joiners or take the lead on smaller deliverables. This is also a good window to work towards more advanced certs (like the CCNP) or vendor-specific specialisms.

Document your wins, whether it’s solving a high-priority issue, automating a task, or receiving positive client feedback. These examples matter when you’re making the case for a raise or promotion.

FAQs for Future Junior Network Engineers

Common questions asked by future junior network engineers

• What’s a typical starting salary for a network engineer in the UK?

The starting salary for network engineer UK roles typically falls between £25,000 and £30,000, with London salaries starting closer to £28,000. Contract roles may pay more but often lack benefits.

• How long will it take me to earn over £40,000?

With the right experience, certifications, and initiative, many engineers hit £40k+ within 2-3 years. Taking on project responsibilities or expanding into scripting/cloud can accelerate this.

• Do qualifications affect salary?

Yes. Certifications like the CCNA, CompTIA Network+, or vendor-specific credentials often lead to pay increases. They signal readiness to take on more technical work.

• What sectors pay best?

Finance, cloud, and high-pressure MSPs often offer higher salaries, but also expect more from day one. Consider the trade-off between pace, pressure, and progression.

• Is location still a major factor?

Absolutely. London offers the highest salaries, but northern cities like Manchester and Leeds have growing markets and a lower cost of living. Hybrid roles can also open up better pay from outside your home city.

How Hamilton Barnes Supports Network Engineers

Knowing what you’re worth is the first step, but turning that into career progress takes insight and support. At Hamilton Barnes, we speak to hiring managers and engineers every day, so we understand exactly what drives salaries up and what holds them back.

Whether you're aiming to land your first role or push toward mid-level, our consultants can guide you on how to position your skills, choose the right certifications, and find roles that support long-term growth.

Explore our Student & Graduate Hub for advice and opportunities tailored to early-career engineers. Or browse the latest roles on our Networking Jobs Page.

And if you’re not sure what’s next? We’ll help you map your progression and ensure your next move reflects both your experience and your potential.