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Network Architect salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a network architect is $124,800 per annum, before tax, up $25,800 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay depends heavily on the sector and the size of the network you design, with telecommunications and financial services employers generally offering more than smaller managed service providers.
- Seniority and the depth of your specialism matter too, particularly in security or cloud networking, and contract or consulting work is common in this field, which changes both the rate and the stability of your income.
- Location plays a part, since design roles cluster in the capital cities.
The median salary rose by $25,800 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than network architect
The largest typical pay rise is $13,000 a year, moving into Solutions Architect.
- Solutions Architect+$13,000/yr
- Cyber Security Architect+$10,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher network architect salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time network architect salary is $124,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Networks and systems administration and Cloud infrastructure tend to command a premium over general network architect experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Solutions Architect pays a typical $13,000 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Network Architect salary questions
How much do network architects earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a network architect is $124,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is network architect pay rising or falling?
The median network architect salary is up $25,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than network architect?
Solutions Architect pays a typical $13,000 a year more and draws on similar skills to network architect.
Related salaries
- Cyber Security Architect salary
- Solutions Architect salary
- Site Reliability Engineer salary
- Network Engineer salary
- Systems Administrator salary
- IT Support Officer salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.