Computer Network Architects
Computer and Mathematical Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 15-1241.00
Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Very high· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.199
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.52
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 2 hidden tasks33 rated tasks · 31 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (93.9%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Design, build, or operate equipment configuration prototypes, including network hardware, software, servers, or server operation systems.O*NET Task ID 18962 | 1.0 |
Determine specific network hardware or software requirements, such as platforms, interfaces, bandwidths, or routine schemas.O*NET Task ID 18964 | 1.0 |
Develop and implement solutions for network problems.O*NET Task ID 18965 | 1.0 |
Develop and write procedures for installation, use, or troubleshooting of communications hardware or software.O*NET Task ID 18966 | 1.0 |
Develop conceptual, logical, or physical network designs.O*NET Task ID 18967 | 1.0 |
Develop network-related documentation.O*NET Task ID 18969 | 1.0 |
Develop or maintain project reporting systems.O*NET Task ID 18970 | 1.0 |
Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.O*NET Task ID 18971 | 1.0 |
Explain design specifications to integration or test engineers.O*NET Task ID 18976 | 1.0 |
Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup.O*NET Task ID 18977 | 1.0 |
Participate in network technology upgrade or expansion projects, including installation of hardware and software and integration testing.O*NET Task ID 18980 | 1.0 |
Research and test new or modified hardware or software products to determine performance and interoperability.O*NET Task ID 18984 | 1.0 |
Use network computer-aided design (CAD) software packages to optimize network designs.O*NET Task ID 18986 | 1.0 |
Adjust network sizes to meet volume or capacity demands.O*NET Task ID 18956 | 0.5 |
Communicate with customers, sales staff, or marketing staff to determine customer needs.O*NET Task ID 18957 | 0.5 |
Communicate with system users to ensure accounts are set up properly or to diagnose and solve operational problems.O*NET Task ID 18958 | 0.5 |
Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.O*NET Task ID 18960 | 0.5 |
Coordinate network or design activities with designers of associated networks.O*NET Task ID 18961 | 0.5 |
Design, organize, and deliver product awareness, skills transfer, or product education sessions for staff or suppliers.O*NET Task ID 18963 | 0.5 |
Develop disaster recovery plans.O*NET Task ID 18968 | 0.5 |
Develop plans or budgets for network equipment replacement.O*NET Task ID 18972 | 0.5 |
Develop procedures to track, project, or report network availability, reliability, capacity, or utilization.O*NET Task ID 18973 | 0.5 |
Estimate time and materials needed to complete projects.O*NET Task ID 18974 | 0.5 |
Evaluate network designs to determine whether customer requirements are met efficiently and effectively.O*NET Task ID 18975 | 0.5 |
Monitor and analyze network performance and reports on data input or output to detect problems, identify inefficient use of computer resources, or perform capacity planning.O*NET Task ID 18979 | 0.5 |
Prepare design presentations and proposals for staff or customers.O*NET Task ID 18981 | 0.5 |
Prepare detailed network specifications, including diagrams, charts, equipment configurations, or recommended technologies.O*NET Task ID 18982 | 0.5 |
Prepare or monitor project schedules, budgets, or cost control systems.O*NET Task ID 18983 | 0.5 |
Supervise engineers or other staff in the design or implementation of network solutions.O*NET Task ID 18985 | 0.5 |
Visit vendors, attend conferences or training sessions, or study technical journals to keep up with changes in technology.O*NET Task ID 18987 | 0.5 |
Communicate with vendors to gather information about products, alert them to future needs, resolve problems, or address system maintenance issues.O*NET Task ID 18988 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (33)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Adjust network sizes to meet volume or capacity demands. | Core |
| Communicate with customers, sales staff, or marketing staff to determine customer needs. | Core |
| Communicate with system users to ensure accounts are set up properly or to diagnose and solve operational problems. | Core |
| Coordinate installation of new equipment. | Core |
| Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades. | Core |
| Coordinate network or design activities with designers of associated networks. | Core |
| Design, build, or operate equipment configuration prototypes, including network hardware, software, servers, or server operation systems. | Core |
| Design, organize, and deliver product awareness, skills transfer, or product education sessions for staff or suppliers. | Core |
| Determine specific network hardware or software requirements, such as platforms, interfaces, bandwidths, or routine schemas. | Core |
| Develop and implement solutions for network problems. | Core |
| Develop and write procedures for installation, use, or troubleshooting of communications hardware or software. | Core |
| Develop conceptual, logical, or physical network designs. | Core |
| Develop disaster recovery plans. | Core |
| Develop network-related documentation. | Core |
| Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes. | Core |
| Develop plans or budgets for network equipment replacement. | Core |
| Develop procedures to track, project, or report network availability, reliability, capacity, or utilization. | Core |
| Estimate time and materials needed to complete projects. | Core |
| Evaluate network designs to determine whether customer requirements are met efficiently and effectively. | Core |
| Explain design specifications to integration or test engineers. | Core |
| Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup. | Core |
| Monitor and analyze network performance and reports on data input or output to detect problems, identify inefficient use of computer resources, or perform capacity planning. | Core |
| Participate in network technology upgrade or expansion projects, including installation of hardware and software and integration testing. | Core |
| Prepare design presentations and proposals for staff or customers. | Core |
| Prepare detailed network specifications, including diagrams, charts, equipment configurations, or recommended technologies. | Core |
| Prepare or monitor project schedules, budgets, or cost control systems. | Core |
| Research and test new or modified hardware or software products to determine performance and interoperability. | Core |
| Supervise engineers or other staff in the design or implementation of network solutions. | Core |
| Use network computer-aided design (CAD) software packages to optimize network designs. | Core |
| Communicate with vendors to gather information about products, alert them to future needs, resolve problems, or address system maintenance issues. | Core |
| Develop or maintain project reporting systems. | Supplemental |
| Maintain or coordinate the maintenance of network peripherals, such as printers. | Supplemental |
| Visit vendors, attend conferences or training sessions, or study technical journals to keep up with changes in technology. | Supplemental |
0.00/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
None of this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks is classified as a physical task.
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 15-1241 group (Computer network architects), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 182K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 196K
- Change (2025–35)
- +7.7%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $134,050
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22310 | 네트워크 시스템 개발자 | Same scope | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2523Computer Network Professionals
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Computer network professionals research, analyse, design, test and recommend strategies for network architecture and development. They implement, manage, maintain and configure network hardware and software, and monitor, troubleshoot and optimize performance.
Tasks
- (a) analysing, developing, interpreting and evaluating complex system design and architecture specifications, data models and diagrams in the development, configuration and integration of computer systems;
- (b) researching, analysing, evaluating and monitoring network infrastructure to ensure networks are configured to operate at optimal performance;
- (c) assessing and recommending improvements to network operations and integrated hardware, software, communications and operating systems;
- (d) providing specialist skills in supporting and troubleshooting network problems and emergencies;
- (e) installing, configuring, testing, maintaining and administering new and upgraded networks, software database applications, servers and workstations;
- (f) preparing and maintaining procedures and documentation for network inventory, and recording diagnosis and resolution of network faults, enhancements and modifications to networks and maintenance instructions;
- (g) monitoring network traffic and activity, capacity and usage to ensure continued integrity and optimal network performance.
Example occupations
Communications analyst (computers) · Network analyst
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- ICT capacity plannerESCO 2523.1This occupation is broader
ICT capacity planners ensure that the capacity of ICT services and ICT infrastructure is able to deliver agreed service level targets in a cost effective and timely manner. They also consider all resources required to deliver the appropriate ICT service, and plan for short, medium, and long term business requirements.
- ICT network architectESCO 2523.2This occupation is broader
ICT network architects design the topology and connectivity of ICT network such as hardware, infrastructure, communication and hardware components.
- ICT network engineerESCO 2523.3This occupation is broader
ICT network engineers implement, maintain and support computer networks. They also perform network modelling, analysis, and planning. They may also design network and computer security measures. They may research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.
- ICT system architectESCO 2511.13Overlapping, not the same
ICT system architects design architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a multi-components system to meet specified requirements.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| M1839 | Architecte systèmes et réseaux | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| M1829 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure systèmes et réseaux des territoires connectés | This occupation is broader |
| M1802 | Expert / Experte systèmes et réseaux informatiques | Overlapping, not the sameprovisional |
| M1847 | Expert / Experte en communication et réseaux | Related, not a match |
| M1857 | Urbaniste Datacenter | Related, not a match |
| M1835 | Architecte systèmes et réseaux des territoires connectés | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| M1860 | Architecte cloud | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| M1879 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure Cloud computing | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2723 | Analistas de redes informáticas | This occupation is narrower |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 43314 | Berufe in der IT-Netzwerktechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Same scope |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 106 | 通信ネットワーク技術者 | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 102 | システム設計者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources