Colorado Technical University

What are some recommended prerequisites to become a computer network administrator?

I am a Junior in High School now and graduation is coming up within a year so it is definitely time to start thinking, I already know I want to go into network administration, for those who don't know it means I would create, run, and maintain a network of linked computers in a setting of a university, business or school district, however I am unsure of exactly what I would need to pursue that career, is a degree common? Or some form of special training or certificate? Obviously every place has different standards for what they want but I just want a general idea of how much schooling I would need after high school.

Public Comments

1. My dad is a network admin/system analyst, and he doesn't have a degree in the field at all. He does, however, have a degree (a Ph.d in agriculture actually). I'm pretty sure a degree in computer science would suffice, and a masters would qualify you for a higher salary, no matter what it was in. Good luck! it's great that you have goals as a junior.
2. A degree in Informations Systems Management would be helpful. But you also need to have respected certifications (e.g. CCNA, MCSE, Network A+, etc). Experience is important too so if you can get a job doing anything remotely related to network administration, get it.
3. From what I've seen, a lot of people go to university or a tech school but all you really need is a certificate. Make sure you chose a place where you can get certified. These are some of the key IT certifications * CompTIA A+ * CompTIA Network+ * MCSE * CCNA I'd call the schools you were thinking about going to. They could provide some good details and recommendations I'm sure. Best of luck. Dream big!