Quick answer: The Houston metro employs about 2,200 computer network architects (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through job postings in your target market for the platforms they name.
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Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Cloud computing is not licensed. Vendor certifications from the major cloud platforms are the credentials employers screen on, and the degree’s value is the networking, systems and security foundation underneath them.
See the Texas licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with job postings in your target market for the platforms they name.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 4 schools within 244 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 4 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Computer Network Architects in the Houston area earn a median $124,900 per year, below the national median of $134,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Houston metro | Texas | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $124,900 | $133,310 | $134,050 |
| 10th percentile | $67,020 | $70,110 | $79,900 |
| 25th percentile | $82,550 | $100,390 | $104,620 |
| 75th percentile | $158,220 | $166,220 | $168,200 |
| 90th percentile | $171,760 | $191,800 | $202,680 |
| Employment | 2,200 | 13,650 | 179,740 |
| Location quotient | 0.58 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metropolitan statistical area.
The Houston median of $124,900 is below the national median of $134,050, and below the Texas statewide median of $133,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.58 means computer network architects are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Cloud roles cluster where large employers and data centers do, and a substantial share of the work is remote-eligible.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas | $137,900 | 5,900 |
| Austin | $133,710 | 1,700 |
| San Antonio | $128,260 | 720 |
| El Paso | $102,400 | 140 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
The median annual wage for computer network architects in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $124,900, below the national median of $134,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area employs about 2,200 computer network architects (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Cloud computing is not licensed. Vendor certifications from the major cloud platforms are the credentials employers screen on, and the degree's value is the networking, systems and security foundation underneath them. Confirm current requirements with job postings in your target market for the platforms they name.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies job postings in your target market for the platforms they name.
The Houston metro median is $124,900 against a statewide median of $133,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
