Quick answer: The Cedar Rapids metro employs about 130 computer network architects (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through the certifying bodies and employers you are targeting.
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Information technology is not licensed. Certification carries the weight employers screen on, from CompTIA at the foundational tier through vendor tracks and (ISC)2 CISSP on the security side. The degree supplies the architecture and systems grounding that certification alone does not.
See the Iowa licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with the certifying bodies and employers you are targeting.
Schools Near You
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.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 111 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
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.
What Computer Network Architects Earn in Cedar Rapids
Computer Network Architects in the Cedar Rapids area earn a median $97,890 per year, below the national median of $134,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Information Technology Pay in Cedar Rapids, IA
Metric
Cedar Rapids metro
Iowa
National
Median annual wage
$97,890
$103,050
$134,050
10th percentile
$62,720
$62,850
$79,900
25th percentile
$76,790
$80,120
$104,620
75th percentile
$128,870
$131,440
$168,200
90th percentile
$158,300
$160,320
$202,680
Employment
130
1,170
179,740
Location quotient
0.84
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Cedar Rapids, IA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Cedar Rapids median of $97,890 is below the national median of $134,050, and below the Iowa statewide median of $103,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.84 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.
Network and systems roles cluster around technology, finance and healthcare employers, and the field supports remote work heavily, so local counts understate the reachable market.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do computer network architects make in Cedar Rapids?
The median annual wage for computer network architects in the Cedar Rapids, IA metro area is $97,890, below the national median of $134,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many computer network architects work in the Cedar Rapids area?
The Cedar Rapids, IA metro area employs about 130 computer network architects (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do computer network architects in Cedar Rapids need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Information technology is not licensed. Certification carries the weight employers screen on, from CompTIA at the foundational tier through vendor tracks and (ISC)2 CISSP on the security side. The degree supplies the architecture and systems grounding that certification alone does not. Confirm current requirements with the certifying bodies and employers you are targeting.
Can I study information technology online from Cedar Rapids?
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 the certifying bodies and employers you are targeting.
Is Cedar Rapids a better market than the rest of Iowa?
The Cedar Rapids metro median is $97,890 against a statewide median of $103,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Computer Network Architects (SOC 15-1241), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
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/.
