Why You Should Get Certified in Wireless in 2025

Wireless networks have become complex beasts, and the enterprise environment needs wireless-certified professionals more than ever.

Are you ready to make a career move or put yourself in a position to earn more with your current employer? It might be time to earn the CWAP certification. Keep reading to find out why. 

What Does a Certified Wireless Professional Do?

Certified wireless professionals keep wireless networks running fast and smoothly. One of their many jobs is performing site surveys and remediating wireless network issues, but they do so much more. Certified wireless professionals design and build out wireless networks, secure wireless networks for things like IoT deployments, and design specialized wireless networks, such as high-bandwidth 5G networks. 

Here are some core responsibilities you might have as a wireless-certified professional: 

• Network Design and Planning: You'll likely evaluate the physical space and user requirements to design an optimal wireless network layout. This might include access point placement, channel assignment, and coverage analysis.

• Deployment and Configuration: You'll be responsible for installing and configuring wireless hardware, such as routers, access points, and network controllers, ensuring they’re set up correctly and securely.

• Network Security: Wireless professionals also implement security protocols to protect wireless networks from unauthorized access, often using encryption methods like WPA3, setting up VPNs for remote access, and monitoring for security threats.

• Troubleshooting and Optimization: Wireless professionals troubleshoot connectivity issues, improve signal strength, and fine-tune network performance, often using tools to identify interference sources or bandwidth bottlenecks.

• Site Surveys and Testing: You'll likely conduct wireless site surveys to assess network performance and coverage in real-world conditions and adjust the setup based on the actual data from these tests.

• Network Scaling and Upgrades: As needs change, you'll be responsible for scaling networks to accommodate more users or devices and planning for upgrades in wireless standards (e.g., from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6).

Wireless-certified professionals are in demand as industries like agriculture and manufacturing tap wireless technologies to improve their operations. They will also be responsible for building and maintaining networks on the same scale as network engineers who manage large, autonomous networks across regions and remote offices. 

Should You Earn the CWAP?

Earning the Certified Wireless Analysis Professional (CWAP) turns you into the person everyone leans on when the WiFi is on the fritz. This certification is particularly beneficial if you aim to specialize in wireless security, performance tuning, or forensic analysis, as it teaches you how to interpret and analyze packet captures and address network issues on a granular level. 

However, because the CWAP requires a foundational understanding of wireless technology, such as that covered in the CWNA (Certified Wireless Network Administrator), it’s generally best suited for those with wireless experience and want to elevate their skills further.

A good network engineer can fix a poorly performing wireless network in a typical office building or a warehouse with clear and open areas. However, poorly optimized wireless networks are another thing entirely, and increasingly, our wireless networks are becoming more complex. Our radio waves are flooded. Networking has become so complicated that network equipment vendors use intricate broadcasting patterns with built-in redundancy to ensure wireless transmissions don’t trip over each other. That is when having a CWAP comes in handy. 

Depending on the facility, a business may also integrate more complex types of networks like dedicated 5G local networks for long-distance and high-bandwidth throughput. That introduces all sorts of problems. IoT equipment needs to be properly secured, and local 5G networks require special equipment and configurations. Both need to tie back into the core network safely. 

Wireless-certified engineers will be accountable for all that, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of what they’ll do. They will need to keep the wireless network operating without interfering with other networks or equipment, secure networks, and remediate any issues associated with the wireless network.

In addition, they’ll need to know the difference between types of wireless networks, frequencies, protocols, and how everything in their environment affects wireless communication.  

If you want to be prepared for all that (and we think you should be), the CWAP is a great place to start.  See also: Is the CWAP Worth It?

How Much Does a Certified Wireless Professional Make?

While it depends on where you live and who you work for, the bottom line is certified wireless network engineers earn good money. 

General techs, who remediate break/fix tickets, make an average of $60,000 to $70,000. That’s more than the average L2 or L3 helpdesk tech and on par with entry-level network engineers.

Network engineers who maintain the entire scope of the network and are wireless-certified professionals average around $100,000 a year. More rural areas saw a slight drop, averaging about $85,000 a year, while metropolitan areas saw a significant increase, with an average closer to $150,000 yearly. 

Wireless-certified IT and project managers (with additional experience and a few other certifications) average around $215,000 yearly. 

Demand for Certified Wireless (CWAP) Professionals is Growing 

Getting certified wireless in 2024 is a smart move, especially as the world increasingly relies on wireless networks for everything from daily communications to IoT applications and remote work. With the ongoing rollout of Wi-Fi 6E and the anticipated introduction of Wi-Fi 7, there’s a growing need for certified professionals who can set up, manage, and troubleshoot advanced wireless networks.

CBT Nuggets offers a variety of wireless training to help you get started and CWAP training to help you pass the exam. 

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