Breaking 100k barrier: IT Security

Hey all.

Looking to the future, i'd like to break that 100k barrier, obviously i'd like to do it in security if possible. Is it reasonable to aim for 100k while staying out of management, or is that level going to be management exclusive? I'm wondering what qualifications and experience i'm going to need to hit this as well. Also, what kind of companies are offering these types of salaries? Is it primarily companies like google, facebook, amazon, ect?

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YFZblu

Obviously breaking 100k is relative - In NoVA that money is worth less than in Phoenix where I live. But yes, even in a market that isn't remarkably expensive, breaking 100k outside of management is more than doable. I'm currently working for a fortune 500 organization that is closer to the 500 number, and I expect to hit 100k in 2015 after bonuses.

IMO, hitting six figures is about making an impact; it's less about what you can do and more about what you actually do.

pevangel

I work for a small company and they pay senior engineers at least 100k.

Wolvendeer

Although I don't make close to the 100k mark yet, and I intend to hit that mark in management, it is definitely possible to hit the 100k mark without going into management. Like YFZ, I work in a fortune 500 company that is very close to the 500 mark, and we have quite a few technical people that break the 100k mark, including multiple architects (both security architect and ones who work for the infrastructure teams) as well as system administrators (some of them, at least) and probably a few other people. I doubt such a position is common, but the opportunity is definitely there.

RouteMyPacket

I would rather focus on breaking the "expert" barrier than a monetary one. There are two types of people in the IT field

1. People who chase money
2. People who chase knowledge

Which one do you think is more successful? Striving for higher learning should be everyone's goal but it's not easy so that's why there will always be a shortage of qualified IT Professionals. Those who strive and are experts, the money is secondary because it's just common that an expert is paid well.

I chased salary numbers make no mistake about it but eventually you learn that's not what it's about. Once I focused on being a better Engineer through challenges (projects), studies, certification the money simply seemed to appear and is no longer an issue. My issue is getting enough exposure to continue to grow.

confewshz

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

I would rather focus on breaking the "expert" barrier than a monetary one. There are two types of people in the IT field

1. People who chase money
2. People who chase knowledge

Which one do you think is more successful? Striving for higher learning should be everyone's goal but it's not easy so that's why there will always be a shortage of qualified IT Professionals. Those who strive and are experts, the money is secondary because it's just common that an expert is paid well.

I chased salary numbers make no mistake about it but eventually you learn that's not what it's about. Once I focused on being a better Engineer through challenges (projects), studies, certification the money simply seemed to appear and is no longer an issue. My issue is getting enough exposure to continue to grow.

Good point. I agree!

Vask3n

YFZblu wrote: »

IMO, hitting six figures is about making an impact; it's less about what you can do and more about what you actually do.

This a hundred times over. I have seen this from personal experience as well. Usually when someone is making this amount it's because they have been with a company for a while and have undertaken some project or other monumental task that has impressed the upper management or given back enough to the company to warrant the salary.

This goes hand in hand with what RouteMyPacket was saying- the only way to reach that level is to know enough about the material to be able to make the impact in the first place, you won't be making the impact just by having a higher degree.

emerald_octane

I'm very very close to this mark on salary alone and if you include fringe such as 401k contribution then its easily above that.

Never stop learning. Be accountable.

NightShade03

There are quite a few good points in this thread so far.

1) Definitely chase the knowledge and only take on jobs/roles that you really love. Even if you made $500k / yr and did a job that you absolutely hated...you wouldn't stay in that job for long.

2) Location, location, location. I'm well over the $100k mark in the info sec world, but living in NY (the most expensive state in this country) that money won't go as far. You definitely need to look at $100k and see how that baseline rises for falls depending on which part of the country you live in.

3) A mgmt role will certainly increase your chances of breaking the barrier, however as many have mention...you can certainly break it through other roles depending on the size of the company. Another overlooked role is outside of the pure "technical" world. See my other thread about Technical Sales. These types of roles definitely make it easy to break the $100k barrier, but also require a different set of skills to survive in.

4) Security is one of the hottest topics right now and that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon. A recent network world survey (can't find the source at the moment) mentioned that many IT folks are holding out and waiting for perfect offers right now to switch jobs because there is such demands that they can afford to be picky.

networker050184

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

1. People who chase money
2. People who chase knowledge

These two certainly are not mutually exclusive. I chase them both.

As far as hitting the 100k mark, that shouldn't be an issue in Atlanta. Most mid-large size organizations will pay talented individuals in the six figure range.

GoodBishop

It's reasonable to shoot for the 100k and not be in management. The people who do it though have serious skills. Security architects, pentesters, etc.

jeremywatts2005

I finally broke the 100K barrier Senior Incident Response Engineer Dallas TX. It took my quite a few years and a lot of studying to get to this point. All total I have 16 yrs in the field. 7 of those were in for profit education teaching, curriculum and I was even a Dean at tech colleges for 4 yrs. I started in the tech fields when I was 21 and now I am 37. I took on any challenge over the yrs and was laid off twice. Once with Rockwell a yr after 9/11 and again with a small POS company. Those two jobs were nearly 5 yrs of experience. My salary really jumped from last year. I went from 66K to 112K in a little over a yr. Just finished a second Masters Degree in Digital Forensics which has really benefited me. Was mostly living in the midwest and Louisiana. In these areas especially the small rural areas where I was that was making the bucks. 66K - 80K was top end of the pay scales around the rural areas. What I found when I moved to Dallas is that my cost of living did not increase and I make more money.

mokaiba

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

2. People who chase knowledge

This is me.

knowledge eventually leads to more money though.

Ukimokia

networker050184 wrote: »

These two certainly are not mutually exclusive. I chase them both.

As far as hitting the 100k mark, that shouldn't be an issue in Atlanta. Most mid-large size organizations will pay talented individuals in the six figure range.

Pretty much this. There are people who chase knowledge strictly because they know it leads to higher payment not just to better themselves. Money makes the world go round after all. If you really want to chase knowledge and not money then you should get a Dr. or Masters degree and teach college/technical schools because you'll be chasing knowledge and spreading it to your students.

sj4088

Yes. All the senior network enigeers and senior system engineers at my last company made 100K or above.

pinkydapimp

you should check the IT job salary thread. Will give you an idea of whats possible. But its all dependent on where you are and your skill set. In the security realm that salary is very attainable. Also technical sales or sales engineering as mentioned is another area that is easy to get that type of money. IT is a big field. If you look outside the traditional roles and build a skill set where you differentiate yourself, you can definitely break that barrier. good luck.