Working as a Network Analyst in MA looking to move South

markulous

hurricane1091 wrote: »

This calculator says $100k a year is $5328 a month

PaycheckCity.com | Paycheck Calculator Result

But that is single and 0 allowances, so it goes up to around 6 for married and 2 kids. You'd need to factor in benefits and 401k and stuff though which I guess could bring the number down a bit to like $4500 for someone like me, which sounds great until I just found a house around San Jose that wasn't very good at all and it was $600k. Amazingly the taxes was only $5500 a year (the same house would be roughly $150k in NJ and the same amount of taxes, which is crazy). So you're mortgage + taxes + insurance is going to be around $3000 I am guessing, leaving just $1500 for everything else. Of course I don't know anything about CA like I said though and I am sure there is cheaper areas.

So, what I really learned out of all this, was that Uncle Sam wants his cut no matter what, and where CA gets you on the house value itself, NJ gets you on the tax.

What about this though?

563 Vernazza Ave, Dinuba, CA 93618 | Zillow

Is this a bad area or something? Seems really reasonable?

Hmm okay. I do have a wife and 2 kids though so I know I wouldn't be taxed as much. I'll obviously have to look and see what the pay is and what I can afford...

I'm not 100% familiar with that area, but the house is in the central valley near Fresno. Any houses in the central valley are going to be WAY cheaper than the bay area/silicon valley. I grew up about 2.5 hours north of that house you posted so I wouldn't mind moving back there, but commuting to the bay area is really not an option unless you don't mind being in a car for 4 hours a day.

hurricane1091

markulous wrote: »

Hmm okay. I do have a wife and 2 kids though so I know I wouldn't be taxed as much. I'll obviously have to look and see what the pay is and what I can afford...

I'm not 100% familiar with that area, but the house is in the central valley near Fresno. Any houses in the central valley are going to be WAY cheaper than the bay area/silicon valley. I grew up about 2.5 hours north of that house you posted so I wouldn't mind moving back there, but commuting to the bay area is really not an option unless you don't mind being in a car for 4 hours a day.

Okay, I'm unfamiliar with CA entirely so I have no idea. I'd totally move into the Fresno area I think if I could get a job there. Taxes seem low, houses not bad, weather seems good.

markulous

hurricane1091 wrote: »

Okay, I'm unfamiliar with CA entirely so I have no idea. I'd totally move into the Fresno area I think if I could get a job there. Taxes seem low, houses not bad, weather seems good.

You just gotta find the right areas. Around Fresno, Stockton, or Sacramento, there are nice areas and some pretty sketchy ones too.

Weather all depends on what you consider good. It can be a little humid and there are often times where it's in the triple digits every day during the summer. But spring and fall is great weather. Winter has rain here and there but no snow and it doesn't get too cold.

I'd be down to move back to that area too since it's cheaper, but IT jobs are always going to be better in the Silicon Valley.

CSCOnoob

hurricane1091 wrote: »

But the average salary for a Network Engineer in San Jose is 86k according to Glass Door, which is 14k above national average.

One could find $100K+/yr for a Network Engineer in the Bay Area. Obviously, it depends on the level of experience and skills in negotiation. I know people who are making $100K+/yr as a Network Engineer and I also know some who make less than that (around 70K+/yr).

masdrobeda

With all the conversation that I have been reading, It seems like I am well underpay based on my skills (not experiece, since I only have 8 months in the field). Lets say I get pay around 50K a year. Do you consider too low for my skill set ?

CSCOnoob

I think it's very common to be paid lower in the first few years in the field. It will eventually get better once you get promoted or move to another company. Sadly, the most common way to get a significant bump in pay is to move to a different company. Yes, there are instances where they get a very significant bump in pay within the same company but that's normally not the case. I've seen and read/heard companies that will only pay only 5% or so for any promotion. It really depends.

masdrobeda

CSCOnoob wrote: »

I think it's very common to be paid lower in the first few years in the field. It will eventually get better once you get promoted or move to another company. Sadly, the most common way to get a significant bump in pay is to move to a different company. Yes, there are instances where they get a very significant bump in pay within the same company but that's normally not the case. I've seen and read/heard companies that will only pay only 5% or so for any promotion. It really depends.

Thanks for the input. Its kind of sad that I could not handle working (too boring) in the programming field as a software developer. I was going to make 70K to start at a QA software company. I actually got hired there a few years back but I noticed that it wasnt something I really want to do. IT is a little mix and I could take advantage of my CS degree.

hurricane1091

CSCOnoob wrote: »

I think it's very common to be paid lower in the first few years in the field. It will eventually get better once you get promoted or move to another company. Sadly, the most common way to get a significant bump in pay is to move to a different company. Yes, there are instances where they get a very significant bump in pay within the same company but that's normally not the case. I've seen and read/heard companies that will only pay only 5% or so for any promotion. It really depends.

This is accurate. I'm still new to the field (like 2 years into this) and have had 3 jobs already. My most recent switch saw a huge pay bump but I'm still below the average for Network Engineer but it's not that far off and it's actually a liveable wage unlike what I was getting before, and not far off the average household income for NJ.

It's definitely possible to get paid more than average while being new, but from what I have seen you generally don't. I worked with a guy with his PhD and was a programmer but was new to the field still in terms of work experience and was getting below average.

Switching jobs is for sure the easiest way to get a bump. If the OP is making 50k with his skill set, that seems relatively fair. I had to work two jobs before this making well below that before I became a network engineer, and I have an extra year in the IT field. I get a bit more than you, but it all comes down to what have you really accomplished? At this point, you probably haven't completed any major projects or data center refreshes I am guessing, just standard day-to-day stuff. The real world is way more confusing than the book world too I quickly learned. Without more experience (and really the CCNP), I would argue a network engineer doesn't really know enough. We are doing so many CCNP/CCIE level stuff at my job and I just don't know a lot of it because I haven't studied for the CCNP yet (but I have learned some of it through experience here, which is again why it was mentioned that new people to the field generally get a little less than average). If my boss quit and the Sr. guy I work with quit, what would we do? Not promote me, that's for sure. If I can't be the guy, I can't get paid like the guy. If you find yourself in the same situation, then ask yourself "Do I ask a lot of questions? Do I need to look up a lot to understand things?" and if the answer is yes, then there's your answer for your salary. BUT, after a senior level cert and a couple of years experience, you won't be asking those questions, and you'll probably be interviewing for better jobs that pay 80k.

Just my two cents. Your mileage may vary and every situation is unique. If you're making a liveable wage now and are in a position where you learn a lot, stick with it and continue on your cert path.

masdrobeda

hurricane1091 wrote: »

This is accurate. I'm still new to the field (like 2 years into this) and have had 3 jobs already. My most recent switch saw a huge pay bump but I'm still below the average for Network Engineer but it's not that far off and it's actually a liveable wage unlike what I was getting before, and not far off the average household income for NJ.

It's definitely possible to get paid more than average while being new, but from what I have seen you generally don't. I worked with a guy with his PhD and was a programmer but was new to the field still in terms of work experience and was getting below average.

Switching jobs is for sure the easiest way to get a bump. If the OP is making 50k with his skill set, that seems relatively fair. I had to work two jobs before this making well below that before I became a network engineer, and I have an extra year in the IT field. I get a bit more than you, but it all comes down to what have you really accomplished? At this point, you probably haven't completed any major projects or data center refreshes I am guessing, just standard day-to-day stuff. The real world is way more confusing than the book world too I quickly learned. Without more experience (and really the CCNP), I would argue a network engineer doesn't really know enough. We are doing so many CCNP/CCIE level stuff at my job and I just don't know a lot of it because I haven't studied for the CCNP yet (but I have learned some of it through experience here, which is again why it was mentioned that new people to the field generally get a little less than average). If my boss quit and the Sr. guy I work with quit, what would we do? Not promote me, that's for sure. If I can't be the guy, I can't get paid like the guy. If you find yourself in the same situation, then ask yourself "Do I ask a lot of questions? Do I need to look up a lot to understand things?" and if the answer is yes, then there's your answer for your salary. BUT, after a senior level cert and a couple of years experience, you won't be asking those questions, and you'll probably be interviewing for better jobs that pay 80k.

Just my two cents. Your mileage may vary and every situation is unique. If you're making a liveable wage now and are in a position where you learn a lot, stick with it and continue on your cert path.

Great explanation. Just what I though! I was a little frustrated that my co-worker, Network Engineer, with no BS, makes 85K but he has 5 years experience in the field and in the same company, makes that much more than I do. I guess IT comes downs to experience and projects done (a prof that can do it). I guess I just need to be patient and learn as much as possible so hopefully in 1-2 years I will be in the 70K range, which is what I consider livable (most likely in a different company).

Again, GREAT advice / opinion. and for my situation, makes 100% sense.