high paying jobs harder to find?

Anyone else noticing this? It seems all the high paying jobs have moved over to SQL/programming. I know a bunch of people with many cisco certs and or qualifications and the pay seems right around 60k starting, same thing with Windows stuff... Most of these would have been 80k+ 2 years ago.

These are all for enterprise class jobs too.

Any ideas where the high paying jobs are?

By high paying, I mean the ratio of pay to cost of living. Like 80k in seattle would be low IMO. Most basic homes cost 500k+. Our housing market for an average house is about 230k.

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

blargoe

I only have my particular situation and some anecdotal evidence to speak from, but I think if you have a few years of enterprise level experience doing sr. level work, the high paying jobs are still out there, and they will find you if you post your resume or advertise. The highest paying admin jobs that I've become privy to usually were not posted publicly on Monster, Dice, etc., though they may use those services to find you.

networker050184

You probably are not going to start out in a high paying job. Once you get a few years experience under your belt you can get the high paying jobs. The high paying jobs are there, but you have to have the experience to justify the pay, not simply education or certifications.

astorrs

Yeah anyone making 80k+ with under 5 years experience is doing great. A junior network engineer (with ~3 years total IT experience) in Seattle starting at 60k seems fine to me.

snadam

astorrs wrote:

Yeah anyone making 80k+ with under 5 years experience is doing great. A junior network engineer (with ~3 years total IT experience) in Seattle starting at 60k seems fine to me.

id be down for that salary!

ggcivicsi

I believe it all still depends on location for the pay and what type of position you're going for.

I've had several jobs fluctuate from 60k to 75k within the last five years. It also depends on if its a contract job or semi permanant job.

I know it sucks to feel like you have to take a pay cut but hey...you have to keep yourself employed some how.

GL on your job search man.

*I'm actually trying to find a desert job* Have applied but no answer yet.

TechJunky

Oh sorry, I didn't mean for myself. I make good money. I just meant in general. I was browsing the local ads here and it seemed none were paying much over 65k.

Just kind of amazing how IT is getting to be such a hot thing now a days and the overall position per dollar have gone down.