Am I underpaid?

I have an Bachelors degree, MCSE, CCNA, and I am currently studying for the CCNP. I make $35,000 / year. I work level 2 support for a very well known firewall/VPN company.

Am I underpaid?

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drthtater

Seriously.

I make 35k and I have more responsibility, and only my A+, my network+, and a handful of vendor certs.
(I'm not including my Server+, cause I was hired at 35K with just the previous certs.)

blargoe

drthtater wrote:

Seriously.

I make 35k and I have more responsibility, and only my A+, my network+, and a handful of vendor certs.
(I'm not including my Server+, cause I was hired at 35K with just the previous certs.)

35K in Greensboro seems to be average or low-average for helpdesk/desktop support (I worked there for a few years). Good thing is that you shouldn't have any trouble finding something that pays better as you move up the technical ladder.

binari

are you underpaid...hell yes you are.

I started a thread not to long ago regarding this same thing. looky here

http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37572

there are many people here who think you are not underpaid, as if the skills required to perform your job duties are frivolous and could be performed by anyone.

THE FREE MARKET PREVAILS!!!!

You get paid what the market is willing to pay to.....lol

But as we have all found out in the past few weeks, the "free Market" only works out for the wealthy, not for the rest of us. Take for example the CEO of Washington Mutual. He was on the job for less than a month, his bank fails and he walks away with 19 million Dollars.

So many people here on tech exams think you are gettting paid "well" for all your skills and you labor and contributions to your companies well being. But when we have obscene examples of what guys at the top make, I think its high time we reexamine what employee get paid.

My advice...run away from IT....run fast.

As for myself, im going to give it one more year, get my CCNP and see what happens, If I keep getting low balled I'll find somethning else to do. Hell, AC techs get paid more than us!

http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2008/09/29/wamu-richly-rewards-ceo-failure.aspx

LarryDaMan

binari wrote:

there are many people here who think you are not underpaid, as if the skills required to perform your job duties are frivolous and could be performed by anyone.

So many people here on tech exams think you are gettting paid "well" for all your skills and you labor and contributions to your companies well being.

Eh, seems as though most people in this thread think he is underpaid. Did you read the thread?

binari

LarryDaMan wrote:

binari wrote:

there are many people here who think you are not underpaid, as if the skills required to perform your job duties are frivolous and could be performed by anyone.

Eh, seems as though most people in this thread think he is underpaid. Did you read the thread?

Yeah, I made that post before I read all the replies, but I stand by it. Look at the thread I made a while back, and there was not one person who thought I was underpaid.

http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37572

techimaster

yea, i think you're under paid. In the UK, a degree and MCSE would get you at least 24K which is about $46 in your money. Working for well known firms are also supposed to pay above the average. I'd wait for your annual review and bring it up with your manager.

ironlung

For shooooo.Definately underpaid going by your credentials.It might not even be challenging for you anymore.I think I would look for a new position for better$$$ and something that could challenge me more where you could get more hands on experience.

swabbies

I think your question can be answered in 2 different ways.

1. Should someone with an MCSE, CCNA, 4 years of experience, and a good critical thinking mind make more than 35k? Yes.

2. But should a level II support person at the company you work for make more than 35k? I am not sure. It depends on what it is that you do for the company.

I know that once I started to get certified that I expected my then current employer to somehow pay me more money. But I was doing the same job. So if you look at it from the employer's perspective they aren't going to pay you more than they think your job role is worth.

For me I had to set a base number that I was willing to work for and go find a company that would pay me that amount. If you truly feel like you are worth more money than you are getting paid, then go out and get it.

mshadow

You could always try applying other places and see what other people think your worth...

loxleynew

LBC90805 wrote:

jmanrta wrote:

shednik wrote:

jmanrta wrote:

I am lucky to live in an area with a low cost of living (Pittsburgh,PA) It's not uncommon to see houses listed for under $50k and AREN'T in crummy crime infested slums.

$35k a year is not too shabby for around here.

But then again the down side to all that is this gives employers an excuse to pay lower salaries and wages.

Where do those places exist...my house needs a good bit of work, and I live in Mckees Rocks the house is still worth 85k...not sure where in Pittsburgh you're referring to

This is just from what I've heard. Though 85k is still pretty low. From what I understand that same house in LA or San Francisco would run atleast 150k if not more.

Same house in LA or San Fran for 150K is rediculous. Try closer to 350k or even more.

Any kind of decent house in CO starts at around 220k.

As for the main question, don't you get bored dealing with VPN issues all day with those creds? You could be doing far more worth twice what you're getting paid.