Salary Range 4 A+ Cert

ra13

I was just wondering about salary range for someone who has their A+ Certification? Just curious

Ricka182

If that's all you have, probably about $0 to $8 bucks an hour. Seriously, you probably won't get any job with just A+. A+ is an entry level cert that's usually combined with others to show your competence. Although, I may be wrong. Then again, I make more than that, and my job only required A+, I just don't really know why seeing as I don't really do A+ stuff.

keenon

maybe a retail store like comp, or best b would pay you starting out wit jus that 10- 12 an hour

TeKniques

From what I've been hearing (anecdotal I know) you practically need an MCSE to get a decent entry level position in IT nowadays. Guess I'll be in a crappy job for a while yet

NPA24

Yeah I agree with what the other guys said. Usually with an A+ cert it's around the $8-12hr range. Best buy pays around the $10-12hr for their techs. A good bet is to find small contract jobs. I get paid well now but I like doing small projects on the side for the experience and knowledge. I was talking to one recruiter and he said the only required cert is an A+ and the pay starts out at $15-30hr. But these are temp contract jobs so if your looking for like a career it wouldn't be a good option. But for extra money, it's a great alternative.

ra13

Thanks alot to all of you who replied. I curently work in a corporation as an IT assistant. I currently make about 30k a year and have an associates degree in Computer Network operations and only a year and a half of related work experience so I didn't know if this salary was appropriate for my situation. Thanks again to everyone and good luck in the future.

bjuarbe

I get 11.52 at best buy / geek squad as a instore technician. Its alot more bullshi........ then just fixing computers. Its sales, ringing up, electronics, etc. NOT A CAREER. Ive been hanging out here until I find a nice Full time IT job AND so far for helpdesk in NY, Ive been offered 32-50k a year. FOR HELP DESK POSITION. Nothing realli viable yet, Just waiting for the right one to pass by.

TranscenderMichael

JUSToneBOBBY wrote:

I get 11.52 at best buy / geek squad as a instore technician. Its alot more bullshi........ then just fixing computers. Its sales, ringing up, electronics, etc. NOT A CAREER. Ive been hanging out here until I find a nice Full time IT job AND so far for helpdesk in NY, Ive been offered 32-50k a year. FOR HELP DESK POSITION. Nothing realli viable yet, Just waiting for the right one to pass by.

You're working at Best Buy... you've been offered 32-50K a year for help desk... and you didn't take it?!? Why not?

/usr

Ive been offered 32-50k a year.

Just waiting for the right one to pass by.

entzilla

Dell pays about $12-$13/hour for desktop support and they're easy to get into, an A+ cert should do. You would have to relocate, though.

Mekong

I've read many posts here about the *starting wage* being from $8-12/hr for a PC Tech at Best Buy and such, but what I'm wondering about at the moment is what if you stay around for a while? What if you don't move up the corporate ladder and just use it to learn and support yourself through school? But for me I'm interested in something other than BB or CompUSA. Maybe a little computer shop that I feel comfortable in for a few years as I'm a loyal guy that's not into job hopping. Any ideas on the higher end of the pay scale once you really know your stuff?

Thanks,
Bruce

TranscenderMichael

Mekong wrote:

I've read many posts here about the *starting wage* being from $8-12/hr for a PC Tech at Best Buy and such, but what I'm wondering about at the moment is what if you stay around for a while? What if you don't move up the corporate ladder and just use it to learn and support yourself through school? But for me I'm interested in something other than BB or CompUSA. Maybe a little computer shop that I feel comfortable in for a few years as I'm a loyal guy that's not into job hopping. Any ideas on the higher end of the pay scale once you really know your stuff?

Thanks,
Bruce

Even if you have loyalty, companies typically do NOT. To most companies, you will simply be a method for revenue generation that costs them a certain amount of money. Unless you're more than twice as productive as a new tech, it is cheaper for a company to hire two new guys than to pay you double the starting salary... especially since there are plenty of new guys willing to take those jobs at low salaries.

Most jobs that I have had will typically give raises in the neighborhood of 3-7%, depending on how well you do through the year. So, let's figure out how much you'll be making after a few years at a 7% maxed-out annual growth level:

starting pay: $8 (never ever ever expect to get the high end of the pay scale, but feel fortunate if you get it - there's always someone willing to work for less)
end of 1st year: $8.56
end of 2nd year: $9.16
end of 3rd year: $9.80
end of 4th year: $10.49
end of 5th year: $11.22

So after 5 years, you're making a whopping $23,000 a year.

Use an entry-level job as what it is meant to be used for: as a stepping stone. As you suggested, use it to learn and support yourself through school - then get in with a good company in a job position where they can afford to pay you more than $8-12/hr.

Best of luck!

Mekong

So after 5 years, you're making a whopping $23,000 a year.

Very encouraging Michael - - thanks for the advice!

NPA24

It is the truth though. Last year I only got a 2% raise, but that's also because I was new. But reality sets in really hard. There are so many people out there that will work for so much less. Before I started working in my current position, I was ready to work for free just to get the experience. Yeah, that sounds really bad but that's just the reality of the IT world. Unless your super spectacular at what you do or have like all the certs and 20 years experience, it's a tough world. Just my 2cents.

Plantwiz

Pay is reflective of one's attitude and the area you live in. $8 an hour is a good wage for someone troubleshooting a simple PC. Look at how many people can do this, and look at all the information available and the parts available to people. PC repair is not specialty work.

Now if you are into inspecting for broken circuits on mainboards and soldering them, you'd certainly fall into a more specialized group. However, cost of replacement parts vs. paying someone to analyze a board just doesn't balance. Unfortunately, it leads to a complete swap and (PC) board swappers are not specialists, sorry.

Having an A+ allows people to feel more comfortable in that you should have an understanding of how to assemble/troubleshoot a computer properly. However, it was only about a week ago, I had an A+ person call me and wonder why the PC they were building wasn't booting. Both CDRW's were set to slave and the HDD was to Master.

When I inquired if both 'SLAVE' devices were on the same controller, the reply was, "why of course". Anyway, I explained the options for setting up the drives and the person made the changes and was happy the system booted.

BOTTOM line: It is easy to take tests. Some people pride themselves in being quick studies/excellent readers. Just because someone can pass a test, doesn't immediately make them a good employee candidate. You are placed in the pile to consider, but your personality and your actual ability to 'DO' things as well as work with others will get you a job, get you promotions and keep you employable when others are out looking.