Good starting salary?

Commguy23

Hello everyone,
I was offered a job recently and I need help as to what salary I should ask for. I have 4 years of college in network engineering but never finished to get my bachelors. I still need 12 credits of gen-eds. I was thinking about taking them online to finish since the job start ate is very soon. I have my security + cert, and 2 years experience as a systems administrator, and 1 year of Network and Security training in the USAF, plus a TS clearance. What should I ask for for a starting salary? The job is a network administrator, taking care of computers and keeping the network up and running, along with administering backups and AD and all of the goods that come with the title. Thank you.

instant000

Commguy23 wrote: »

Hello everyone,
I was offered a job recently and I need help as to what salary I should ask for. I have 4 years of college in network engineering but never finished to get my bachelors. I still need 12 credits of gen-eds. I was thinking about taking them online to finish since the job start ate is very soon. I have my security + cert, and 2 years experience as a systems administrator, and 1 year of Network and Security training in the USAF, plus a TS clearance. What should I ask for for a starting salary? The job is a network administrator, taking care of computers and keeping the network up and running, along with administering backups and AD and all of the goods that come with the title. Thank you.

You have a TS?

1. Security Clearance Jobs - ClearanceJobs.com
2. Security Clearance Jobs - ClearanceJobs.com
3. Security Clearance Jobs - ClearanceJobs.com

Don't let your clearance expire working for the private sector. Be a gov contractor and get paid a bit more. Once you get tired of contracting, then go GS or private sector.

How long ago are you out of the service?

Unless you don't want to do government work, and in that case, the clearance means nothing.

As far as how much to ask for, it kinda depends on a couple things:

1 - How well off the company is
2 - How you would compare to the staff they currently have
3 - Location - some places pay more than others
4 - Is there any advantage to this employer that you have a clearance?
5 - Have you researched what similar jobs in the area should pay someone of your experience?

Mrock4

Honestly, instant gave some really good advice- but I'll take a stab at this. Around here (Florida), I'd estimate a network admin job (with no other info given) would pay around $45-60k/yr. Granted, I've also seen them trying to pay engineer's 50k depending on where you look- so who knows.

Using your TS would be a huge asset right now though. Get your foot in the door with that, work a net admin job with the feds for a year or two, then use that to work your way into an engineer role. THEN transfer that experience over. Just my $.02.

Commguy23

The company is a government contractor. They found me through the clearancejobs website. The job requires a TS. My problem is that this is a great opportunity, but I'm not sure if I want to take it, or finish my degree first. I have tried to research salaries for similar jobs but 9 out of 10 do not list a salary.

Mrock4

Commguy23 wrote: »

The company is a government contractor. They found me through the clearancejobs website. The job requires a TS. My problem is that this is a great opportunity, but I'm not sure if I want to take it, or finish my degree first. I have tried to research salaries for similar jobs but 9 out of 10 do not list a salary.

I'm all for education, but you said it yourself -it's a great opportunity. I have turned down some great opportunities- and regardless of the reasoning, I seem to always regret turning those down.

If it was me, and I thought it was a great opportunity, I'd take it, but keep working on the degree for sure..because once completed, you'll have the degree forever, while the job is likely only temporary at best (in the grand scheme of things).

Just my $.02.

Devilry

12 credits short? I'm sorry but unless you have a family to feed I think I would finish that up first, or at very least find a way to do so at the same school while working. The problem with finishing at another school online is most schools will only accept up to 90ish credits... so you would be better off finishing where you started.

NoTime2Burn

Mrock4 wrote: »

I'm all for education, but you said it yourself -it's a great opportunity. I have turned down some great opportunities- and regardless of the reasoning, I seem to always regret turning those down.

If it was me, and I thought it was a great opportunity, I'd take it, but keep working on the degree for sure..because once completed, you'll have the degree forever, while the job is likely only temporary at best (in the grand scheme of things).

Just my $.02.

^^^ 100% agree with this. You can finish your degree any time, but your TS will run out, and getting it back is very difficult because of the expense, and opportunities like this do not come around often.

Salary? Hmmm. I wish I could give advice, but I'm really not sure. It is my understanding that Government contractors are generally paid higher than Government workers, mainly because the benefits package isn't as good as the Government worker's. I do not know this for a fact though, and I think I'd probably come in with a request a little lower than what I think a Government worker would get for the job. Why? For me, some opportunities are so good, that I'll take a pay cut for this job to help me later get that job.