How much desktop support should be paid

in New York City? I have done some research online and the numbers are mixed.

Duties:

Create user accounts in AD and Exchange
Create E-mails, alias and distribution groups in Exchange
Reset passwords in AD
Create groups and GPO in AD
Help users setup exchange e-mail on BlackBerry, iPhone and Android.
remote and on-site support.
Build desktop/laptops.
Create and maintain Citrix VMs.

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Comments

the_Grinch

In New Jersey, when I was doing such things, I was making between $35 and $42k a year (not including bonuses). I'd imagine in NYC, probably $45 to $50k a year.

YFZblu

Like Grinch said it will depend on cost of living - When I was doing desktop support I was making 50k in MI, plus overtime, plus driving allowances.

Tackle

For those duties, $10 an hour. There is no real troubleshooting going on by the looks of it (Ok - mainting citrix is one that would require knowledge - so maybe $12 an hour). I could write a few documents of the procedures and have a newbie perform most of that stuff.

ptilsen

Create groups and GPOs? That's systems administration. I wouldn't delegate that to a desktop support tech.

I say $50K minimum for NYC. You could probably pull $40-50 in Minneapolis doing that, and life's a lot cheaper here.

Tackle wrote: »

For those duties, $10 an hour. There is no real troubleshooting going on by the looks of it (Ok - mainting citrix is one that would require knowledge - so maybe $12 an hour). I could write a few documents of the procedures and have a newbie perform most of that stuff.

You would make designing GPOs a repeatable process for newbies? That's frightening. I wouldn't let desktop support in AD other than to reset passwords.

Tackle wrote: »

For those duties, $10 an hour.

I wouldn't expect anyone to take any kind of desktop support or helpdesk position for less than $13/hr in Minneapolis. If you have an A+, you're worth more than $10/hr. If you've accepted $10/hr or anything in the ballpark for anything above Geek Squad, you've sold yourself short.

kanecain

Tackle wrote: »

For those duties, $10 an hour. There is no real troubleshooting going on by the looks of it (Ok - mainting citrix is one that would require knowledge - so maybe $12 an hour). I could write a few documents of the procedures and have a newbie perform most of that stuff.

Really? For the crap you have to deal with!? $12 an hour!? Desktop Support guys may perform "basic" duties, but to the user, we are Server Admins/Security Engineers/Virus Experts/ETC... We do too much to get paid that amount. Thats less than what I was paid at Geek Squad years ago.

CodeBlox

sizeon wrote: »

in New York City? I have done some research online and the numbers are mixed.

Duties:

Create user accounts in AD and Exchange
Create E-mails, alias and distribution groups in Exchange
Reset passwords in AD
Create groups and GPO in AD
Help users setup exchange e-mail on BlackBerry, iPhone and Android.
remote and on-site support.
Build desktop/laptops.
Create and maintain Citrix VMs.

For THOSE duties, I'd have to say somewhere around $15.00/hr in VA. It varies... First job I did this type of work at, I was paid $12.50/hr. Next job after was a step up at $42,000/yr. I finally hit over 50k in a higher level role doing system administration.

Ismaeljrp

Tackle wrote: »

For those duties, $10 an hour. There is no real troubleshooting going on by the looks of it (Ok - mainting citrix is one that would require knowledge - so maybe $12 an hour). I could write a few documents of the procedures and have a newbie perform most of that stuff.

Jeez, are you a supervisor at foxconn or something ?
Kidding aside though, those tasks if it is help desk, it's not just tier 1. Closer to junior system admin I'd say.

Akaricloud

My Desktop Support job with very similar responsibilities paid ~$10/hr. Desktop Support for me was fun but merely a means to an end. I got the experience I needed and have since moved on to a near six-figure job. Getting caught up over what an ENTRY LEVEL job pays is a bit ridiculous in my opinion. We recommend people volunteer for experience all the time; anything you're being paid is a step up.

Priston

I love how fast food workers are going on strike to make 15 an hour and entry level IT jobs are around 10-15 an hour

Akaricloud

Ah yes, those that would rather be lazy and complain to increase their income vs. those willing to become more skilled and increase their actual worth to a company.

--chris--

In this area (Metro Detroit), where I have been actively seeking a helpdesk/entry level IT job for a month or so I see those types of jobs listed for $7.50/hour (yes $0.10 over minimum wage) to $18/hour.

The low end was seeking "a computer oriented" person willing to learn but also willing to work for peanuts, I'm assuming a highschool student or drop out. The high end was seeking a 4 year degree, 2-3 years experience and every cert you can imagine. The duties were simply "Manage AD DS" lol. The whole add had three sentences.

Id say the mean falls around $13-$14/hour. Of course, the standard of living here is quite low so that is probably a large factor.

Anonymouse

Priston wrote: »

I love how fast food workers are going on strike to make 15 an hour and entry level IT jobs are around 10-15 an hour

LOL! In the SF Bay Area the In N' Out cashiers and cooks make something like $15 an hour already.

clouder

How many years of experience?

RouteMyPacket

It depends on duties but from what you posted OP I would say anywhere from high 30's to mid 40's..again depending on the individual. Any Desktop guy worth anything will want to dip his feet into system administration. You attract a higher caliber employee by paying a good wage versus trying to low ball because someone might think it's crap/basic work. Desktop is generally grunt work, that's where you earn your troubleshooting/customer facing stripes IMO and it shouldn't be skipped. It's a stepping stone

Anonymouse

^^^ Wouldn't helpdesk call center type of work be more of the grunt work where you earn your troubleshooting stripes? I know it helped me a great deal. I usually tell when someone has never had to work in a call center when I see their troubleshooting methodology.

RouteMyPacket

Anonymouse wrote: »

^^^ Wouldn't helpdesk call center type of work be more of the grunt work where you earn your troubleshooting stripes? I know it helped me a great deal. I usually tell when someone has never had to work in a call center when I see their troubleshooting methodology.

I think Help Desk is good for patience and beginning to deal with users but when you step into Desktop you are face to face with the end user. Huge difference.

I think Help Desk is where you develop documentation skills that will be critical throughout your career. Updating tickets with step by step troubleshooting steps taken or comments from the end user. I have seen people who never worked Help Desk and it shows, they are pathetic with end users and horrible at documentation.