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Degree needed for linux administration?

W Stewart

I'm currently enrolled in WGU and have about two years worth of college credits under my belt even though WGU doesn't give out Associates Degrees. I know a bachelors degree isn't really a hard requirement because I currently work as a Jr Systems Administrator for a web hosting company but it seems the most linux administrator job postings that I've seen at other companies want a bachelors degree or twice the amount of experience if you don't have one. I don't think I'd find myself unable to get another job but I'd like to make sure that I would be able to get another job doing linux administration if need be.

Are their any linux administrators on this site who have less than a Bachelors Degree and if so, has not having a Bachelors Degree made it difficult for you to find employment?

Have you found that most companies have been willing to wave the degree requirement and do you think employers would look at two years of school at a 4 year college as equivalent to an Associates Degree?

Also do you think it's worth continuing to pursue a degree even if I need to take out student loans to do so or should I just focus on certifications and experience for now and pay down what student loan debt I do have before it becomes to much?

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Comments

danitykane

That is stupid HR for you. In theory a bachelors degree has no connection with being a good IT professional or a Linux Administrator, its just the stupid HR wants it cause they are dumb and clueless, the best IT professionals are self-taught and they are certainly not people who have degrees.

danitykane

I hate when things like this happen, a bachelors degree is a worthless piece of paper and most people who get it is for the heck of having one, it does not teach you anything about life or Linux administration even though they ask for it, still apply for it.

W Stewart

Thanks for the reply although I don't think it's that serious. Nothing has really happened yet. I've just seen a fair amount of jobs asking for a Bachelors and I'd like a little bit of insight from people who don't have a Bachelors and whether or not degree requirements have had an impact on their ability to find employment. At the moment it seems like my best bet if I were to look for another job would be to relocate to another city although I'm probably planning on relocating to Atlanta or Virginia some day anyway.

Most importantly I want to know if my decision to not complete my bachelors is a bad decision or if racking up student loan debt is a worse decision.

NinjaBoy

danitykane wrote: »

...the best IT professionals are self-taught and they are certainly not people who have degrees.

That's a sweeping generalisation that doesn't make sense.

What about the people below???

Bill Gates (Microsoft), while he never finished his degree when he started MS, he did receive a honorary degree from Havard in 2007.
Steve Jobs (Apple), got his honorary degree in 2005 from Stanford.
Tim Berners-Lee (Inventor of the WWW), multiple degrees (Bachelor and higher).
James Gosling (Java), multiple degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Linus Torvalds (Linux), multiple degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Richard Stallman (GNU), multiple honorary degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Edgar Frank "Ted" Codd (DB), doctorate degree.
Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley (F.I. Group later became Xansa), multiple honorary degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Martha Lane Fox (co-founder of lastminute.com), degree (not IT related).

And personally I know great IT Professionals who have degrees and I know great IT professionals who do not. To say that "the best IT professionals are self-taught and they are certainly not people who have degrees" is not true.

It would be more accurate to say that people with degrees do not always make the best IT Professionals.

danitykane wrote: »

I hate when things like this happen, a bachelors degree is a worthless piece of paper and most people who get it is for the heck of having one, it does not teach you anything about life or Linux administration even though they ask for it, still apply for it.

Sorry mate, but this again is another generalisation. While not defending whether or not one is required to enter the IT field, you can not say that with authority.

You don't state a specific degree or a specific field, so generally have you forgotten about lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers, etc... Would you like to have an unqualified people do work for or on you?

What about the IT field? It is true that the rate that the IT world moves faster than the world of academics, so a lot of the things that you may learn may not be relevant by the time you graduate. However it does help you develop the soft skills that are transferrable to an IT job, eg time management, research, team working, plus also IT theory...

danitykane

A honourly degree isnt the same as earning a real degree so gates and jobs are dropouts. I just hate the way hr blocks skillful IT pros from joining its not fair.

sratakhin

Danitykane, are you bitter because you don't have a degree? You'd better get one or stop complaining. A degree is a requirement for many job postings because people with degrees are generally more attractive to employers, unless we are talking about flipping burgers.

muneebkalathil

A degree is really waste for me ( i have one degree

) ... But it is a main requirement for many jobs ... :huh:

For LinuX admin , Learn LINUX , practice , train .... experience ....

--chris--

Here is a job near me that has been updating this add every 3-4 days for a month, they must not be able to find anyone...
Linux Server Administration

No degree required there. Just keep your head up, its not impossible.

DissonantData

Do they require a *specific* degree?

NinjaBoy

danitykane wrote: »

A honourly degree isnt the same as earning a real degree so gates and jobs are dropouts...

Yeah, honorary vs academic degrees process ain't the same, but the end is. You still get that piece of paper and the post-nominal after your name

danitykane wrote: »

I just hate the way hr blocks skillful IT pros from joining its not fair.

I know what you mean, in a lot of countries it is so ingrained in the culture that you have to have a degree in order to do anything (I've lived in the UK/EU, US and Asia, eg when I live in Asia you had to be a 2nd year College/Uni student in order to get a job at McD's in the 90's).

We're lucky in the UK that there are a lot of qualifications that are comparable to a degree, eg professional diploma's, NVQ level 4 & 5, and awards/certificates/diplomas at level 4-8 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). Added to that in a lot of IT support jobs a degree is a desired requirement (if they even list it) instead of a essential requirement.

N2IT

What about these they mentioned?

Tim Berners-Lee (Inventor of the WWW), multiple degrees (Bachelor and higher).
James Gosling (Java), multiple degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Linus Torvalds (Linux), multiple degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Richard Stallman (GNU), multiple honorary degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Edgar Frank "Ted" Codd (DB), doctorate degree.
Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley (F.I. Group later became Xansa), multiple honorary degrees (Bachelor and/or higher).
Martha Lane Fox (co-founder of lastminute.com), degree (not IT related).

????

NinjaBoy

And what is the question?

DAVIS NGUYEN

"The best IT professionals are self-taught and they are certainly not people who have degrees."

YFZblu

Ultimately, one does not need a degree to make a lot of money in this field. Certainly one does not need a degree to be competent or stand out in this field.

I have met a lot of clueless people with Master's and Doctoral degrees. I have also met a lot of clueless people with a bunch of recently acheived certifications. I have also met the opposite of both. In the end, we all do what we instinctively believe will get us where we want to go.

To make blanket statements supporting which path is better or best disregards the complexity of these life-changing decisions IMO.

N2IT

Agree with Y We all must follow our own path.

santaowns

OP, I used the degree requirement as a recommendation or a suggested job requirement. Nothing on their job posting says hey you SANTAOWNS you cannot apply for this job. I look at it this way, if i can make it to an interview I can show them that even though i do not have my degree yet, I am the candidate they are looking for because I can do the job. HR is making a bachelors a requirement because they believe they will get smarter candidates that way, but it doesn't always pan out that way. There are bachelor degree requirements for lots of jobs so don't let it stop you from applying. Although a bachelors may set you apart from someone who does not have one, so keep that in mind too and finish up your time at WGU.

santaowns

forgot to add that the worst they can say is no, so just apply anyways.

W Stewart

I agree with most people here that I degree is not an absolute requirement. I'm fully aware of that as I'm working as a Jr admin without a degree and I don't think a lack of a degree will prevent me from moving up the latter. If anything, I'd imagine my young age and young appearance would get in the way more than a lack of a bachelors. I'm just curious about personal experiences from people without a bachelors degree in particular. Have you generally had luck when applying for an admin position that asks for a bachelors? Do things like the size of the company come in to play when these decisions are being made?

TechGuru80

A degree or more years of experience is a common criteria. If you don't have a degree why wouldn't you have the additional experience I am sure is the thinking. Many jobs especially higher up are going to require a degree so it is worth pursuing. An associates degree is not an associates degree without the credentials. However since you are in the IT field...why not apply? The worst thing they will do is not call so you don't really lose anything by applying. They may even keep your resume for when you get closer to graduation.

W Stewart

I guess what I was really wondering is whether or not it's worth racking up more student loans to complete my degree. I'm pretty confident in my ability to find a job, I'm just not sure if the degree is worth it or if I will be making a big mistake by not completing it.

puertorico1985

The only "problem" you will have with getting your degree is that you will be more attractive to employers, and more doors will be open for you. While it is not necessarily true that those with a degree are better than those without, your job possibilities sky-rocket with that piece of paper, and you are more eligible for promotions, and many more jobs.

Expect

I do not have a degree yet and I have been interviewed for several companies, none of them asked for a degree. (Linux Development)

W Stewart

puertorico1985 wrote: »

The only "problem" you will have with getting your degree is that you will be more attractive to employers, and more doors will be open for you. While it is not necessarily true that those with a degree are better than those without, your job possibilities sky-rocket with that piece of paper, and you are more eligible for promotions, and many more jobs.

That definitely motivates me to continue with my degree. I think a 6 figure salary is going to have to be a requirement by the time I finish my degree but I honestly don't think that would be too difficult to achieve.