#RealisticSalary #ITJobs #HighPayingJobs #CareerGoals #JobMarket
Hey everyone! πΌπ° Have you ever wondered how realistic it is to land a job with a salary range of $150k-$200k in the IT industry? Well, you’re not alone. Many IT professionals are curious about the potential of reaching such high-paying positions. Let’s dive into the discussion and explore the possibilities!
Is a $150k-$200k Job Realistic for Most IT People?
After spending some time on the r/henryfinance subreddit, I stumbled upon this thought-provoking question. It got me thinking about the feasibility of achieving a salary in the $150k-$200k range within the IT sector. Let’s break it down and see what it takes to reach this level of compensation.
Experience Matters: π‘
1. Building a solid foundation: Having 15 years of experience in the IT industry is certainly a significant advantage. It demonstrates a level of expertise and knowledge that can be invaluable in securing higher-paying positions.
2. Assessing past decisions: The contributor mentioned making some poor decisions that may have resulted in being below the $100k mark. It’s essential to learn from past experiences and use them as stepping stones towards higher financial goals.
3. Expanding skill set: Networking background with professional services and cloud knowledge is a great start. However, continuously upgrading skills and staying abreast of the latest technologies is crucial for career growth in the IT field.
Location and Salary Expectations: ππ΅
1. HCOL areas: It’s no secret that jobs in high cost-of-living areas often offer higher salaries. Moving to such locations may indeed increase the likelihood of landing a $150k-$200k job. However, it’s essential to consider the overall quality of life and expenses associated with living in such areas.
2. Remote work opportunities: With the rise of remote work, individuals with the right knowledge and skill combination may be able to secure high-paying IT positions regardless of their location. Companies are increasingly open to hiring remote employees, opening up opportunities for professionals outside of HCOL areas.
Skills and Qualifications: π₯οΈπ
1. Technical expertise: In the IT industry, having a strong technical skill set is essential for commanding higher salaries. Specializing in in-demand areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics can significantly increase earning potential.
2. Certifications and qualifications: Obtaining relevant certifications from recognized institutions can add credibility to your skill set and make you more attractive to potential employers. Additionally, pursuing advanced degrees or specialized training can further enhance your market value.
Networking and Professional Development: π€π
1. Building connections: Networking within the IT industry can open doors to higher-paying opportunities. Attending industry events, joining professional organizations, and making meaningful connections can lead to lucrative job prospects.
2. Continuous learning: The IT industry is ever-evolving, and professionals must stay updated with the latest trends and advancements. Engaging in continuous learning through workshops, webinars, and online courses can keep you at the forefront of the industry.
In conclusion, while landing a job with a salary range of $150k-$200k in the IT industry is indeed realistic, it requires a combination of factors such as extensive experience, in-demand skills, strategic career decisions, and potentially, geographical considerations. By continuously enhancing your expertise, expanding your network, and being open to opportunities, you can position yourself for success in the competitive IT job market.
Remember, everyone’s career journey is unique, and success may look different for each individual. Keep pushing forward, stay informed, and strive for your professional goals! ππ
Select few, IMO. You need to have either elite technical skills in an in demand area, or elite people skills and the right opportunities, or a bit of both. Also, luck & timing play a huge factor.
It’s realistic, it just has many factors that help determine it. Education, skill set, certs, location, experience to name a few. There’s no single “this is what you need to do to make $150k+ in IT” path. If there was, we’d all be on it.
Rare outside of HCOL.Β
I must be HCOL in Maryland, i know 100 too many system administrators that got out of the military with me, making over 6 figures.
I mean i know MD is “HCOL” but theres pleny of decent areas to live with 45 mins including traffic. its not like san fran or NYC where you need 6 figures to survive lol, but its getting close.
If you have over 10 years experience with networking plus any other skill set, this is the minimum you should be asking for.
IΒ guessΒ byΒ definition it’s only a few, because median salaries in “IT” as a whole are lower than that.Β Β Β
Β It’s important to not mythologize any particular salary target. There’s always a higher salary band you can get to if you’re lucky, you put in the work, you can interview well. When you’re job hunting you just try to get the best you can at that time, which might be lower or even higher than your targetΒ πΒ
There’s never a “right knowledge combo” to get you a specific range too. It’s basically about alignment between what a company wants and what you have to offer, being in the right place and time, and how you negotiate the offer.Β
Β But yeah this is an achieveable salary in DevOps/SRE/Solutions Eng/etc if you can get a remote job for a well funded software vendor. I make in the range doing Technical Support even.
I went to [dice.com](https://dice.com), did a search for a mid/senior level cert (CCNP) for a big US city; 3rd job I found is paying $145600-$156,000/year, and they are not asking for anything that sounds outside of what I would expect you know.
Job Title: Senior Network Engineer
Duration: 12-18 Months
Location: Dallas, Atlanta, or Richmond, VA
Required Pay Scale: $70-$75/hour
Must Haves
A robust background in network engineering is imperative; proficiency in implementing Cisco routers and switches is required.
Profound familiarity with Cisco hardware, particularly Nexus, is essential.
While experience with Arista is desirable, it is not mandatory.
Proficiency in fundamental network engineering technologies such as LAN/WAN, TCP/IP, Routing and Switching,
it helps a lot to be in an HCOL location. A LOT.
Yes there are remote roles but statistically, put yourself in an HCOL city.
Being able to code is important at that pay band. Most people at that level it’s assumed you are able to write code to solve problems as an IC.
Very little IT jobs will pay you over 100k. I work in the state government in PA and very little people are making over 100k and the reason is they are either in management or have been with the State long enough. 75k seems to be the average amount, I am in Net Ops and I make almost 50k and been here for three year. I have a master’s degree in cybersecurity and it has been a hard field to get into. So I grab what I could. But I am making more then what I was as a help desk rep. Keep in Mind it also depends on where you live also.
Iβd switch careers βpersonally, if you wouldnβt be satisfied unless you make that amount.
You could make this eventually or always get beat out by other candidates for the roles that pay that much. Itβs a gamble.
People who get to that range are usually folks in HCOL, managers, seniors with years of experience, and gov cleared senior IT staff.
Iβm above the range as a Principal in devops whoβs in a MCOL thatβs slowly becoming HCOL. Been in around same time as you. In my experience, knowing how to code proficiently regardless of IT path you take will help you speed run a bit faster to get that salary range.
You can make whatever your skills allow for. However, you have to be able to “sell” yourself and obviously it has to be a role that pays that well.
Is it realistic for most in IT? No, itβs not. Most that make that live in HCOL areasso the money is less glamarous. lβm targetting the range for my next move, but Iβm in management and work in NYC.
It can get kind of regional. Expect a higher salary in CA over the Midwest. Cost of living figures into this. If you can score a remote gig with CA salary then it may be close to that salary.
It’s very realistic. However…
One of the biggest variables influencing salary range, are candidates not knowing their true market value. Most hiring managers will take on a candidate who accepts a lower desired salary even if that candidate may have a slightly lower level of expertise than someone desiring a higher salary. If the manager has certainty they can up-skill the candidate to the desired level of expertise within a couple of months with little effort, that manager saved the company significant costs and kept the perceived market value for the role low.
For example, you interviewed for a role that has a salary range of $150K – $200K and you gave a desired salary of $175K. The hiring manager likes you, but asks if you have willingness to come down to $150K. Though the manager has the operating budget for $175K+, more than likely another candidate slightly less qualified than you desires $150K.
220 base in a HCOL, 15 years in. Didn’t job hop. At the same place for 12 years. Worked my up from HD/systems. It’s possible but rare and requires luck, smarts, but mostly hard work.
Itβs not realistic. Job adverts showing this are resume fish hooks. If you are in any career for just the $, you will be miserable.
For someone mid-late career, thatβs right in the expected range.
I just recently started a new role at $145k + bonus (so roughly 150k). It’s taken me about 12 years to get to where I am salary wise. I started my IT career in a contract role at 55k and worked my way up from there, changing roles every few years, gaining new skills till I was considered more senior. I know people can get up over 100k more quickly these days, especially given the COL now but I feel that the job market is tough currently. Lots of competition and many companies are looking to find a bargain (with some layoffs here and there). It took me almost 9 months of passive job searching to find a role that would pay what I wanted so (to your question OP) I think it’s possible but it may take a while to find the right role.
I make over 200k in LCOL, about 5 years exp or so, maybe slightly less.
I make $165k in MCOL remote with 8 YoE (joined at $145k with 6 YoE) in a specialized role. But when I interviewed in 2021 this company was an outlier, other companies were offering ~$120k. So in essence I know Iβve hit my salary ceiling, if I were to get off I know Iβd have to take a pay cut.
Outside of COL, I see two ways though for people to get past $150k:
* Join a good tech firm where theyβll load up your total comp with base + rsu + bonus which can easily push people past $150k. Versus insurance, hospital, etc where IT is far from the revenue.
* Go to a revenue generating role or customer facing role like pre-sales eng or TAM.
I have friends in MCOL pulling $250k+ TC as a TAM at Amazon with ~10 YoE.
I wouldnβt say itβs common but very doable. In my opinion in todayβs market you need to really have a little luck along with some networking. Those referrals will carry you a long way. There are some talented engineers who sit at companies (or teams, internal transfers at large orgs can get you big pay bumps too) for a long time way below the compensation they could be getting elsewhere. I know this because the same was true for me. Iβm at $130K+ in a little over 8 YOE
It is realistic but only for a segment of the field and experience. It’s more likely for people with a good education, internships, and more.
HCOL, MCOL or LCOL all factor in to it as well and so does the industry your employer works in. It’s a lot easier to earn six figures in a tech company where technology is a revenue center. It can be a lot harder to earn six figures at a retail company where technology is a revenue center.
My work experience is in a HCOL and MCOL area in industries including software, retail, sales, design, and government. In the MCOL area, the senior and principals at top companies in the area were the ones that usually hit $100K, but that was usually with experience. In the HCOL area, six figures is much more likely, but also the price of homes and everything else is significantly higher. My home cost $150K, is 80 years old, and right in the downtown corridor, on a 0.5 acre plot. A similar sized home in a HCOL where my company is based is $1.25 million.
I make 2x more than most people with my experience level do in my region at the top companies which is where I came from before this gig. I make as much now as my manager did at my old company in base pay, and bonuses. They’ve been posting jobs at my old company; one similar to my old role, and the pay is $25K lower than my base pay currently, and doesn’t include a good total comp package like stock, performance bonuses and more.
Get into Management / Director roles and itβs easy. If you stay at individual contributor, you probably wonβt. There are the outliers but the fastest way to earn that kind of money is upper management and Director level roles.
To make that kind of money you need to start bridging the gap between IT and engineering. General sys admins or IT techs aren’t making (generally, with a few exceptions) anywhere near that much.
Other people mentioning IT managers, CCNP, networking, etc., all of that requires a ton of experience before you start reaching those numbers.
Now cloud engineers with scripting knowledge? Go look on indeed on linkedin with keywords “Cloud” “python” “terraform” and you’ll see plenty paying that much.
I’m at 250 as a cloud security engineer, fully remote. I got here by doing the AWS certs, then getting my foot in the door as a sys admin in an AWS environment, and from there just went up the chain.
Think cloud, devops, SRE, anything with engineer in the title will pay that much. It’s still uncommon of course, but you’ll have a much easier time if you go that route.
And here I am would be giddy to make 55K again. Currently make 30K year. My previous cyber security job was 55K.
To get those levels you need specialization or to be in management. No “IT guy” is making 150k–specialist engineers, architects, and managers are.
I’m at $126k including average annual bonuses, 8ish years into my career, fully remote in an LCOL area. My career path has been Desktop Support Tech -> Jr System Admin -> Linux System Admin -> and now I’ve been various levels of combo DevOps/SRE for the last few years.
Def doable. A lot easier when you find a job that brings in money versus being a cost center. I have about 14 years experience and make 200 base remote lcol. Individual contributor, doing automation devopsy things. Know a lot of people in a similar boat.
My friend from tech support days stayed down the networking path and is hitting over 200 with his bonus included – remote lcol.
Disturbs me greatly how horrible the pay actually is for experienced folks in IT.
Go work for a vendor, specially in the tech space. As far as I can tell this is the best path forward, especially in very known vendors. Worked for a cybersecurity company for 2 years, jumped from 50k to 80k before leaving the company, in 2021, went to another company, came back to the vendor, came in at 150k base, 210 TC.
Based off of my experience, A. Well known vendor at some point. B. Leave and come back.
Some of my coworkers also left and came back with a much higher salary, much easier to get a higher salary as a βnewβ employee than get a 30k+ raise
The sweet spot is to make that salary range and be 100% remote. Typically, leads, principals, architects, mid level management or higher make that range.
Healthcare and finance, insurance industry IT. As someone who was architect that went to management, itβs not worth the jump, stay at the architect or principal level.
Itβs very realistic if you are US born.
Most people making that salary are in the FedGov as contractors (SWE, Data Analytics, IT PJM, Network/Cyber ENG.)
(If youβre a US Citizen) you just need to get a clearance for the job but if not, just got a non cleared position at a contract company. And you should be able to make the bread
Most? No. Top 10% of the field? Yes.
190k MCOL
$100K is more of a common thing now. When I started in 2007 I made $35000 which is equal to $51,528. today. Inflation as brought all the salaries up. 100K is not what it used to be.
Senior IT manager with 10*YOE in defense, 2 masters in HCOL but fully remote. 170k base but with bonus it will be 200k
Youll need to move or specialize, but its all company dependent
If you have 15 years of network experience you should be making over 100k
Itβs much more realistic if you move into an executive position and become a CTO/CIO.
I got there with a startup. Lasted 10 months. I should have stayed put because I would not be far from there with my old companies’ yearly compensation increases and bonuses. Now I’m with a fledgling startup, survived multiple rounds of layoffs by true luck, no bonus, no salary increases, basic comp package. I squeeze out 116k. Industry is ao fucked now. It’s basically a employers market.
There’s a reason that salary range is above average. From what I’ve seen, you’ve got the options:
– management
– sales or sales engineering
– highly specialized
I went for high specialization and make $195k in a lcol-to-mcol, so I can say it’s possible, but there was definitely a good bit of luck involved.
Very realistic. My part time position with my current company (25 hours a week) pays me approximately 165k a year. That doesn’t even include my full time job, which pays me approximately 300k.
Nearly impossible
I’m a sales engineer and I made more than this last year