Salary Woes for Cisco Pros
6/3/2002 -- Think you'll make six-figures as a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)? Think again. According to TCPMag.com's second annual salary survey, released last week, the average salary for CCIEs dropped 21 percent between 2000 and 2001, from $115,000 to $91,000.
The news isn't good for those with other Cisco titles, although the decline isn't quite as steep: Average salaries for those holding CCNAs are down 8 percent, CCNPs 7 percent and CCDAs 6 percent. The only Cisco title to see a rise was the mid-level CCDP, with a modest 1.5 percent increase:
| Title |
2001
Average Salary*
|
2000
Average Salary* |
Change
(+/-) |
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert
(CCIE) |
$91,000 |
$115,00 |
- 21% |
Cisco Certified Design Professional
(CCDP) |
$80,000 |
$79,000 |
+ 1/5% |
| Cisco Qualified Specialist -- Security |
$80,000 |
N/A** |
N/A** |
| Cisco Qualified Specialist -- IT Telephony |
$78,000 |
N/A** |
N/A** |
| Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) |
$74,000 |
$79,000 |
- 6% |
Cisco Certified Design Associate
(CCDA) |
$70,000 |
$74,000 |
- 5% |
Cisco Certified Network Associate
(CCNA) |
$64,000 |
$70,000 |
- 9% |
|
*Results rounded to the nearest thousand
** Certification debuted in 2001. |
Dian Schaffhauser, editorial director of TCPMag.com (as well as this site and MCPMag.com), said that the decline is a reflection of the overall economic climate. "Across the board we're seeing softer salaries," she said. "We're just now evaluating the results for our annual Microsoft Certified Professional salary survey, and we expect we'll see softer numbers there as well."
According to Schaffhauser, the growing popularity of certification is also having an impact. "Certification has become a requirement for the job in many cases," she continued. "I think what we're going to see is that experience is really what will make the difference when it comes to salary negotiation. Certification is less of a factor."
TCPMag.com will be posting information about the above averages and how they relate to the experience levels of those reporting them over the next few weeks. In the meantime, to see the initial results of the survey as well as what Cisco professionals expect for 2002, go to http://TCPMag.com/salarysurveys/. - B.N.
|
There are 73  user Comments for “Salary Woes for Cisco Pros”
|
|
Page 3 of 8
|
| 6/5/02: Bob from SoCal says: |
As a VP of a fairly small company, and in charge of its technology and administrative systems since 1989, I've hired quite a few IT and IS personnel over the last 12 years (from the days it was called DP, in the age of the Mini and Mainframe, before the PC networks). Knowledge is excellent, but that's something that can be gained through training and mentoring on-the-job. What I look for are those with a love of the technology and learning, and the attitude and work ethic that is "the company" mentality. Truely what I see a lot in my interviews, or the individuals I end up letting go, is they "didn't" know what to do with thier lives, so they got sold on the marketing of the millions of high-paying necessary jobs in IT by schools... I mean 5 years ago you never heard of a BS or BA in IT, much less a masters in IT. Schools like UoP, AIU, maded them up to target individuals with the Internet/Technology buzzwords. Decent scratch-the-surface programs, but I look at these graduates with dollars signs in their eyes, and a lot of them want to work 8-5 Monday thru Friday. If you want to command the salaries for an extended period of time, work hard... really hard, and love what you do... if you don't, you shouldn't be in the field. IT and IS are huge fields, find one area that you like, and work at being the best in that (it will almost come naturally, you'll see). I've taken cert exams since the old Netware days, when the word "engineer" was degraded from a college level acheivement to something I could achieve at my local technical school (or even by home studying). I study and take cert exams (passed all 8 tests so far on first attempts) more to assess the value of what an applicant had to do and know to achieve them. (I classify my certs under the title Alphabet Soup on my resume, as they were more for me than for any potential employer, as my experience and business accomplishments vastly shadow their value). Everyone who works for me or at my company knows I love technology and what I do... and I can often tell within the first 90 days, if not in the interview, if you are worth my company's money and my time. I've seen a lot of recruiters and HR managers that still live in the buzzword, acro-nymrod dream that there is some kind of magic behind IT people. 80% of the time my new hires either don't mind working from the bottom up for peanuts, or are Business School graduates (BA in Business, MIS, or Finance) from a decent college... I can teach them (or send them to school) for the IT aspects of their jobs... it's easy... business-level IT professionals understand that in order for me to afford an 85K salary, they have to produce that much (or more in most cases) in value to the company. Next time one of you come in to my office, prove to me you are my best investment, and you'll most likely have 90 days to prove it in. --Take Care |
| 6/5/02: Anonymous says: |
Becky Nagel, while you are at removing some posts why don't you update your website. The info on some of the certs is outdated. |
| 6/6/02: Sane says: |
Certs should be viewed in context - if you can't then you are probably too immature to be doing and getting any value out of them - period. |
| 6/6/02: Becky Nagel from Web Editor, CertCities.com says: |
CCNP -- Definitely check out the experience level that's broken out for the titles in the survey. These averages are NOT for entry-level, although those are included. You have to look at the overall average experience level of the respondants for any salary survey to get the true value of the numbers. -- Becky Nagel, Web Editor, CertCities.com |
| 6/6/02: Becky Nagel from Web Editor, CertCities.com says: |
Hi Anonymous -- we're working on it. We'll debut the updated database with many new certs added in about a month! -- Becky Nagel, Web Editor, CertCities.com |
| 6/6/02: Gary from Austin Texas says: |
I was just laid off April 9 and I have a CCNP. CCNA. CCDA, CNE and Marconi certification. I worked for a very large intergration company and we still were taking a hit from the downturn in the DOT Com world....it finally caught up to me. But to say that a CCNP is just as good as a CCIE is naive. The CCIE's I worked with were well worth there pay at over 100K. The job market here in Austin is very tight and I had to take a cut in pay but ended up with Austin's Largest Private Employer at a good pay. But with 6 years experince in the IT filed and 2 years as a CCNP I never earned what they say a CCNA should earn....redo the study...it is wrong. P.S. In Austin though the market is flooded with good candidates and no jobs. Gary |
| 6/6/02: Rookie from Ohio says: |
I have my A Plus, working on my Network Plus now, and then CCNA thereafter. As a career changer two years ago and a B.A in Liberal Arts, I welcome the challenge, ability to learn, and think highly of all who are willing to help me succeed. My opinion is that salary surveys by Robert Half and Salary.com (and others) are grossly inflated and do not represent what people are willing to pay. For instance, a local school wants to hire an A Plus/CCNA for under $20 per hour. I chose my field and will continue to work my way up. However, we IT professionals should create our own web site and input our own salaries (no name or companies, just cities and job titles) because the Personnel "Cat-berts" report higher salaries than what they really pay. Cat-bert at my company said about an applicant, who wanted what the "going range" was "they think they are more important than what they really are?" |
| 6/6/02: Tommy from Cincinnati says: |
We are all duty bound to first and foremost drive salarys higher. As professionals responsible for keeping companies breathing through well-managed IS structures, we should all be paid double and then some. Some advice: When a job offer is made to you, the first four words out of you mouth should be, "Is the salary negotiable?" A Tip: It IS! DRIVE IT HIGHER...We all benefit... |
| 6/6/02: grayantimatter from Lost Wages says: |
I can't believe anyone would possibly be willing to compare a CCNP to a CCIE. God bless college education, sit on your hands for four years and you can pretend that you actually know something. As a hiring IT Manager, candidates with degrees are worth less than nothing to me. I don't want or need them. I'll take a CCIE over a PhD every day of the week. The CCIE actually has some demonstrated ability. |
| 6/6/02: Erick Lawler from state of delaware says: |
I have seen little written on the CCID. What is the difference in the actual day to day activities of a CCID v CCIE. I would like the responses limited to those that hold these two certs and are using them to make a living. |
First Page Previous Page Next Page Last Page
|
|
|
|
