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.
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There are 73  user Comments for “Salary Woes for Cisco Pros”
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Page 6 of 8
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| 6/10/02: Bill from DC says: |
To CCIE 4203, I completely agree. If it wasn't for my company sponsoring me in this madness, I wouldn't even try it. The CCNP was all the Cisco certification I had planned to obtain. But the boss presented an offer (challenge) I couldn't resist. So, now I spend long hours with a router or two and they don't wear perfume. ;) |
| 6/11/02: Dave from NJ says: |
This brings to mind something that a friend told me years ago....It is kind of far fetched but ill throw it out to ya... "IN REGARDS TO SALARY SURVEYS" THIS IS THE WAY CORPORATE AMERICA BRINGS DOWN OUR SALARIES. THEY POST LOW NUMBERS AND IT JUST FOLLOWS THROUGH. WITHOUT THESE SURVEYS WE MAY NEVER BE AFFECTED" HHHmmmm, im not sure about this, BUT, think about it.....??????? Thanks guys |
| 6/12/02: Anonymous says: |
Anyone looking for work? Check the LCA database to see which h1b got your job. http://www.zazona.com/LCA-Data/ |
| 6/13/02: Stu from Sheffield; United Kingdom says: |
Everyone, looks like you are having more fun in the IT market over the pond than we are in the UK. Right now the biggest problem here is there arent any jobs - yesterday there were 12 cisco jobs in the whole of the UK. I started IT straight from school, working my way from 16 year old kid to where I am now. I love IT and couldnt imagine myself doing anything else, I take the certs because im interested and love to learn new systems & technology. I've 4 years experience now, with a ccna cert and times are harder here than I can ever remember them. Companies are offering £20K for good quality people - 4/5 yrs experience, ccna; ccnp. Wont drop that low? well there are 100 other applicants so they dont care. About half of those will be rejects from the dot com era - 6 months experience and a mcse; but the rest are likely to be the real deal. Simply put, the market is strangling itself with lower wages and no jobs. It's the same for developers - worse because of all the grads, unless you have 6 years c or VB your not going anywhere. There does seem to be a load of oracle DBA's needed all of a sudden, but since im not one of those, it doesnt concern me. |
| 6/13/02: Bill from Virginia Beach, VA says: |
I have to agree with old-guy from SoCal. We should be doing the job for the love of it and not just for the compensation. Same can be said of anything we do in our lives. If you're dissatisfied with what you're doing, quit doing it and find something that makes you happy (unless, of course, you're a masochist and you enjoy suffering). The long and short of it is, certs shouldn't drive our salaries, our skills should. Skills are developed with time and practice and usage. The survey reflects that. A cert should be nothing more than something you pick up along the way as recognition for your experience. Now, quit your sniveling about "I'm not being paid this" and get back to work on your skills. Don't talk about it, be about it. |
| 7/8/02: Lying Becky says: |
Becky 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" and it is past a month and no update. This site is so old and inaccurate it is irrelevant. |
| 7/9/02: john from dallas says: |
I am so frustrated. I have CCNA and MCSE and 5 years Enterprise experience. Been layed off for 1 year and counting. I send out 20 Plus resumes each day. Through various job boards and I am getting nothing. Only an acknowledgement from the job board that I sent it to the company. I am getting depressed. I am working on CCNP but I really don't see the point. Also the companies are taking advantage of the glut of job seekers by offering insulting salaries. Salaries that I made 6 years ago with no experience and no certifications! It sucks here in Dallas; which was so hot 1.5 years ago! |
| 8/11/02: Guy from NC says: |
I'm retiring from the military in a couple of years and I have 18 years experience in communications and automation with a *lot* of senior management experience in the last 5+ years. I have MCSE, MCP+I and CCNA(one test short of CCNP). I have a Masters Degree in MIS and another in Security Management. I currently make around $65K but probably will be making about $70K in a couple of years. Should I be expecting to take a pay cut when I change careers? I'm expecting/hoping to work in IT management not as an administrator. At least that's the plan but if the jobs aren't there I guess I'll have to take what I can get. I'm willing to work anywhere... |
| 8/28/02: Justin from Milwaukee, WI says: |
I am a Computer and Electronic Engineering student at a ITT Tech and A Plus certified, Im currently working on my CCNA and Network+ certifications planing on finsihing both before october. I just want to say that yes while first trying to break into the IT filed as in right now I would wave my certs around on my resume but in the end they would be for my own personal benifit helping me become the best in what I do then let my work speak for itself. I have no intention of continuing on college beyond my associate degree since I belive that a college degree dosent mean anything in the IT field since by the time you walk accross stage everything you learned is obsolete. If you think re-certifying keeping yourself up to date to be the best you can be is to much of a hassel you truely are in the wrong field. I am in this field because I love it and I value my certifications over a college degree because they do require I be the best I can be by keeping myself up to date. Thats my two cents on this topic. |
| 10/25/02: dude from ohio from ohio says: |
I have a CCNP, CNE, CSS1 and MCP. Have about 5 yrs experience. I am preparing for my CCIE Lab right now. My current salary is 76,000. I would be happy with a 20% increase when I get the CCIE and I think this is very attainable. IT salaries may have dropped, but I think that they are still very attractive. The biggest thing that you can do in your IT career is network with others to form a way to find jobs without sending out the 20 resumes a day. |
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