Where's the money in the IT field?

[mooncricket]

Just as the title says...
What careers involving computers offer the most income?

 

[Mday]

start a business, convince a lot of venture capitalists to invest... go IPO, sell your stocks, and then run the company into the ground.

 

Thank God that that trend is over. I know a lot of people who quit their day jobs to become dot-com millionaires only to come crawling back with their tails between their legs.

 

[BaDaBooM]

Actually start an IT consulting group. Keep a small "true staff". You place people. You take people out to lunch. Then charge double or triple what you pay your consultants. My firm is making so much off of us that the owner got well over a million last year alone, and they only have like 50 consultants tops. Of course I'm not complaining though because I still get paid plenty.

 

[Tripleshot]

Learn programming for good money, or cisco certification + networking and get into the ISP business.IMHO.

There is no money in building P.C.s and little money in servicing them.

 

[CyberSax]

People that make money in IT do so from the business aspect. You can get paid a decent salary by working for some company, but the way to make the most money is to start your own business.

 

[vi edit]

No offense, but you guys who say that the only way to make money in the IT field is to start your own business are either unskilled, lazy, or both.

There isn't hardly any other field out there that allows you to nearly double your income in a matter of a couple years.

Hell, right out of college, I nabbed a job that nets around 45k a year, and that's in Iowa. I'll stay at this job for a couple years, let them pay for my training and certs, and then jump ship to go for bigger things.

In 5 years I probably won't settle for anything under 55-60k.

 

[CyberSax]

Ive got a REAL Beer! (My pops works for Miller,lucky me)
24 pack: bottles@80 proof

LOL.

Yikes, 80 proof? You sure that ain't Rum?

 

[Ausm]

Damn I make good money building computers and even better servicing them...especially when my clients accidently format the disk one day after delivery

Ausm

 

[convex]

the computer is becomming as common as the toaster, the days of "skilled computer technicians" is over. soon computer repair shops will go the way of a tv or vcr repair shop. more and more people are cracking open their computers and figuring out that it's not nearly as difficult as it seems. with new computers being as cheap as $199, computer service/repair is dying

 

[Descartes]

Well, I've been working as a professional developer (C, C++, VB, ASP et. al, SQL Server et. al) since I was 18 (whilst going to school), and I'm 20 now making well over 60k base salary. If I take up another side contract, it should shoot me well over 6-figures by the end of the year. I live in Oklahoma as well, so, the 60s is like making well over 6-figures in some parts of Cali, NYC, etc.

If I can offer any advice, just do what you enjoy. I really enjoy what I do, so I'm excited every morning for my daily commute. I also disagree w/ people that feel you should acquiesce by finding a "decent" job and planting your feet for 5 years. I worked at WorldCom then Williams Communications (and several other small->medium sized companies), all of which offered salaries ~50k. My point is, I could just as easily stayed w/ either of the aforementioned companies and made "decent" money, but I chose to forego drop the corporate monkey life, and find a company where I could truly learn/shine.

So, if you enjoy programming, do it. If you enjoy being more "hands-on", maybe consider something in communications. If you enjoy what you do, you'll transcend those around you and people will take notice, and compensate you appropriately.

 

[CyberSax]

the computer is becomming as common as the toaster, the days of "skilled computer technicians" is over. soon computer repair shops will go the way of a tv or vcr repair shop. more and more people are cracking open their computers and figuring out that it's not nearly as difficult as it seems. with new computers being as cheap as $199, computer service/repair is dying

I think there will always be a market for computer repair, although, not a very profitable one. People don't get their toasters and TV's repaired because it's often more economical just to get a new one.

I don't agree with your notion that more and more people will start cracking their computers open. In fact, I think the art of building one's own PC is dying out. I see more and techies (people who are majoring in CS and the like) buying computers from Dell and Compaq, etc.

 

[BiB]

vi_edit

Hell set your sights a little higher man I just entered IT field about 8 months ago and in my area - which is pretty pathetic - I am still making $35k CAN _starting_ (choose to hang in this decredit area). Starting for people who graduated school with me is $45k in Boston like you - in 5 years at the rate things are going now (dunno if they will...) I could be making quite a bit more to say the least! My brother in Arizona in 18 months is now making $52k/year and he thinks if he tried to get another job he could make about $70k.

----

I agree that computer techs are going to become less capable of making a good living. 10 years ago it was a good thing to do, but nowadays you've got 15 year olds who can put together a computer, play around with all the crap inside, and since the average tech can't actually "repair" anything anyway its going to become less profitible. By definition anything that is easily learned by many people is not worth much. IT is easy to get into but becoming really good takes years, thats why people pay for experience.

BiB

 

Software Development/System Design

My next job I won't settle for less than 120k base. The sad thing is there are tons of people wayyyyyy less skilled than I making lots more than that right now. You just got to work at the right place.

Being a code whore for someone like Arthur Anderson ain't in the cards for me.

IPOs are for hos

 

[BaDaBooM]

Heheh... I tripled my income in 2 years.... and I am a consultant! I don't have any complaints.

 

[Buddha Bart]

Here's somthing to keep in mind.

Its not what you know, its who you know.

Network like crazy...

bart

 

[reitz]

<< the computer is becomming as common as the toaster, the days of &quot;skilled computer technicians&quot; is over. soon computer repair shops will go the way of a tv or vcr repair shop. more and more people are cracking open their computers and figuring out that it's not nearly as difficult as it seems. with new computers being as cheap as $199, computer service/repair is dying >>

Not true at all. Spend a day listening in on my calls, and you'll see.

If you're looking for the most lucrative branch of the IT field, get into security. Security has long been an issue for any moderate size company, but most have overlooked it until now. If you want the real money, that is the field to get into.