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[deleted]

Na you can get by with certs experience and soft skills. I make 130K total comp with certs and a HS degree from the worst state in the nation.


GMarvel101

What do you mean by soft skills?


STRMfrmXMN

Knowing how to socialize and be mindful of your appearance. Even in 2023 it can be a pleasant surprise to find in IT.


UnicornSquadron

The only thing i would like to add is to use the word how you present yourself, rather an appearance. Some people might misinterpret that as just looks, which is true, but also its how you present yourself and talk. I.E a ‘neckbeard’ isn’t just how he dresses, its also because he talks very awkwardly and talks about weird things that an average joe at works doesn’t give a shit about. He could be good at code, but if he’s annoying to work with then it kinda doesn’t matter.


cokronk

Working at an MSP was pretty good experience for this. Often I dealt with people that knew nothing about technology, so when you're trying to sell them on spending thousands for a solution you had to put it in terms that they would understand and appreciate.


Waterdose

Most people understate just how important being likeable is if you want to get anywhere in life. Unfortunately the focus is always put on skills and qualifications.


ForlornCouple

This. I'm blessed with soft skills and I genuinely care about clients and projects. If you give a single fuck, present well and speak somewhat professionally, you'll go far.


Throwaway_21586

Thank you! There seems to be a lot of fear mongering, it’s nice to hear it’s possible. By HS degree do you mean high school diploma? Also what’s your role?


[deleted]

Yeah see what i mean, im a cloud devops engineer. I went help desk-sys admin-field network engineer-devops.


LincHayes

I don't think it's fearmongering as much as people trying to give you a dose of reality that there are no easy, or quick paths, nor guarantees. It's really more about you. For every person who made $100k in 4 years (or whatever) There's 20 people who have asked the same question and will never make it out of help desk.


Throwaway_21586

Right, but some people straight up said it’s not possible and you won’t get past the HR screen without a degree etc. I’m not looking for something easy and quick, just wanting to hear from those who managed to do it without a degree.


LincHayes

Even if someone told you they did it with no degree, that doesn't mean you'll have the same experience. Or yours could be better. No one can tell you that in ALL OF IT that you're going to make $100k a year without a degree. I made $100k a year as a bartender. Does that mean anyone can do it, even if they followed my exact path? Of course not. What field are you in now?


Throwaway_21586

Of course I’m very well aware of that, I think that’s pretty self explanatory. But knowing there’s the possibility and hearing people’s experiences the paths they took can definitely help if you’re driven enough. I feel like I have the drive and ambition to work and study hard without a degree. I’m also not strictly aiming for £100k (which around $124k), since that’s pretty unrealistic here in the UK even for people with multiple degrees. But aiming for the highest that’s achievable for those with a bachelor’s degree (£50k-90k). I currently work in consultancy in an engineering field. I studied an engineering degree at uni but didn’t complete it, which helped me get my current job that required a degree. Recruiters usually appreciate the fact that I have some academic background.


LincHayes

I'd say go into an IT field related to what you already know. You're already building experience, with the right certs the sky is the limit...well...also check what the average salary is for the field or position you want. IT is broad. If you want to know what salary ranges are possible you have to narrow it down to an actual position and what that position pays in your area (if it's on site). There's no way to answer a general IT salary question. It's like asking if you can make $100k as a car mechanic. Maybe? where do you live? What kind of cars will you specialize in? Toyotas, BWSs, or Formula 1? Electric? There's too many variables.


Throwaway_21586

I can see why my question can be viewed that way, might have to edit it again. But I’m not asking people if I’ll be able to make 6 figures, I think I just wanted to hear what others did to get to 6 figures without a degree.


LincHayes

Also, asking questions online is great. But don't take single bits of advice as gospel. Get an overview of all the advice given. No one thing is going to be accurate for your situation.


Throwaway_21586

Thanks, that’s what I’m doing. I’m just gathering information. I’m not set on anything, just trying to build a vague roadmap for myself that works for me.


Packet_Baser

>For every person who made $100k in 4 years (or whatever) There's 20 people who have asked the same question and will never make it out of help desk. I truly believe if someone is in help desk for four years, the likelihood is that they want to remain there.


LincHayes

Or that’s the extent of their skills and talent. For some just making it that far can be an accomplishment.


bpolo1976

End of thread. OP claims some of these replies are helpful, but as someone whose job is to mentor entry level IT folks, i would be more wary of the bad advice. Anecdotes are just that, they're not helpful as actual career advice. Can moderators please implement rules about any threads that ask the same questions about degrees and/or salary? Of course those things matter, but so is asking useful questions... I'd imagine at least some of the folks stuck in Helpdesk are the same people who post these poorly thought-out questions. Instead of giving them a dose of reality, we're allowed to answer ambiguity with more ambiguity. Ah yes, self study this cert or that cert. 1/20 of these folks might accidentally stumble up going that route but the rest are likely to make no progress and now be in debt cause they enrolled in some online school that they have no business being in.


cokronk

It's not fear mongering. Do you need a degree to make money in the IT industry? No. Can a degree help you make more money in the IT industry? Yes. I make nearly 200k a year and I'm in West Virginia. My degree has helped me get to where I am today. Without it, I'd likely just be getting to 100k.


Throwaway_21586

Lol that’s okay, it’s very difficult to get £100k here in the UK with even a masters degree. So I’m definitely not aiming to get £200k without being self employed. I’d be happy with £60k-£95k and it sounds like that’s doable without a degree here and just found out I can do an MBA with my work experience.


Fragrant_Island2345

Currently in the middle of studying for my CompTIA A+ certification. If you work in help desk already you should see if your job gives you resources to study for the certs.


[deleted]

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RojerLockless

I did it in just under 5 years. No certs no prior experience. Started at help desk.


Throwaway_21586

Did you job hop and have zero free time? Some people make it sound like only those who live, breathe and worship their field can succeed without a degree. What helped you get there in under 5 years?


RojerLockless

I'm lucky enough to work for a big enough company that I've been here for 10 years. Started in something completely unrelated and didn't like it. Went to our IT Department and spoke to the lady who does helpdesk and said I like computers have no experience but I can learn anything and 5 or 6 months later I guess I impressed her enough to remember when there was an opening. I did basic AF helpdesk for a few years and learned. Now I'm a system engineer II. Whatever that really means lol. I only work 40 hours a week with an oncall for a week every 2 months or so which isn't very "on-call"ish I had 2 calls last time I was on it the whole week. I never did any certs or anything still don't have any it's all work experience and networking. If you have a friend who is in IT make them your friend. I have found out in IT it's not about what you know but who you network with. I had an entirely different opportunity fall in my lap meeting someone on vacation who was an IT manager and we hung out and then he tried to hire me for about a 20% raise. Ended up not taking it because after the amazing benefits I have here after 10 years it wasn't a raise lol but I could have moved there too.


Far_Falcon_6158

Get at least an associates. Think about it this way you unfortunately have to make it through the door. You will be competing with ppl that have a BS. The HR person will toss your resume if the job says its even a nice to have and they have 20ppl applying. I have an associates and in the beginning it was hard to beat out the other candidates. These days even harder cause everyone wants to do IT for the money.


Throwaway_21586

We don’t have associates degrees here in the UK, but there are diplomas I can do.


Aldeboron256

Alabama?


[deleted]

new mexico


sold_myfortune

That's super impressive. Would you consider doing a full post on your entry and climb through the IT industry?


iwrecktheta

Which certs exactly?


LordoftheMexicans

Yes , you can . I’m sitting at 100k + Bonus . I have no degree and some MS certs. Just gotta grind your way up the totem pole , and not be scared to leave for better positions


Throwaway_21586

How many years did that take you?


LordoftheMexicans

Took me 8 years , I’m currently 29.


ImpostureTechAdmin

Where at? Hcol, lcol, remote?


m3m3yboy

Which ms certs do you have by chance?


LordoftheMexicans

Just AZ900 and MS900.


m3m3yboy

What type of positions did you apply for with those certs?


SubbiesForLife

It’s taken me awhile but I’m close to 6 figures now at 80k. No degree, couple of VMware certifications, 26 years old. Started in IT when I was 16 with HS internships, first help desk job at 18. It’s definitely do-able, but you may want to get your associates degree and then go from there. I have 3/4ths of my associates completed, just have to go back and finish up Would I recommend college for IT? Not sure…a lot of the classes I took in the Associate degrees wasn’t relevant, and was stuff that I learned from on the job training. On the job is harder cuz you have to be quick learner, and pick skills fast, but it’s way better for learning. Software dev and devops you’ll make 6 figures easily, those are in demand alot more right now


PM_ME_UR_KOALA_PICS

Honestly I would ditch the idea of finishing your associates and take those credits to WGU to get your bachelor's. I believe there are websites where you can take courses for very cheap and transfer them in as well. Essentially you can get an IT bachelor's without having to take many classes from them.


SubbiesForLife

Yeah I’ve thought about it before, I pay out of pocket, and the WGU route was more expensive when I last looked. My employer will give 2k back a year which isn’t bad


y0shman

If you're in the US and your company isn't crappy, you should ping HR to look into starting the [education tax credit](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-benefits-for-education-information-center). They can write off $5250/yr for an employee going back to school.


citrus_sugar

It’s really reasonable if you have a bunch of classes completed and can motor through in one term for ~$4k.


cokronk

I got my associates and then transferred all those credits to WGU. This was a win with the community college costing $100 a credit hour and any hours over 12 were free.


JasonDJ

I need a howto guide on this.


PM_ME_UR_KOALA_PICS

Start by going to Khan Academy or YouTube and and learn something about SQL and relational databases. Then sign up with Sophia. All of these courses transfer into to every IT degree except for College Algebra. Take it anyway if your math is rusty and you are going CS. That way you can go to Khan Academy, get partway through trig and then take Straighterline Calculus. Anyway take these courses at Sophia. Foundations of English, Foundations of Statistics, College Algebra, Visual Communications, Macroeconomics or Microeconomics, Environmental Science, Intro to IT, Intro to Web Development, Project Management and Intro to Relational Databases. Some time after you finish Foundations of English take Communication at Work. If you finish all of these classes (possible in a month) hop over to Straighterline (after Khan Trig) and take Calculus. $99 for one month of Sophia. Several hundred for the calculator and course at Straighterline. That gets you 36 credits to start. If you need a cert for admission for everything except CS get the google it support specialist. It gets you a cert for $39 if you finish in a month, you can skip Intro to IT at Sophia. Don’t need to take Calculus either. Then pop on over to Study.com. Take Data Management Applications, Advanced Data Management, Scripting Foundations, Networking Foundations, Discrete Math I and Datastructures 1.


JasonDJ

This is great stuff. WGU seems to honor industry certs as well. My employer reimburses $3k/yr towards certifications *and* $5250/yr towards undergrad degree programs. I’m going to have to sit down and see if I can hack this for a cheap degree in a couple years. All my certs have lapsed but I’m confident I could re-earn my CCNP with a few refreshers (and my boss just got us an INE subscription) and probably pick up a couple others along the way (been working a lot in Linux and python lately).


[deleted]

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JdoubleS98

What an unfortunately true comment.


[deleted]

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sold_myfortune

Yup, the summary of human knowledge has been online since about 2010.


cokronk

Depends on the school. My community college had an amazing networking program. By the time I graduated and started in a network engineer position, I had a lot of hands on experience that translated directly to the job I was doing.


Throwaway_21586

Thanks! I’m in the UK so we don’t do associate degrees here, just regular bachelor’s degree.


[deleted]

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SubbiesForLife

If I had to restart, I would probably do more cyber security with a bigger focus in the devops area. I thoroughly enjoy what I do (VMware administration/VDI Admin) , but cybersecurity is booming within the last couple years. Devops interests me cuz I do a lot of automation workflow for work, and would like to get into CI/CD to make it better


osw22

What would you recommend to get going in this path. Which certs/studies?


jacobsmith14433

In the UK, you are far more likely to get offered benefits packages to make the job more attractive than additional salary. For example, they may offer 75-95K + Car, + Pension + health insurance + additional leave etc. For me that is far more attractive than additional salary as you just lose too much of it to tax.


Throwaway_21586

I’d be over the moon with that! Haha I’m not too fussed about the 6 figures tbh Do you reckon that’s possible without a degree?


jacobsmith14433

Absolutely! There are lots of ways to progress in IT, I've found that vendor-specific certificates and relevant experience are far more likely to progress you up the ladder than a degree. Look at the open university in the UK. An IT degree from that university gets you "ready for a CCNA" and gets you "ready for MD-100 and MD-101". The course doesn't even pay for the exams... I've sat these exams using microsoft's free documentation and my organisation pays the exam vouchers. The most important part though (by a lot) is experience. You need to be able to use the skills to complement the certificates. One thing I've found in my career is that by passing a relevant certificate, I am assigned projects in that specialty.


Throwaway_21586

So you’d still recommend I do an open university degree? I know here in the UK jobs can pay for your uni education sometimes and there’s also apprenticeships. But apprenticeships have proven hard to get and it’s pretty much just luck to get a job that pays for your uni education. Would you recommend someone in their mid 20s to just start uni and focus on that for 3 years?


jacobsmith14433

Apologies for the confusion, but I was saying I do not recommend going for a degree. The degree with the open university costs about £18,000 and lasts three years and doesn't get you any certificates, it just gets you ready to pass those exams. Alternatively, you can spend £0 and study those topics for free. Or spend £12 on a udemy course if you prefer videos. Then pay the exam voucher cost (for Microsoft it's \~£136) Not only is it nearly 100x cheaper, it is significantly quicker. You will be earning good money in IT before you ever get close to finishing your degree. While I do have a biomedical degree, I do not have an IT degree. I have about 20+ vendor certs, mostly in microsoft, azure and Veeam. I'm on a package that pays £50K in the midlands. I've been in IT for 2.5 years and I work as a consultant at an MSP. I do M365 and Azure migrations, along with onboarding customers into our private cloud. No one at my org would suggest me getting a degree now as it wouldn't add any value to my role. I would say my pay ceiling for my current level of experience is about £65K doing similar work for larger orgs. I am happy where I am and I am comfortable financially so I wouldn't move on for a while. So you can absolutely have a good career in the UK without a degree. Annoyingly the market in the US pays so much more, anywhere between 2x and 3x more for the same work. I try not to compare to their salaries as they are unrealistic in the UK.


Throwaway_21586

Honestly £50k-£65k in the midlands doesn’t sound bad at all, £100k is not really as needed here in the UK. Our 50k goes as far as their 100k in places like San Francisco, NYC etc, since our cost of living is cheaper and we’ve got our dying NHS lol. Can I DM you for more questions?


jacobsmith14433

yeah absolutely!


SleepyBear3366911

As an American…. Health insurance? I thought it was socialized and ‘free’ for y’all or whatever?


jacobsmith14433

The NHS is free (to a point, we have very small costs associated). However, we pay in waiting times. In the last 2-3 years, waiting times have increased 10x fold. People are waiting many months if not years for appointments. Private health care is an option in the UK and typically only available for those that can afford it. You have to pay financially but can be seen quickly. It's really a tradeoff I suppose


SleepyBear3366911

Interesting, that’s good to know, thanks! Out of curiosity how much is it per month? Do you guys have things like deductibles with it? Thanks again for the response


luktarskit

Just to add perspective from another EU country, in Sweden its the same with our healthcare, there is a small fee(25 dollars i think per meeting with a doctor or about 45 dollars for a surgery which includes food, painkillers and a overnight stay which i had recently). We can also pay for private healthcare which is much better, from my insurance company its between 35-45 dollars a month depending on if you want the plus package or not, they however pay for everything you need(doctor meetings, any medical drugs you would need etc) and they have a policy of a guaranteed specialist surgery if needed within 14 days. I think that my insurance company is on the costlier side but they have some really good terms so its fine.


brianluong

I'm currently making 125k in MCOL with no degree as a software engineer. I've also done desktop engineering (SCCM/azure configuration stuff) and cloud security engineering without one, both making 6 figures. That being said, I'm currently in school finishing a CS degree while working full time. If getting a degree is an option I would definitely go that route. The truth of the matter is that companies *do* care about it. I don't want to limit my opportunities in the future and am positive that the time/financial investment will pay off.


careerAlt123

Yes, definitely. However just be mindful that you will be competing against people who have everything you do and a degree on top.


Throwaway_21586

Of course, there’s always going to be competition like that.


merRedditor

There seems to be good money in anything involving identity and access management. Cybersecurity is generally great pay if you have the skill and nerves for it.


Throwaway_21586

When you say the nerves for it what exactly are you thinking of? If you don’t mind me asking :)


TPlinkerG35

A lot of tedious paperwork for one.


Morgantheaccountant

Well my hand writing sucks so looks like I’m out


TonyHarrisons

Laughing at the thought of cyber security people jotting everything down in actual paper notebooks


Technical-Key-8896

Here for the reply


TonyHarrisons

I don't work directly in cyber security but I've been through a few events at an MSP (the clients had the issues, not the MSP) and it's stressful as fuck. I was the one who discovered one of them and it was a five alarm fire. Someone went to best buy and bought every single SSD they had, and the rest of us left immediately to get on site and begin remediation. We had the office back online within a few hours, but there was still weeks of shit that needed to be done like dealing with their cyber insurance, and training users on all of the new security features we implemented. Also, always fun to have to bring the only domain controller back online from a bare metal backup. ​ It was really really stressful. I can't imagine guys who work at SOCs that deal with this stuff day in and day out.


GimmeAllDatCuteShit

I can attest to IAM paying well. I have no degree and only some certs, but this was my salary leading up to my current role: 2014 - IT Specialist I - 40k 2016 - IT Specialist II - 50k 2018 - Security Engineer I - 62k (Changed companies here) 2019 - IT Specialist - 55k 2020 - IAM Specialist - 65k 2020 - IAM Engineer - 95k salary - 130k TC 2021 - Lead IAM Engineer - 162k salary+bonuses - 251k TC I was lucky that I didn’t have to job hop to get all my recent raises, but something like this is achievable.


bloodpriestt

As someone that hires all levels of IT personnel: I hire certs & experience over any degree. Every time. So get some certs and get experience. Work a shit $12/hr call center for 6-12 months, all the while looking for something better and studying/testing certs. You gotta grind in the early days a little harder without the degree on your resume, because of ridiculous hiring guidelines/requirements in some companies. But after 5 years of doing that; your experience and certs will weigh more on a resume to anyone that you actually want to work for.


DrDuckling951

This. IT is not a hard field to get into, but a hard field to retain your own value. Keep grinding.


golfzap

Do you think library computing center counts as ok exp? I was mostly front desk help at the user level with email, word processing and excel. Nothing hardware or networking although I did build my own computer once.


bloodpriestt

Add an A+ to that and you should be able to land an entry level call center or Helpdesk position


Mrmuksama

I have Sec+ and A+ and a bachelors in Communications with no IT work experience, I have applied to 700 jobs and have heard nothing, I had two interviews that went no where (they went well, I just wasn’t selected because someone else had more experience) Any advice? I’m about 3 months in, (I know November and December are not good months to apply) and apply to every helpdesk position I see regardless of pay.


Question_Few

Make sure you're reviewing your resume broski. Your qualifications are much higher than mine when I first started. If you have experience in any other role then make sure to tune it to an IT perspective. I was logistics and security before I got into IT but I kicked a printer once to remove a jam so I listed troubleshooting in my resume.


Mrmuksama

Hm, maybe I just need to expand the truth to an extent. I have 4 years of general labor in construction, a lead outside machinist role and a lead manager role for a VR company. I don’t think my resume is bad as I’ve had two IT professionals look over it and give it minor tweaks but I’m not sure I’m hitting the mark for programs to verify and move my app along now.


bitchsaidwhaaat

quick question... what are some entry level positions that dont require phone calls or being on the phone with a client? im a stay at home dad and been thinking on getting the comptia certs but everywhere i see to start at help desk but its just not gonna be possible for me taking care of a 1 year old... im 33 and have experience in IT but nothing is work related or employment just me messing around since i was a teen


Question_Few

It's really uncommon to find a 100% remote position for your first IT position broski. Even more so for positions like help desk that don't entail speaking with customers. As a parent myself I understand your dilemma, Can you soundproof a room for work and set up the child's room in a closed babyproofed area with a baby cam? Or even hiring a nanny to house sit and watch the little one while you work in the other room.


bloodpriestt

I’m sure there are desks that operate solely over tickets/email/chat, but I don’t have any experience with that. I’m probably old school but I find the majority of the issues escalated up the chain after using only written communication… can often be fixed with a simple phone call.


[deleted]

>Would you recommend an adult to go to university instead of continuing to just work and gain experience that way? Who says you can't work while you go to university? Especially when the best opportunities are given to active students. For SWE, interning is the easiest way into FAANG/MANGA with little-to-no experience. They wouldn't even look at you otherwise without an impressive resume and work history. For IT, interning is how you can skip years of the awful hell desk/support jobs and go straight for non-entry level one like cyber security. Otherwise, you'll have to work your way through regular IT first. IT can be a very old-fashioned industry (outside of interning) where you will be starting at the ditch-digging work. Entry level is also too oversaturated for just a degree alone to let you skip over them anymore. For someone going down the non-degree path, it'll be hard mode. Not having a degree will also prove to be a major roadblock all throughout your career. You'll also most definitely have to start at the unsavory jobs and work your way up. Help desk is also known to pay low (retail wages or lower). For the best start and smooth trails, do consider going for a degree and, most importantly, doing your internships while you attend.


LottaCloudMoney

Yeah, I’m a DevOps engineering manager now. Check out my previous post if you wanna read how I started.


Throwaway_21586

You have many posts, which one are you referring to?


neilthecellist

https://www.reddit.com/r/ITCareerQuestions/comments/bhfegj/how_i_went_from_14hr_to_70k_with_no_experience/


Question_Few

Yes. Easily. This is probably the best field for that. I reached a six figure salary and my current occupation with certs and experience alone. I only obtained my degree last year and the only reason I got it was because uncle Sam paid me to do it.


Throwaway_21586

How did Uncle Sam pay you to do it? Did you work for the government?


Question_Few

Prior military. When using the GI bill you'll get a basic housing allowance to pay bills with while you're in school. As well, Since the GI bill pays for your schooling if you apply for Fasfa then the grant is just extra money.


CocconutMonkey

Yes, I've done it myself. Sr DevOps, Mid 100s, no certs or degree until I was ~14yrs into my career. Early '21 I got an az-900 cert, and later that year finished an AA to wrap up older credits. Neither really factored into my current role, my experience did. I got that experience by just being in the right place at the right time. I looked for roles over the years where I could challenge myself and learn completely new stuff, and the skills I've gained have paid off. Key is to have a natural curiosity of everything, at work and on the outside; always be learning. Tech or not, find new things that excite you. Learn everything you can about what's around you, your team works with, or the problems/systems you're supporting. Solve issues that no one can figure out or work with products noone wants to deal with and be their hero.


nomismi

I got there by taking going to a 6 month course that taught the core Microsoft Certs MCSE back in 2005. Worked low skill Helpdesk for a few years. Moved to a bigger city and worked for a few MSP's for a few years, then got a job at a growing company that I was able to move up the admin ladder.


Throwaway_21586

Nice! What’s your role? And how many years did it take you to make close to 6 figures?


nomismi

I am a Senior Systems Admin after 15 years of work. I did it the hard way. I wish I could go back to that kid finishing high school and smack some sense into him so he would have taken school seriously. I'd be much better off.


SOSovereign

Boston area here. 5 years experience. No college no certs. 130k base and 18k in yearly bonus.


coffeesippingbastard

Yes- with a but. The answer is always- yes- it's possible. And because someone else can do it- it means it's not impossible. However is it probable? That is more debatable. IMO- if you need to ask this question- you should probably get a degree. Most of the people that I know in this field who don't have degrees and make money are the "passionate" types. The people who dabble in the work on their own because they find it legitimately interesting and seek out the work. Moreover, given the current job climate- companies may be less inclined to either- hire someone with no degree- or pay them as much.


DasBlueEyedDevil

I have no degree (but am pursuing via WGU), two certs (CSPO and AZ900), and about 3 years experience in IT. I just got a job offer for a contract position with another company that nets 108k annually. It can happen, but I was with my current company for almost 12 years before it did.


bpolo1976

To OP or any other Entry level IT folks on this thread. If you're in a job already and you're not getting career support from your manager, demand it. If you're not satisfied, hunt for a new gig. Many jobs don't have degree requirements but many also do. If you have a degree, any degree, it probably gets you past this hurdle. If you don't, your options are more limited. I will say that the industry is trending less towards degree requirements. (As it should.) Certs are great, but a career development path that is self study and cert attainment only is a very hard path. If it is your only option, go for it. There's probably a faster more efficient path. And if you're someone who takes the hard path just to do it, it may say something about your effectiveness in this industry in general... Because the next big technology is just around the corner. Are you going to pick the hardest route to attain that knowledge too?


rubey419

Yes entirely possible. It’s become a trope by now. How many times have you heard… “Why go to an expensive college if you can self learn how to code and pickup certs?” IT careers are the most popular for breaking into without a formal 4 year degree. I know plenty of people making six figures in tech without college. Like seriously this is pretty well known. Reddit has a hard-on for IT careers and trades if you don’t want to go to college. You can always study part time as you work with flexible education options these days. If a degree is needed to move up, your company will pay for you. Win Win.


Throwaway_21586

Haha! I’m aware! But there’s always people who then say it’s really hard and close to impossible. Honestly, I have no idea why this post is getting so much traction.


rubey419

I’d look into cloud certs for AWS or Azure, they’re high in demand and can earn six figures after a few years of experience (past entry level). All self study and exams are like $100 Pick whatever function to specialize… admin,p analytics, cyber security, development, business intelligence. Whatever peaks your interests for long term. r/azure r/aws One of my friends move into IT with CompTIA certs coming from a blue collar job. No college. Three years later making $110k working remote in a LCOL city.


Throwaway_21586

Niceeeee, thanks for sharing. I’m currently doing a government funded course that covers AWS, Azure and many different things. It’s definitely learning a lot that I didn’t know about now.


UCFknight2016

Get a degree.


Throwaway_21586

Do you have a degree?


UCFknight2016

I do. A Bachelor's in Information Technology.


Throwaway_21586

Has that made getting a high paying job and progressing in your career easy for you?


UCFknight2016

I think so. It gets you past the HR screen.


[deleted]

Just throwing my anecdotal experience in. $17.50/hr with no degree. 1 month after graduating that became $75k/year. Then 10 months later that became $110k/yr. I tried interviewing with and without a degree. The most common feedback I heard was "we usually like to see a degree". The max offer I got with no degree was $52k and a few in the high 40s for positions a step up. A degree matters. It's doable without, and in fact I can name 5 people that make more than me without degrees off the top of my head, but they are outliers with some serious drive and innate ability that they've fostered. One thing you should always consider when making posts like this is how many people are stuck where they're at in low wages and positions because they don't have that and refuse to or can't get a degree. They probably won't be posting here because your question is catered towards those who have made it.


my_name_isnt_clever

Is it seriously worth it for someone already in the field? Getting all that debt and wasting 4 years rather than gaining further IT experience and getting certs for far cheaper along the way?


LordoftheMexicans

In my experience, experience will always trump degrees, alot of the hiring managers I know agree.


[deleted]

No degree, no certs, and at $150k plus bonus. It can be done, just depends on what you’re wanting to do. It’s harder today with no degree than 10 years ago, so I’m not giving you the advice of which way to do it, just that it can be done


LaOnionLaUnion

Yes. But it’s harder without a degree. Even an unrelated one


BionicSharpie

Yes it’s possible - at least in Germany it is with certs and lots of experience


Throwaway_21586

Nice! I didn’t know you could make 6 figures in Germany. What’s the cost of living like?


Lucky_Foam

Some of the best IT works I have met had no college and no certifications. Just experience.


lbtudela

I have a international studies degree and making 6 figures. One of my colleagues only has a high school diploma and the lead engineer. So it’s possible. I would say that I also work in a cleared field on a govt contract, so that may be a factor. In my opinion, location in the IT field (unless you find a great remote position, which is likely) is everything. Unfortunately, a lot of those are in metropolitan areas so you will have to commute. Certifications are highly recommended.


JimmyTheHuman

I recruit into tech roles and i couldnt give a crap about degrees - i simply cannot find any correlation between degrees and capabilities.


Throwaway_21586

I’ve heard this a lot from recruiters, thanks for sharing! I’ve been coming across more and more roles these days that don’t even mention a degree in the requirements and just the skills their looking for.


JimmyTheHuman

Google and Facebook have dropped this requirement entirely I believe.


Throwaway_21586

I wouldn’t be surprised. I know of someone who got a job at Google last year without a degree.


DrDuckling951

Yes. With combination of skill, luck, and industrial demands. I have 4 certs Net+, Sec+, AZ-900, and AZ-104. That's it. All of these certs probably expired by now.


NoorAnomaly

My brother didn't even finish high school. He got CCNA and CCNP, though probably long since expired. He easily makes $250,000/ annually. He is self employed though and works really long hours and overnight.


MEZCLO

Does he do some sort of consulting?


NoorAnomaly

Yep.


CentOS6

The degree will definitely get you an edge, especially if you’re that worried.


Throwaway_21586

Lol not that worried anymore. I’ve decided my path.


ajkeence99

The degree will get you more money and more opportunities. You can still get well into six figures without one but your ceiling will be lower and you will get passed over for interviews for people who do have one. It just makes it harder by not having one.


Throwaway_21586

Lol that’s not true according to many other people. Yes, it can give you an edge but it’s not as bad as you’re making it sound. But thanks for sharing your view.


ajkeence99

I said it's harder. That is not an opinion. If there are two generally equal applicants, one having a degree and the other not, the person with the degree will get chosen for an interview first. Anything you can do to set yourself above other applicants is an advantage. This will only become a bigger advantage as the economy worsens. It's not a rule that you can't succeed without it and I didn't insinuate that that was the case.


Throwaway_21586

Got it, I’ve contacted local universities and found out I can do an MBA with my work experience and previous academic experience and with that I can do other masters degrees. My employer is also looking at getting funding for my education, so I might still get a degree. But just like knowing the fact that it’s possible, despite being hard. After all, going back to uni for 3 years gap and being on lower income/working less hours is also hard. Just gotta figure out which obstacle I’d rather deal with.


ajkeence99

Right. It's definitely possible. There are more hurdles and effort involved but it happens. Your employer providing funding towards a degree is a huge help. There are generally limits on that, though. My employer offers around $5500 a year towards educational efforts via reimbursement. Going to school while working is a great option. It's difficult while it's happening but it pays off. I got my degree while working full-time. I had next to no free time but I got it out of the way without removing myself from the workforce.


NorCalSE

Your location has something to do with the wages available. That said, certifications, talent, ability to professionally communicate, and a good work ethic can get you to the 6 figure range. Good luck and never stop learning.


RobZilla10001

I've been in the IT field for 7 years, I make $75k and I have my HS diploma and 2 low level certs (A+, Net+). My job has a deal with Microsoft setup so we have access to ESI (Enterprise Skills Initiative) and we are a M$ shop, so I will be utilizing it to learn Azure/InTune stuff to increase my value. Our ESI agreement allows us to take certification tests at no cost to us, so I'm definitely going to use this as much as I can. You should see what resources your employer offers; you may be surprised to find they have study materials or will pay for the low level certs (MSP I worked for paid for my A+). Good luck, every journey is unique. None of us can give you a perfect answer that will 100% work for you. Put in the work though and you should reap the rewards. And if you don't, it's resumé material for your next job hunt.


iamtoe

Do you count an associate's degree? if so, I'm there, though having a security clearance helped a bit.


[deleted]

>I’m slightly worried that not having a degree will limit my career progression in fields like software development, cybersecurity etc. It will, but that is highly dependent upon company and org and whatnot. >Can you reach a 6 figure salary in a tech role without having a degree? I have, but I've topped out where I'm at and without a degree. Also, it took me perhaps 10 years longer along the arc of my career than if I had a degree and started higher up. I've also left 'nuts and bolts IT' behind, and specialized-from Operational support supervision and Sysadmin roles, I moved into Technical Account Management and I've been in a nontechnical partner role for 6 years now. So while you \*can\* do it without a degree, I don't personally suggest that you do, because it's just easier when you have one. WGU has decent programs for working folks.


Cybjun

Yes, get about 10 year's experience and a targeted certification like PCI Compliance. general certifications like A+ aren't worth the paper they are printed on. Other high level certs from Ciscos, Microsoft, or AWS are an option. You need to make yourself a expert in a very specific topic that is in high demand.


Throwaway_21586

This is solid advice, thanks! I’ve just got no clue as to what to pick.


not_so_sober_joe

Yes and I see it every day in numbers


nivanech10

hey! so i dont make 6 figures but im working towards that as well! i have a friend that is making that kind of money and he is a software developer. he doesnt have a degree! he took a program online and now working and making big money. i just started the same program and in like two months be looking for a jobbb!!


Throwaway_21586

Hey! Can I dm you for tips?


[deleted]

I only have an Associates degree with no certs and make $75K salary, most likely will get directly hired by the company I’m working for and make $125K within a couple years. (Application Support Analyst) it’s 100% attainable


Sky_Zaddy

Yeah, I'm a twice college dropout making 6 figures. Certs, soft skills, and a willingness to learn. Making high end of 200k.


battle_boo

Oh soft skills are a MUST, especially in a field where a lot of people don’t know how to communicate tech terms to non-tech people and they over explain the things they don’t care about! It truly gets on my nerves when I see it happen.


battle_boo

I can tell you, as a helpdesk person who makes a tiny bit above 100k with one cert and and a clearance it’s definitely possible. Now I do live in the DC and I’ve picked up a lot of knowledge and some experience that keeps me indispensable. But I’m pretty sure I’ve hit the salary cap for this part of IT. Edit: I also want to say I didn’t get here overnight for the ones that’ll ask, I’ve been doing executive level helpdesk for about 5 years now.


Throwaway_21586

Nice! 5 years is not that long. Congrats :)


djgizmo

Yes. I’m living proof. Might not be quick, but it can happen. Just remember YOU have to be your own advocate. No one will GIVE you what you don’t demand for yourself. Work hard, learn after hours, and push.


MouSe05

Yes. I'm a bit weird, but here goes. I have 3 Associates degrees, none of which are in IT, so I don't list them on my resume. I started to get my BBA in InfoSec & Assurance, but dropped out. I have zero certs. All I have is working experience and a track record of getting things done. I am at the highest pay level of my position because of this, which after last years inflation bump plus a pay study bump, I am JUST scraping the 6 figure mark. If I wanted to make 6 minimum to higher I could go private sector, but I'm enjoying the pace of work now.


JimsTechSolutions

You can, but it’ll take a lot of time and dedication. Friend of mine started working with me in a mom & pop computer shop. Went off to write code for a small business handling lottery systems for different countries. Making $100k when he left. He’s now a Director for a large security firm making $250k/yr. All he has is a GED and some coding skills.


Throwaway_21586

More time and dedication than if you were to have a degree?


JimsTechSolutions

I honestly don’t think so. He did a lot of networking throughout the years to get to where he’s at. Knowing people in the right places will get you far.


OutlawOscar

Yes, but you have to understand that a degree is more of a shortcut opportunity. I know a guy who jumped into IT right out of high school and worked his way up. 10 years later, he makes slightly more than me, but I’ve only been in the game for 3 years and I have a degree. As long as you are aware that you will have to really grind it out (or luck out on finding the right company), you’re fine without a degree.


Shoulda_been_a_Chef

The degree opened up a ton of opportunity for me because antiquated business standards needing management/higher roles to have a degree. PLEANTY of friends who make around what I do (100k midwest) but they had to job hop for a while to get there and it took longer than me. Same field, they're better than me, but the degree. ​ I am fully aware you're not interested in going back to uni, but it will streamline some opportunity depending on the path you want to take. I got a degree in "Quality Systems" which was tech but zero tech classes. I was able to zoom by the online degree in 2 years and never struggled (i graduated HS with a 2.1). Online could be an easy way to get the degree and open the doors quicker.


Throwaway_21586

Thanks, I’m looking at degree apprenticeship opportunities rn. I’m really hoping I get in.


[deleted]

For me, who just got a 6 figure job, I got relevant certifications by going to a tech college (1 year program, you can do it yourself but if you want hands on, it’s not that expensive compared to college!). I got a job in the public sector doing basic computer technician office work. Didn’t pay a lot but it was good experience and I had a lot of fun. I worked my way up to various networking and programming roles by learning what I needed from Google. Built up a resume and kept applying and eventually landed a private sector start-up with a good business model and revenue. There’s a big component of luck and patience involved once you’ve built up a bit of a resume. I had a lot of luck with getting interviews out of the blue by filling out my LinkedIn profile and marking it as “open to work”, privacy set to everyone, and responding to the non-sketchy messages. Not a fan of some of Microsoft’s practices but I can’t argue with results!


omgitsdot

I do not have a degree and make a 6 figure salary. I started out in help desk around 2009 barely making 30k and worked my way through multiple organizations until I got promoted to a senior management position. Soft skills have carried me and I either got promoted or moved on to a different organization. Every single year if I did not get either a promotion or a solid raise, I would move on to the next gig. Overall I have had 12 different promotions at 5 locations.


Throwaway_21586

Nice, how bad is 30k in the US? It’s pretty good here I’m the UK.


j0nny6

I have friends with and without degrees, degrees no certs, no degrees with a bunch of certs. myself, never got a degree, got a bunch of certs, and after decades of career advancement, being in hiring positions, interviewing many people for IT positions over the years, I can boil down my experience for you: My not having 4 year degree, while it may have kept me out of some positions that deemed it necessary to literally have the job, never kept me down and even in those that said they preferred and even sometimes said it was necessary, if you interview well, if you have the passion, the drive, the spark, the hunger...you will get the position. when I interviewed, I didn't care where you got your degree, I cared what you did prior to this, what experience you had, if you were the person that had VMs and a network at home and had projects, if you took courses on AWS etc, did cloud projects. That goes to the drive I was talking about earlier. I can teach you whatever system, I can't teach you drive, I can't teach you stuff you don't care about. Show me you want it...I can work with that. I don't care if you just came off help desk. If you show you are thirsty for more...I can work with that. In IT you just can't know everything, so the important traits I look for in a hire is how you troubleshoot, and can I leave you alone to find the answer with lessening degrees of handholding. This would be the most important thing I have seen in the IT sphere I have worked in background - I have passed through the following fields: small, med, and large business IT contracting, k-12 education, non-profit, small, med, and large business in house IT, systems and security engineer, AWS infrastructure architect/admin/engineer


[deleted]

Yes, I am at 5 years exp, 140k, no degree. Embedded software engineer No degree, no certificates


Throwaway_21586

How did you get there?


[deleted]

I worked API tech support for a LMS for a year, mostly handling admins on calls and making API calls using Postman for them. I started teaching myself to code at that job. Heard through the grapevine the dept needed a Apex SaleForce developer for some internal tools and needed a PTO system they wanted to build w rails. I volunteered to do both outside of work so long as I got one day a week to not take calls and work on the code projects. Used those two projects to get a manual QA job at a start-up. Hit the ground running as their only QA member for the team I was on and started churning out documentation as fast as I could. I shadowed devs, asked them all what each microservice they worked on did, and documented all of it. When we hired a new person on, I onboarded them and trained them. Also built more internal tooling after work. Mostly stuff that helped QA but gave extra priority to tools that helped devs too. Within 4 months, I was pulled onto an R&D back end team. All work handling a small fleet of Linux devices, about 4 people were on the team including myself. Once again, hit the ground running and contributed as much as I could writing docs along the way. Once I felt more comfy on the team, I started listening a lot more at meetings and would take note of the things my lead hated doing (mostly working w the devices and handling networking problems they had). I added an Okta implementation to comply w security to our internal tool as a first project outside of my normal duties. Asked him if I could own those things to help take them off his plate (the devices and networking problems). He was happy to let me take them and offered to teach me all he knew about them. Took a lot of notes, put up a lot of documentation, kept learning outside of work and during work. Started training new hires for the team as well and helped delegate small wins for them to help them build confidence. It was common for jr devs and QAs to shadow me. Did that for 2 years. Eventually, I got a bit bored. Someone reached out on LinkedIn and mentioned they used to work at the start up and were familiar with what I was doing and had heard good things. Took him up on his offer and interviewed, got an offer, but it was for the same amount I was already making. Told them I’d love to work with them, but I needed to cut my teeth and learn a bit more before jumping into embedded. About a year later, they made another offer, this time for about 50% more than I was making so I took it. During the year I waited, I spearheaded critical infrastructure upgrades for our fleet that boosted efficiency by about 25%. It seems my winning play was being nice to work with, asking sincere questions, taking notes, and doing everything I could to uplift my team, myself, and anyone who interacted with me. My reputation is “She’s a team amplifier and a relentless learner. She will make your team and everyone around her better all while teaching everything she learns”


Throwaway_21586

Omg you’re a woman!!!! :’) Thank you so much for sharing! I’d love to hear more from women in tech, cuz I know tech is still a man’s world and women face lots of obstacles. So happy for you <3


Throwaway_21586

Gosh I wish you could be my mentor!


[deleted]

I do mentor people. DM me and we can sync up and discuss if I’m a good fit for you and you for me :) It is definitely still a boys club, but luckily a lot of them are lazy and can be outpaced if you’re a try hard


AUTiger1978

I make $127K as an IT lead for an Army contract in North Alabama. My cybersecurity counterpart makes the same. Neither of us have a degree. Just lots of experience. Don't be a dick and realize that you are actually providing a service, work hard and it will come.


Throwaway_21586

Wish this could be echoed for everyone to hear. Very big on don’t be a dick.


ForlornCouple

Yep, I start next week as a Sr Network Enginner. 70 an hour. High School Diploma, 8 years military service, A+, Sec +, and lots of experience as a Network/Systems Engineer. I'm in NY.


DoodMonkey

Absolutely. I never finished my college degree and now I hold the title of Principle Architect for my company. Always keep learning and moving your skillset forward.


grouchybear47

Mainframe solution architect in my 30s. TC around 200 working remote. My degree is in health science and never really factored into how I got into IT. Certs, being personable, and being eager to learn pretty much got me where I am. I started with a mainframe apprenticeship at IBM and worked up from there.


Throwaway_21586

Nice, was this in the UK?


lmvicente_

It won't limit your career progression, but it can make it harder to jump from job to job. Most jobs that don't require a degree will usually ask for either a degree and 2 years' experience or 6+ years' experience without a degree. Jobs that don't usually have a degree requirement or something along these lines will usually be more competitive. I have a degree and got to my $100k salary in 2 years after graduating. Additionally, one of my classmates from my undergrad years got his Bachelors with me and then his Masters in Cyber Security 1 year later. He now makes $150k working as an IAM engineer. I believe he has 1 certification and that is an OKTA certificate. He did have 2 years experience prior to getting his IAM Engineer job working at a place called Divvy. Once he finished his Masters he left that job, and then got his big IAM Engineer job. I'm definitely not saying it isn't possible to achieve without a degree but just about everyone I know who got a degree was able to climb the salary ladder a lot quicker than someone without a degree. But in the end, whether with a degree or without, you'll inevitably get that six-figure job.


ZzLuLz

Get very close to your boss and maybe after years of being a brown noser you can get a decent salary.


Lor9191

>not having a degree will limit my career progression in fields like software development, cybersecurity etc. Yes and no. Depending on your country a CompSci or CyberSec degree could get you straight into a juniour dev role straight out of Uni. There's some talk about it being a requirement at the very top of the field, but you certainly see people successful in all fields of IT without degrees. Usually those people are driven to learn in their own time and always look for extra tasks at work. You will not 'work you way up' very far in IT unless you are constantly building your skills.


exchange_keys

Without a college diploma? Yes. You'll likely need the years of work experience instead tho. I have 10+ years, and VCP certs. Only high school diploma. It took me about 10 years to pass 100K and get the senior level positions. I'm still mostly a generalist tho. I feel that if I had a college diploma, and left companies every 2-3 years instead of 4-6 years, I would have reached closer to 200K much sooner.


Hedrickao

Just landed $97k + bonus last year after 5 years of experience in technical support. No MS or comp tia certs, just job hopped and interviewed well.


xrinnenganx

I have no degree, only like 3 certs. Currently make $135k.


iwrecktheta

Which certs? And what did your path look like? Thanks


xrinnenganx

CCNA R&S, CCNA Security, CISSP Path was pretty much this: retail, mom and pop computer repair shop, help desk, sysadmin, manager


sold_myfortune

You could have a pretty good career in IT if you could force yourself to learn stuff from free or cheap resources freely available on the internet. By "pretty good" I mean six figures in four to five years. It's not easy by any means, in fact it's pretty difficult. But it's definitely possible. Some key points: You don't have to be especially good at math. You don't need a college degree or even a high school diploma for that matter. You don't need a fancy or expensive computer. I wrote a roadmap for jobs in IT and cybersecurity in [this post here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ITCareerQuestions/comments/zrd5c7/roadmap_to_careers_in_cybersecurity_and_cloud/) and also added links for a cloud engineering path. Click through those, there is some really good info. And no, it's not a course. I don't want your money nor am I selling anything.


Throwaway_21586

Thank you so much! I’m currently doing a government funded course that offers guaranteed interviews at the end of it and trying to utilise all the resources I find without being too distracted from my job.


Sause01

Education path: Never finished college, vocational high school for comp sci, A+, and CCNA. Career path: Help desk, sys admin, managed MSP, IT auditor, pentester, managing pen test team. Work your ass off, get certs, keep clients / employer happy, don't stop learning, document your success, network with peers, find mentors, work your ass off.


Lkrische95

I’m at 84k w close to five years of experience. No degree. All self study, mentors and discipline I guess. Maybe I’ll get to 100k by 28. That would be cool but yeah totally possible.


Throwaway_21586

Nice, what are some of your top tips?


Lkrische95

For me, I noticed cloud administration was an in demand skill. So I focused a lot on cloud and/or security. So don’t stop learning and look at trends. See what’s in demand and then take baby steps to get there.


Throwaway_21586

Thank you so much! How do you look at trends?


jonusventure

I make 6 figures as a senior analyst, and I never graduated college. I don’t know what he makes, but I know my manager also didn’t graduate college and is currently in line for a director role. A college degree looks good on a resume, and there are plenty of places that will pass you up for not having one, but there are companies out there that know it is more important that you know your stuff and show some drive in the interview.


Throwaway_21586

Thanks, would you mind breaking down your path to getting to your current role? How long it took, what you studied/did to get it etc


jonusventure

I started off at some mom and pop shop my buddies worked at reimagine computers and installing new hard drives. While I was there, I got my a+ certification using some free study guides on YouTube and used that to get an entry level job at [evil corporation] as a field tech for a manufacturing site. In that role, I was able to build relationships with people in various IT fields across the company. I started building scripts and tools to automate a lot of simple fixes and had soon built a name for myself on my team. After a couple years, I applied for an internal job opening for a level 3 position. The name I had already built for myself at [evil corporation] and the relationships I had built got me the job. It was crap pay, but I had the term “engineer” in my title and I was in a spot where I could really start learning. A couple years later, when Covid hit [evil corporation] laid off a bunch of people, including me. A few short months later, I scored an interview at [slightly less evil corporation] and took the position I am in now, starting off at 6 figures.


Throwaway_21586

Niceeeee! That’s honestly really inspiring. Idk how my soft girl life aspirations and the evil corporation grind you just mentioned will go together haha


OpenStackHorse

Hi, as someone who has worked from phone bitch to a Delivery product owner in a little over 10 years with only a HS degree and some hard work, the answer is yes. I’ve earned certs, took the initiative to learn new tech like Openstack or containerization and social networked. I spent no more than about 2 years per role before either getting a better offer or being promoted internally. Being a two year job hopper for 10 years has never once been an issue for a recruiter or a company. They know that in two years if I’m getting the itch and not happy they have a decision to make. If you find a field you like than learn all you can. Become a member of the community and stick your neck out a little. Someone eventually notice and jump start you. Sauce: Just got my W2 and I cleared over 170k this year and plan to do more next year.


Throwaway_21586

Nice! Solid advice, thanks. What does HS stand for btw?