CCNA Pay Bracket

CleverBalls

CleverBalls

CleverBalls

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16 Aug 2012
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Hey guys, I'm currently holding a CompTIA A+ and working on my CompTIA Network+ certification; I'm in the 20-25k bracket at the moment.

Work is booking me on an expensive CCNA 5 day course and I am currently studying the CBTNuggets CCNA videos to assist with it.

I was wondering what pay bracket I could expect when I hold all of the above certifications, and does anyone here holding a CCNA/CCNP have any advise?

Cheers guys!
 
How long is a piece of string? The piece of paper means very little if you can't talk about the concepts in an interview and demonstrate that you have used the skills.
 
I was generally looking for the briefest of examples; I'm very articulate and have never failed an interview - demonstrating my abilities generally comes easy to me.

I was thinking in and around the low 30's - how accurate is that estimation?
 
CCNA means nothing, so dont expect a worthy rise from it.

CCNP maybe if you're lucky someone will pay for you to take the course and roll it in to some other pay rise of a few £k
 
"Means nothing" is quite a long way from the truth. The CCNA isn't an 'easy' qualification, it's definitely got value. But the cert by itself doesn't, it's the jobs that it lets you have if that makes sense. If someone is already employing you then they won't give you more money if you get a CCNA unless you did the CCNA to move roles.

I can't comment on the worth of a CCNP other than general opinion around the office is that EyeDot is underselling it.

The point I'm trying to get across is that these certs prove that you understand and can implement valuable skills. The jobs that use those skills will pay more than the A+ support roles do. If you just braindump the exam then you don't actually know the stuff.
 
CleverBalls said:
demonstrating my abilities generally comes easy to me.
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But do you have real world "abilities" working on Cisco equipment? I think what Caged meant is passing CCNA on its own is no use if you don't have the real world experience to go along with.
 
EyeDot said:
CCNA means nothing, so dont expect a worthy rise from it.
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I still remember being told, why over 10 years ago now, to get my CCNA done by a certain someone ;)

(I never bothered in the end :p)

As said there is no standard type pay bracket just for getting a certification in something.

Really would depend on the job and the company.

Juts have a look at jobs that ask for CCNA and make a reasonable assumption from that?

http://www.cwjobs.co.uk/JobSearch/Results.aspx?Keywords=CCNA
 
Ev0 said:
I still remember being told, why over 10 years ago now, to get my CCNA done by a certain someone ;)

(I never bothered in the end :p)
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10 years ago it was worth something, with Cisco / networking types in strong demand.

Now its like a certificate in Word or Excel.

It's worth having if only to have a good base understanding, but given its done as part of most uni courses now in the sector, its hardly special..

More akin to having a driving licence, useful to have, but you wont get paid more for it.

Certificates get you interviews, talent and personality gets you the pay!
 
I had a CCNA but let it expire and it doesn't seem to of affected my salary. I have made some pretty big jumps in grade with an expired one. Just have to prove you know it which is no problem.

CCNP and CCIE is where it starts to bennefit. The CCNA in my eyes has been devalued :(. But it is very worth while to do.
 
matthab said:
I had a CCNA but let it expire and it doesn't seem to of affected my salary. I have made some pretty big jumps in grade with an expired one. Just have to prove you know it which is no problem.

CCNP and CCIE is where it starts to bennefit. The CCNA in my eyes has been devalued :(. But it is very worth while to do.
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Depends on the employer, I've been with the company I work at now for five years. Working on Cisco gear for the last two years and I would like in terms of routing and switching I am beyond CCNA by a way. But I get refused a pay rise every time because I don't have the qualification! I have the ICND1 and I have the ICND2 booked a few months away it's just finding the time to practice those things that I don't do on Cisco gear every day.
 
CCNA with no experience would get 22 - 24k in London.

CCNA with a couple of years experience can find 30 - 32k with ease.

CCNP with three to four years experience can jump to 45k+.

After that it depends what you specialise in. I personally think CCNA is a minimum for anyone working in a networked environment (basically everywhere these days). It's not easy (About as hard as an A level?) but the fundamentals are totally solid and are very useful day in day out, even outside of configuring Cisco networking gear.
 
Sounds like I'm on pretty good pay for my quals then. Anywho, had my first day in the trainer today; wasn't too bad, just covered subnetting and basic router config.

Dunno, I won't pay for it so I doubt i'll find out :P
 
VeNT said:
how much is it to do a CCNA nowadays anyway?
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Self learn - CBT videos from the web, official press book, internet material GNS 3 for all your labs and an exam fee of around £102 which includes vat via pearson


Don't bother with boot camp 5 day courses! If you think your going go from 0 knowledge to 110 % knowledge your not

Self study will benefit you more.
 
DJMK4 said:
Self learn - CBT videos from the web, official press book, internet material GNS 3 for all your labs and an exam fee of around £102 which includes vat via pearson


Don't bother with boot camp 5 day courses! If you think your going go from 0 knowledge to 110 % knowledge your not

Self study will benefit you more.
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I've always wondered how people can pass by just doing the 5 day course. It just seems like too much material that you need inside out in depth practical knowlede about to master in 5 days.
 
Mr_Orange said:
I've always wondered how people can pass by just doing the 5 day course. It just seems like too much material that you need inside out in depth practical knowlede about to master in 5 days.
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Yeah, after finishing the course it is obvious it would be neigh impossible to continue with the exam at this point; but that's not what they're designed for, or they would actually take the exam with you.

I got a lot from the experience I'd consider it valuable and now will be self studying towards my exam(s).
 
CleverBalls said:
Yeah, after finishing the course it is obvious it would be neigh impossible to continue with the exam at this point; but that's not what they're designed for, or they would actually take the exam with you.

I got a lot from the experience I'd consider it valuable and now will be self studying towards my exam(s).
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I would say the only way they are benificial, is self learning, then if you get one pop up through work, try and go near the end of your self learning (if you really need to that bad as an overview of what you have just learnt) - Although you will find you really dont have to. Just self learn, and take exam, job done.

Another problem is, when you learn your self, you will find that the 5 day courses may have a different learning technique, and sometimes it will confuse you, so best to stick to one learning technique from a few sets of matirials, once you nail it thats it.

No way would I ever pay for a 5 day course though or expect to go on one with 0 knoweldge and expect to pass exams


I have a free 5 day training course on F5 load balancing in Jan, although its free, and if I get something out of it then great, I do have some load balancing experience with F5, Zeus and Cisco but even if there was an exam at the end, I wouldnt use it to try and pass an exam, its just for some additional knowledge.
 
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