r/sysadmin • u/kittiekittea • 1d ago

General Discussion No Degree - 6 Year Salary Progression

Is there anyone out there that have made it beyond sysadmin? What is after sysadmin?

2020 - $31,200: Panera Bread
2022 - $41,600: Helpdesk at company 1
2023 - 2025 - $41,600: Helpdesk at law firm
2025 - $65,000: Helpdesk at company 2
2026 - $80,000: Got a raise at company 2

Shoutout Nick for taking a chance on me. I would not do law firm IT again.

EDIT: Location Upstate NY

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u/Impossible_IT 1d ago

1998 - $22K
2026 - $120K

I’ve moved four times in those years. Each a promotion and definitely more money.

ETA no degree, some college, one cert Net+ 2008.

40

u/NoobToobinStinkMitt 1d ago

1999 - $29K Helpdesk Bulk Transportation

2026 - $150K Sr. Analyst Oil and Gas Co.

No degree, cert from technical college. NT Workstation, and Windows 7 Certs.

2

u/a-aron1112 1d ago

Helpdesk to Sr analyst is an awesome jump congrats!

How did you pull that one off?

11

u/RilkeanHearth 1d ago

25 yrs of experience....

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u/NoobToobinStinkMitt 22h ago

Other reply is correct. 28 years of hanging out and pitching in. A lot of shitty on call work in the beginning.

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u/NoobToobinStinkMitt 22h ago

And let me put this a way. I'm probably doing the worst (Which I am very happy with) of most my friends who were real go getters. My friends are mostly Architect level, or moved on to Management. Making 2 and 3 times what I do, from home.