I'm going to school next semester and I need to know which field pays the most.

1. here are the fields and possible jobs that go with the program, that are offered at my school
2. -Computer Sales Representative
3. -Computer Programmer
4. IT Information Systems Security Specialist
5. -Network Specialist
6. -LAN Specialist
7. -Junior Programmer
8. -Computer Applications Technician
9. -Network Technician
10. Sorry - but most of the jobs you mentioned you would not be qualified for even with a college degree. You would be able to start off in a junior position right out of college but that would only pay around 25K, then after several years of experience and more computer certificates you might make 80K in 10 or 15 years.
11. -Novell CNA (Certified Novell Administrator)
12. -Microsoft Certified Professional
13. -Programmer Trainee
14. -Cisco Certified Network Associate
15. -Security Technician
16. I know these are the starting jobs that are obtainable for grads, but I would also like to know which job that progresses, would make a killing salary. I am really interested in making at least 80k, please do not suggest ceo!
17. -Hardware Technician
18. -PC Specialist
19. -PC Technician
20. IT Programmer/Analyst
21. -End-User Trainer
22. IT Network Specialist
23. Go to: http://www.salary.com

    No matter what you pick don't expect to make 80k right our of college. If you are lucky and depending on where you are at you might start as a Programmer around $25,000 or as a Hardware Tech around $20,000.

    In the computer field experience pays, college doesn't but it will get you in the door.

24. -Security Specialist
25. -Security Support Specialist
26. IT Computer Support Specialist
27. Highest paying from your list and best job outlook in the US:

    Networking Specialist, especially LAN and MCP. It may be hard to get in the door, but once you do, you'll get paid well with experience. Warning: Some areas of the country are saturated with networking people, so it may be in high demand in some areas, but not in others. I live in an area where networking specialists are a dime a dozen, since we've had thousands of layoffs from Nortel and Cisco.

    Security: Not high paying to being with, later it's high paying, and is in high demand. Unfortunately, they will not hire you right out of college to do this, you need to work in networking first and get lots of experience. I've talked to folks trying to find jobs for college students who majored in this, and they said employers want people with experience, since it's such a complicated field.

    Programming: Not high paying to begin with, but can later be high paying. Unfortunately, it's still being outsourced and some areas of the US have lots of laid off workers. It's better to focus on programming for operating systems and network distribution, and compilers, which convert programs for execution on a computer. Application programmers are the ones being outsourced. I use to be an application programmer analyst, started out as a junior programmer, then became a programmer, then a programmer/analyst, and later a consultant (after 3 years of experience). I got out just before the dot.com blow-ups of the 1990's.

    IT Support: Lowest pay starting out but you do get more money with experience, but not like the other categories you listed. But it's the most likely job you can get right out of college with no experience, like a PC Specialist at a help desk. Help desks are also being outsourced, but they're coming back since language/culture barriers were creating uneven customer service. I worked at a help desk, and quickly became a team lead since I had been a programmer.

    I'm sorry to sound discouraging, but our field is very cyclical, and we're just starting our upward path again. We already have security specialists needed, and don't have people with the experience to do it. The next 5 years we're suppose to have a huge deficit of networking and database people, as well as help desk and IT Computer Support Specialists since the boomers are retiring and few people are majoring in IT.

    Here's the US Dept of Labor's list of the fastest growing occupations for 2004-14, six are computer related jobs:
    http://www.bls.gov/emp/emptab21.htm…

    Here's a list of the typical computer jobs titles; if you click on the job title, you'll see their job descriptions, qualifications need, wages and outlook, compiled by the US Dept of Labor:
    http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco1002.htm…

    Good luck!

Tags: yellow dog linux, linux administration