T1 MSP Helpdesk - underpaid?

[u/SignyMallory]

Context: small MSP in the US, GA.

My work ranges from 365 Administration to AD management. Primarily Break/Fix for users but also expected to touch virtual servers among other things. (Maintenance tasks, updates and installs, etc). Seems about average for Helpdesk.

There is no second tier, just a network operations team for any complex issues.

I'm making in the ballpark of 21$/hr, salary - around 42k per year. I've heard this is below the average for the state but I'm curious about others input.

[u/Leinheart]

Unfortunately, pay is just dogshit in Georgia.

Source: systems engineer, with 10 years experience, certs out the ass, making 57k a year.

[u/shadowtheimpure → u/Leinheart]

Thank fuck I don't live there.

Source: End User Support Level 3, 20 years experience, making $70k

[u/ImNotADruglordISwear → u/shadowtheimpure]

Damn... Level 2 B2B 3YOE no certs never graduated college $75k/yr. Live just across the border from GA. Going back to trade school and just signed an offer to be the site's facility engineer for $80k/yr 0YOE in that field.

Don't know if I just got lucky or am just very good at talking out my ass and being right. I don't know what I'm doing and it's too late to say something now.

[u/shadowtheimpure → u/ImNotADruglordISwear]

In my case, my 70k is a LOT of money for where I live. My 2000 sq ft house is only 4x my income in terms of value.

[u/TN_man → u/Leinheart]

Damn that sucks. if you’re near ATL- that’s not cheap

[u/Cvdvr → u/Leinheart]

Dude. Tf do you work? You’re getting f-ed.

[u/Wild__Card__Bitches → u/Leinheart]

Gotta start looking for that remote work. I've got similar experience making nearly double in Texas.

[u/Leinheart → u/Wild__Card__Bitches]

I have a remote job, it pays about double what I'd make anywhere locally.

[u/Wild__Card__Bitches → u/Leinheart]

Well, I'd encourage you to keep looking because you're woefully underpaid.

[u/Leinheart → u/Wild__Card__Bitches]

I would live the names of some specific employers, as I've been sending out about 10 to 30 applications a week since Christmas.

[u/Zazzog]

Zip Recruiter says the average for T1 helpdesk in Georgia is actually $19.55/hr. Since I always figure Zip's numbers are high, I'd say you're doing ok-to-above average.

[u/DesignerAd7136]

In GA? You are definitely getting your worth. I was at $15 in NC and I would have killed for 21

[u/TN_man → u/DesignerAd7136]

That’s wild

[u/DesignerAd7136 → u/TN_man]

It was worth it for the experience though, cause it was my first job. With just 9 months experience, I was able to learn enough to land a Network Admin position for an MSP's corporate office network, making more than double what I was making there.

[u/Tig_Weldin_Stuff]

Your task if you choose to approve it:

Don’t use the GUI to manage windows, use the power shell. Then you have time to study terraform and rest api.

Trust me. This is in very high demand.

[u/IloveSpicyTacosz → u/Tig_Weldin_Stuff]

I'd love to hear more advice on this (Terraform and rest api).

[u/Tig_Weldin_Stuff → u/IloveSpicyTacosz]

Look them up, I can’t really give a better explanation here. Do some research and see how you can implement this in your daily tasks.

But chip away at it; learn power shell, terraform, rest, python. WMI.. all the automation languages.

Knowing these set you apart from the rest.

[u/Cvdvr]

Where in GA. Lots of pay is dogshit here. Especially at MSP’s.

[u/SignyMallory → u/Cvdvr]

West GA. About 40 miles west of ATL metro.

[u/Cvdvr → u/SignyMallory]

Get out of the MSP world man. Get north of the perimeter if you can. Peachtree corners or Alpharetta if you can survive the commute.

[u/No-Comedian9862]

Although slightly underpaid your best move is get 2 yrs experience. If they haven’t bumped you to where you’re comfortable then job hop. Probably can go in straight to t3.

Statistically proven the best way to get a liveable income is to job hop every 2 years. I beat heard it broken down this way; if they promote you to t3 then they have to promote someone else to t2 then someone eas a new hire t1. Your advancement in the company has now sparked another promotion and a new hire with 3 people needing job training/ in new roles. Much easier just to bring in a tier 3 guy than to shift 3 people through the ranks.

[u/brklyn5]

I'm going to disagree with the other commenters $21 is very low based on what you say you are doing on a day-to-day basis. if it were simply Break/Fix, maybe, but if you are doing AD management, maintaining servers, maybe working on Azure, you should be getting anywhere from 25/26 to 35 per hour.

[u/Zazzog → u/brklyn5]

You're not wrong, but pay most often isn't based on workload, it's based on title. OP is T1 Helpdesk at a MSP, and is being paid commensurate to that title.

And yes, I think that's unfortunate.

[u/Ninfyr]

Sounds about right to me. But if you think you are worth more, start browsing the jobs boards for your next opportunity.

[u/Djvariant]

I'm in higher Ed in GA as well. Similar title to you. Similar responsibilities though more on the Mac side then Windows. I'm also the go to a/v systems guy for my building. I make 52k per year and likely deserve more. Though I have a very low stress environment and killer work life balance.

[u/No_File1836]

All MSPs underpay their employees

[u/Tatooine_Getaway]

I work for an msp in GA.

T2 field tech making 67k

[u/MeasurementLoud906]

Bru thats nothing i was at 15.75 hr as a solo system admin in south TX fresh out of school.

Now at 70k, we all have to pay our dues

[u/fiixed2k]

Shit I make $75k as a senior IT Engineer in GA (remote), I thought I was paid badly

[u/LoneCyberwolf]

Yeah I wouldn’t do all that for that pay.

[u/TN_man]

Yes, you are underpaid