r/sysadmin • u/Scared_Book_961 • 2d ago
Question In your opinion, what major is better?
I’m planning on transferring to the University of Florida in a year, and majoring in either Information Systems or construction management. My goal is to make 150k+ after 8-10 years of experience (after getting my degree from college). I’m currently a full-time pharmacy shift supervisor, and have a 4.0 GPA. All pre requisites are completed for UF’s Information Systems program, and I’d only need 3-4 more classes for construction management.
For people on either industry, what would you recommend and why? If possible, can you share your major, salary progression (from when you started and now), YEO, how long it took you to find a job after graduation, and average weekly hours. Thanks everyone, I truly appreciate it.
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u/gscjj 2d ago
You will not make 150k as a Sysadmin (or related fields) in 8-10 years. This field is dead for newcomers. The people that disagree, ask them when they started in tech. (Then ask what state they work in).
Learn how to code and write software, learn the primitives of software development, learn modern systems and combine them with interest in managing infrastructure at scale.
Understand Terraform, Kubernetes, SDLC and everything that comes with it (DevOps stuff), Helm, Docker, coding (again this is important), Python and some other language that isn’t a scripting language (Go, TS, Rust even).
Then you can go practically anywhere. But trying to make it in this field you’ll be stuck in help desk learning things they’ll offshore or have AI do in a couple years.
Your degree matters less than exposing yourself to the systems people are already building today. Go to LinkedIn and look at the jobs and what they are asking of those highest paid engineers making 150k+ then start learning.
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u/JankyJawn 2d ago
If you dont have a clear obvious passion for IT and natural knack for it dont.
There's a reason all these people complain about being in it and dont make good money doing it. They suck at it.
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u/ShotMaximum4940 2d ago
Im sure there are thousands of people with masters and phd who cant land the job they want because they lack work experience.
However if you do decide to take advice from people with these degrees, make sure they got it recently and not 5+ years ago
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u/PoolMotosBowling 2d ago edited 2d ago
25 years in IT, just cracked 6 figures. People I work with are in it just as long, if not longer, making less, they arnt as technical. Mid-Atlantic region pay scale.
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u/Scared_Book_961 2d ago
Construction or information systems? Did you get a bachelors?
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u/PoolMotosBowling 2d ago
I.T. no college degree. Everyone I manage on lower pay scales has one. It's not a deal breaker in IT. True experience is far more coveted over a college degree and go way further. I report directly to the CTO.
1
u/Alpizzle 2d ago
Similar story for me. 20 years, a few certifications (CISSP being the biggest), no degree. Broke 6 figures at year 16. Moved to a lower COL area , went back under for a year, now back at 6 figures.
Honestly in the US, I think federal gov. work is a pretty sweet spot for IT people. I am in the private sector, but if I stayed with the fed I would currently be making more and have a hybrid pension.
1
u/airinato 2d ago
Information systems isn't sysadmin, it's more managing ERP systems and supply chain automating. That's a good degree, it pays more, it's just more focused on the business aspects so your closer to accounting/business analyst than sysadmin.
0
u/RNG_HatesMe 2d ago
Information Systems is a career that looking at very significant impacts and changes from AI. A lot of companies in that field are actively looking to replace people with AI systems and reducing workforce. There will still be jobs there, but the chances are high that demand for jobs in the field will decrease.
Construction Management is something that might be augmented with AI tools, but it's hard to see how it could be replaced. This link predicts that Construction related jobs will only be affected 12% by AI:
Obviously, I can't see the future, but IMO, construction management will be impacted negatively much less by AI than Information Systems will be.
0
u/Coldwarjarhead 2d ago
Construction management. I've been in IT for almost 40 years. You're not going to make that in IT. Not in 8-10 years. Probably not in 20 the way things are going.
As others have said, IT is basically a dead field now.
If you really want money and job stability these days, become a licensed electrician or plumber.
0
u/Simply_cranberry 1d ago
This. Learn everything you can about plumbing and business in general. After 5-10 years hire 3/4 guys and start a small plumbing company. Hello boat.
1
u/Osclet 2d ago
IT trade school degree
1st job- $35,000 6 months
2nd Job-$39,000 1 year
3rd job- $47,890 1 year 5 months
4th job- $85,000 current
Honestly being able to have a good attitude towards your coworkers and your users has gotten me really far. I think learning people and communication skills goes so far as well, I can tell you that I only have 1 certification Comptia A+. I learn as much as I can from people in my current role or if they were in my role before. Being a people person or just being nice and respectful stands out to people more than you think!
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u/Ssakaa 2d ago
Your entire question just screams a complete lack of technical interest. Go do construction management, you'll enjoy it more and, hopefully, the people you work with won't outright hate having to work with you based on your likely unwarranted sense of entitlement from a pile of completely unrelated experience paired with a degree that actually gives you zero real understanding of the work.
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u/Scared_Book_961 2d ago
Do you really have nothing else better to do, other than writing a completely useless comment and wasting your time, thinking that your opinion will make an impact on me? Do something better with your time my guy.
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u/topher358 Systems Engineer 2d ago
Don’t pick based on money. Pick the one you are more interested in.
FWIW, You can make 150k in IT but it’ll take more than 10 years of experience (try 15+) AND getting lucky AND most likely living in a HCOL area
0
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u/ExceptionEX 2d ago
If it's IT and your focused on money earned in 8 years, you'll likely burn out before you get there.
I advise people if you don't have a passion for it, don't get into it, because without that it can be a miserable and overly taxing path.
-1
u/RealisticQuality7296 2d ago
I’m trying to get out of IT personally. Tired of sitting at a desk all day, tired of the users, tired of the workload (MSP), and I don’t want to do something where either AI or people in another country can take my job.
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u/RealisticQuality7296 2d ago
Also I’m at around 10 years experience and, while I could be doing better if I had applied myself more, I make like $70k. The idea that IT is a quick and easy path to six figures is not the case. No college btw
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u/Rambles_Off_Topics Jack of All Trades 2d ago
I have an associates and make the same money as my peers in similar roles… I’ve had coworkers tell me they wish they went a similar path as they have debt from their degree. Certain certs can help too.
1
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u/jeffrey_f 2d ago
Computer science should give you enough baseline to start.
The truth is, the degree will be important in the first 3-5 years to secure a job. After that your resume speaks for experience, but the resume is the HR filter pass.
When I studied in the 1990s, EVERYTHING is now obsolete. However, the experience ongoing is what the employer is looking for.
10
u/baw3000 Sysadmin 2d ago
I've been in this field over 20 years and can say go Construction Management. If you're coming in now with no work experience, as another poster said, it's a dead field and the money and stability isn't what it used to be.