I had to ask myself when I first started my career: do I go to college, Or do I get my CCNA or my MCA or my mCP or whatever you want to get now? I'm assuming you want to break into the IP field or you want to accelerate your career if you're already in the IT field. If you're on a helpdesk, You have to consider either one of those.
If you really want to jumpstart your career, Do you go through the process of getting your degree, Or do you go to the process of getting your CCNA really, What will give you the job faster and what will give you the most bang for your buck? So, First of all, Let's start with your goal for me when I was faced with this decision. My only goal was more money and I would imagine that's pretty much everyone to go, Including yours. So how do you get this money? Well, You accelerate your career and you move up the ladder you become more skilled and you get into a better role that offers that higher salary got it. So that's our goal here.
So when comparing college and reallyit certifications, There are three categories: I'm going to look at here. It's going to be cost time and work. So first, Let's look at cost college I mean: do we really have to go into how much college cost ? T probably should. Obviously, It largely depends on what kind of college you attend. Are you going to go the online route? Are you going to a brick-and-mortar college, A private college, State-funded college things like that? Have you already completed some college and you're just wanting to complete your bachelor's and you've already got your associates a lot of variables in play here, I'm going to try and simplify it because obviously time and tuition can vary so how much does college cost or University A four-year degree, It can be anywhere from 6000 a year with an accelerated program like WGU, Which is all online, And you can do it at your own pace or it can be upwards of nine to $40000 a year with a standard, Brick-and-mortar college or either the Other online colleges like University of Phoenix and things like that now how much is the CCNA? There are probably a little more variables when you consider the cost of a CCNA, Because you've got a ton of different study materials and then you have the cost of the test itself and people.
People people learn in different ways. I'm going to focus on something. That's near and dear to my heart and that's self study, Those who come home after work and you hit the books. You read the articles we're going to focus on the cost of that. But if you go the classroom, You know Cisco Network Academy or you go to like a college course. You can probably equate the cost pretty easily to this as well.
So we'll start with the with study materials. The options are numerous, But I'll just pick, My favorite that I've used in I find success in first with CBT Nuggets. What is that cost? Well, It's not cheap! It's about a thousand dollars for a year. You can even do six months or you can do month by month, With month by month, It's like $84 a month, Then you have your your books, Which I highly recommend getting a book just so you can follow along.
So people don't do well with books. That's fine for me. I found it beneficial to view both the books and the articles, The CCNA official, Certain guideline Barry that gives you the big book through the for both tests about 60 bucks and then your your lab, Your CCNA lab again. This can really vary.
I sound lab kits online on Amazon for $400. That will give you everything you need to study and complete your CCNA and then the exam cost, Which was recently increased you'll, Now be on the hook for three hundred and thirty dollars for the exam. So if we, This is kind of the premium starting material content and that's going to end up being about 1790, So one thousand seven hundred and ninety dollars for your CCNA, That's including all your study material, That's including the exam again. There are a ton of factors.
It may end up being cheaper than that, Because you can go a little cheap on the lab. You can go with gns3, Which I highly recommend. All you need is Cisco IOS, Which does cost money, But you can find online and, Like I said you don't necessarily need to purchase the books and with CBT Nuggets. You could just do six months of EveDumpsor you could do month by month and try to complete it within two to three months. You can do it that fast, Whatever the case we're talking roughly two thousand dollars to complete your CCNA versus twelve thousand dollars to complete your we'll say a bachelor's degree in college, Which obviously is really bare minimum it it's. It could be a lot more depending on who you are where you're at what you're doing, But I think it's safe to say that the CCNA wins the cost bracket.
Alright, So we've covered cost now. Look at time. Time is huge. Time is money. I think time is the most valuable commodity in the world. So let's look at time go to college.
First, Let's assume again that you have a head start with an accelerated program like WGU. You already have some college credit, Or maybe you had some certifications that you could trade in for some for some credit hours. So let's be generous and say two years to complete your bachelor's degree. That's pretty fast for most people, If you're starting from scratch or just out of high school four years of standard university, So -, Let's just say a two to four years, CCNA again a lot more variables here, But I believe that anyone starting from zero from Scratch, No, IT experience t can complete their CCNA within six months.
I know t can do that now, That's starting from nothing! I know a lot of you reading this article. You already have some IT experience, So you could get the certification much much faster than six months, Two to three months, Maybe even less, If you've already done a lot of this stuff in your current job. So let's say best-case two to three months, Starting from scratch: six months and then again, Let's be honest, Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes your work schedules, Crazy, You've got a family.
You'Ve got a baby on the way like IV. Right now, Let's be generous and say it takes you a year to complete your CCNA, Because I can't happen and I've been there to where you just you can't study you're too busy. So that's our time bracket. You got college which could take anywhere from two to four years with the CCNA. You could get it as soon as two to three months, Maybe six months and maybe worst case it takes you a year.
. Now I do want to throw this in there that you know getting your degree. Is one thing it would take you. You know two to four years, But if you're accelerated and if you're, Reading this article you're, Probably a hospital or like I said before, You could get more than your CCNA within a two to four year span. So keep that in mind when deciding between college and IT certifications.
Alright, So we'll jump right into the worst. What is the value, What does it bring the table for college and your certification? How will college benefit your life in your career and how will your CCNA benefit your your your life in your career, So the value I suspect, We're looking at here is: how fast will it jumpstart your career? Get you into a job you want to be in and get you to start making that money that money you need right now. So our goal here get an amazing networking job or you know it's just admin job or whatever you want to do. So. Let's look at college we'll a four-year degree. Get you a job that we're talking about here, Assist admin, Job, A networking job that brings the cash.
That brings the money. The short answer, No long answer depends. Is it likely you'll even get an interview as a network admin or assist admin with a four-year degree? Probably not.
Why? Because a four-year degree shows that you have general knowledge of ite, Assuming you went to college for an IT degree, But it doesn't necessarily show that you have the knowledge to complete the tasks that job requires. Universities have always had trouble designing a curriculum to match the the needs of the workforce, Whereas certifications t're created by the vendors who make the equipment and t tend to release their updates. Much much faster than a university can update their curriculum.
So more than likely you're going to be up to date on the latest and greatest if you have a certification over a degree now I do have to mention this as a side note, Universities like WGU and I know others - I think University of Phoenix - has even Doing this now - t do offer certifications as part of their degrees and t even kind of put them in as the final exam for some courses. That obviously does add a bit more value to your degree. So do consider, But we'll talk about that more at the end. Now I do want to throw this in 4-year degrees are valuable, Don't get me wrong? I'm not saying college is bad, Don't do it. It is worth your time, But when talking about jumping into the IT field and making some serious money, It may not be the most efficient path.
We'Re talking about. What's the most efficient uses, Your time and your money right now, Because if you're like me, You didn't have time to waste, You had to jump into it immediately and college degrees for many industries in many positions it's required to have a degree. I totally understand that, And it's also different depends on where you live, But honestly from what I can tell and from my own experience most jobs in the IT industry don't require a degree, At least from the admin perspective or the engineer perspective software engineering.
I don't really know much about that space. I know most . I'Ve met have at least done or completed a degree in computer science where, As far as this admin and and network engineering, Most don't even care. So what will a four-year college degree or four-year university degree land? You an entry-level helpdesk position, That's pretty much it! You know I can be able to jump into a network admin or sysadmin job with just a four-year degree. Sorry, It's not going to happen.
What will also land you a hell of this position, A high school diploma, So keep that in mind too you're getting your degree and you got a guy coming fresh out of high school. You could probably both land that help disposition now you'll probably beat out the high school guy, But right now I don't see a shortage shortage up position, So I think you're fine. Now it begs the question: will a CCNA land you a amazing job as a network admin or will an MCS a lend you a job as a sysadmin short answer, Navy balling answer: Ned Vince can someone land a low level networking job with just their CCNA ? I'Ve seen it happen, It's totally possible. Is it difficult without experience? Yes, It is. I make a habit of looking at job boards or job postings daihlia t come in my mail, My inbox.
I'Ve got LinkedIn jobs and I get alerts every day I like looking at. What's out there, I'm just kind of keeping in mind. You know that I, My skills are valuable and there are plenty of positions out there.
A few common statements always see is CCM, A preferred or CCMP prefers, And then, When t talk about a degree cuz most of these jobs, T do talk about a degree and t want you to have a bachelor's degree. But what it will say is a four-year degree or equivalent experience, Or, T might say a two-year degree with equivalent experience. So what does this mean? It means that experience is king and with your CCNA, It's even better. Nothing will guarantee you an interview more than having experience in the role you're applying, For I know it's a dust statement, But it's just true, So you may be thinking what the jump chuck.
This was supposed to be about landing a job with just your CCNA or four-year degree. How do I get experience without already having experience so here's the big question: how do I get experience in an industry that requires experience to get experience? It's quite a conundrum. I understand what works for me and my answer is to start at the bottom start at the bottom.
I'm talking about a help desk position, A junior help desk position, A help desk, Technician position. These jobs are easier to land that obviously t're easier to land and that's assist admin or network admin roles. My recommendation is find a small to medium size company and get a position there. Why? Small and medium-sized, Because t're big enough to have Cisco enterprise equipment or Microsoft, Enterprise equipment, But t're small enough to where there's not so much red tape that you could get your hands dirty with all kinds of stuff and the Cisco realm and start to move up.
So when talking about work again, We've said that worse and value for the four-year degree and the CCNA is: how will it help you land a really great job? Well now the question is because I or explains the experience it is really the most important part. What will help you land a help, Desk technician, Job and help you rise through the ranks quickly. What will give you the confidence to start to move up or prove here, You're higher up to your admins, That you are ready to start playing dabbling in my area. Therefore, Giving you experience, Because you can put that right in your resume, So will a four year degree help you get a help desk technician role.
Yes, It probably will will it help you rise through the ranks doubtful? To be honest, I mean a 40 degree again. This proves that you completed college. It proves that you stuck with something, And it proves that you have a general knowledge of whatever you study. It does not prove that you have a deep technical know-how of what you want to do now. Will a CCNA help? You landed, Help desk, Technician, Role, .
I think you will easily well a CCNA help. You rise to the ranks . Absolutely. I think it will and I can speak from experience.
It helps me. I started out on a helpdesk junior helpdesk. Actually, I was in a very very bottom and getting my CCNA was key and removing up so, Let's bring it all in experience is the main thing in landing a really great job. An experience will be the main thing in landing, Your first networking or sysadmin job. So real the question is: what will help you get that first job as a help, Desk technician or a service desk technician, But also help you to quickly prove your Worth and rise to the ranks? My answer, CCNA wins.
That's the worst. I'Ve seen so many helpdesk technicians who have four-year degrees and t don't go anywhere until t decide to step up and start studying for their CCNA or the NCSA or their BCP. T don't go anywhere, But once t start doing that, That's when the leadership takes notice. That's when their admins take notice and t start to get more responsibility, Throw it on the resume before t know it.
T are Network admins. T are network engineers so time. To sum this up, Can you start an amazing IT career with a four-year degree? Yes, You can, Can you start an amazing IT career with a CCNA or at NCSA? Yes, You can so, Let's look at our three areas. We looked at cost time and worth which one cost less.
Well, Let's be honest: CCNA cost left we're talking about two thousand dollars versus 12 to 40 thousand dollars per year. One can you get faster, CCNA, Get a lot faster than a degree, A lot faster and which one will hold the most value when you're trying to land a job or just move up in your current role. I think again it's going to be the CCNA. Now I must reiterate. College is important and I would devote the motions as well.
I went to WGU and I started working on my degree and then I looked around and I realized that a lot of the people that were working at the same level as me on the help desk had four-year degrees and t weren't admins. And I looked at the admins above me and t were working on their certifications already had them, And I pretty much decided that I want to be like them. I want to start doing what t do if t're successful and I want to mimic their success. So I did that and before I knew it, I became the gear and network admin and sure to get my hands dirty with Cisco stuffs and switches and routers in the phone system and before I knew it, I was the admin and now I'm an engineer. I'Ve done it.
I'Ve gone through this path, So I could say it from experience. It works and I didn't have to get a degree now again. College is important. Degrees are important, So if yours, If you're graduating from high school soon or you have and you're looking at what to do, College is an option and it's very important and it will lay the foundation for a great career.
But if you're looking to break into the IT field without putting yourself into a ton of debt - and you want to start making money fast, I say: go for certifications, That's your best bet. I did it. It was successful for me. I know plenty of others who have done the same thing no degree, And t are also very successful. So my two cents go for your certification.
It will prove its worth and value. It will help you get into a better position. It will help you get more money times have changed eyes. It used to be that you always get a degree, Always no matter what, But the cost of a degree is now astronomical and you end up being in debt for so long it doesn't even matter, But you get a certification, Especially an IT. You can start making some serious money more than anybody who has a four-year degree ever would so.
I cannot emphasize more start studying for your certification pick up some study materials. If you're wondering where to start, I made a article called seven CCNA CCNP study tips for the new year. You can read it here, I'll put the link somewhere on the screen or in the notes below that's a great place to start get some tips, Get some study, Materials and kind of figure out what you should do for a study schedule again self-study. It's awesome.
It takes discipline, It's not for everyone, So you may want to look at a classroom option which again is oh so much cheaper is in college. I mean go to Cisco Network Academy. You can go to your local community college. It'd probably offer CCNA courses, But I highly recommend this path. If you're looking at getting an IT anyway - and you definitely want to move up, The ranks go for your certification. If you liked it and comment below for any questions, Or what else do you want to see from me?
Although no system is ever 100 percent protected, the ability for differentiating between typical network traffic as well as potentially harmful malware is considered crucial and provides the focus of this associate-level certification path. Also, if you wish to acquire this certification, you should gain the Cisco 300-610 Dumps, which are being offered at the EveDumps.
