How much can a newly graduated B.Sc.Hons (IT) student expect to earn?

[Fireball]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post on MyBroadband, although I have been a frequent visitor for the past 3 years.

I am currently studying B.Sc. (IT) Management at the University of the Free State, and am planning on doing my Honours next year.

After I graduate, I am planning to move to Cape Town. I know the real money is in Gauteng, but I'm not fond of the idea of moving there (especially not with that new toll system they have between JHB and PTA).

Seeing as I am a newcomer to the world of business and careers, I was hoping for some guidance from you, the more experienced professionals :D.

So my question is this, how much could I expect to earn after I get my Honours?
I know the question is rather vague, and the answers are limitless. But if you could just give me a rough estimate (e.g. 10K-15K per month, or at least R10K or something along those lines).

My skill-set includes C#, ASP.NET, SQL, HTML, CSS and Python.

If possible, could you please give a description of

your position,
your monthly salary
which province/city you work in?
What kind of qualification you have (years of professional experience would be nice as well, please)

That would be awesome and should help me with my choice in which field of IT to specialize in.
Well, I think that's enough invasion of your privacy for one day:D.

Thanks a lot folks! Looking forward to hearing from you.

[Praeses]

Welcome fellow Kovsie! I hope somebody can help you out :) This is a very resourceful forum :) try contacting Messugga http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/member.php/38564-Messugga. He's a friend of mine that got his B.Sc IT here and then started working, he's now in JHB though.

[Rivin]

I'll bite. Expect between 15 and 20k starting salary CTC in JHB, opportunities exist in CPT, but in general might be a bit lower.

If you're good it will grow fast.

[rorz0r]

10-15k not a bad starting estimate.

[nakedpeanut]

I just started working this year with those qualifications and there are alot of opportunities! 15k easy, but you should aim for about 18k when you start looking for a job, pm me, my company is in desperate need of good java developers in CPT, i'm in their JHB branch. Loving it.

[cbrunsdonza]

Starting salary for graduates is suppose to be R20K in Cape Town but those are not the advertised jobs or the ones your going to get with employment agencies. Be prepared to go as low as R10K (nobody cares if its just a BSc, Honours or Masters at the moment).

Just remember nobody cares about skill sets as they are worthless without experience. The IT job market is very tough and brutal at the moment.

If you find yourself in Somerset West, our company is always looking for new developers.

[nakedpeanut]

I wouldn't settle for anything less than 15k if I was you.. If a place wants a code monkey well then they gunna be paying him peanuts, if they want a developer then they'll pay better... You still got a while keep looking around and start applying at places for potential holiday work.

I had no working experience (Nothing, not even tutoring etc) and started going for interviews from about July in my honours year and I told places I was intent on only starting in Jan. I went for many an interview, some never gave me an offer, others did. In the end I turned 4 offers down and never went for a final interview with one company. I had my job lined up by early Nov.

So there are quite a few companies looking for good developers, just keep your marks up an start applying early. Others do try chance it with 10k salaries, so just avoid them or keep them as a last resort if you can't find anything...

Good luck with the studies..

[Thice]

Hi Guys and Gals.

Sorry to bump in your thread, but I have a similar question.

What would your estimate of a job like this be?

http://itjobs.mybroadband.co.za/job/4093/it-administrator-at-eres-development-corporation/

Something where you juggle a very broad range of skills like this? Would the salary be much different for a job like this in CT than JHB?

[rorz0r]

That job sounds like a one man IT department type thing. If it pays well then fine but in my experience the Jack of all trades doesn't get paid much in IT. Specialists earn way more.

[DanielHirst]

Hi

You can safely expect R15 000. Pity you're not keen on moving to JHB. Lets hope you dont struggle to find a job in Cape Town.

[Swift-wp]

.

[Messugga]

This is with no prior experience. I'm straight out of varsity.

Sheesh, seems I'm a tad underpaid then as I'm not getting THAT much more than you. Guess I'll be asking for a 15% bump or so in the next few months.

[Fireball]

Hey guys!
Thanks for the many replies. Overall I feel a bit more relaxed about finding a job now, knowing I won't have to settle for below R10K. Academic-wise, I'm really going all-out this year. I'm aiming to pass Cum Laude.

I MIGHT consider moving to JHB, but then I have to live and work there. Commuting from PTA to JHB is not an option (I don't want to spend R2k a month on toll fees).

[Fireball]

That job sounds like a one man IT department type thing. If it pays well then fine but in my experience the Jack of all trades doesn't get paid much in IT. Specialists earn way more.

I am well aware of the old saying : "Jack of all trades, master of none."
The thing is, my degree covers all the above mentioned skills. I am going to specialize, but not while I'm still doing undergraduate. I'll start moving in a more specialist direction next year when I do my Honours.

[Fireball]

I just moved from Cape Town to JHB after completing my B.Sc Honours in Computer Science.

I work as a Technology Analyst and earn R21000 salary. That is excluding all the other benefits such as medical aid, pension fund contribution, etc. This is with no prior experience. I'm straight out of varsity.

Wowza! How much did you earn in Cape Town, or didn't you work there?

[Fireball]

Hey Praeses!

Thanks for the prompt reply. I must admit, I didn't expect the first post to be from a fellow Kovsie, that was a pleasant surprise. I'll give Messugga a shout and hear what he has to say.
BTW: Are you still studying in Bloem? If so, what degree are you doing?

[Ancalagon]

Meh, Joburg isnt so bad, dont understand why it gets all the hate. But then, theres nothing special about it either. Its just a big city where you can earn a lot of money, and it happens to be fairly close to things like the Kruger Park, KZN and the Drakensberg. I'm living here and dont mind it, social life is good. I'm thinking of moving but not for a few years.

As a graduate, dont get too hung up on your particular skills, whether C# or Java. Almost all of what you actually use, you will learn on the job. What you have learned at university is a good starting point, and the theory is necessary to prepare you. So, dont not apply for something just because you didnt cover it at varsity. Theres a lot of things you wouldnt have covered at varsity, its more important whether you can learn them (as a graduate) than whether you already know them.

[CamiKaze]

it depends on the company, try to get in at a bank though.

Im a developer at a bank but in a grad prg with a Bsc. Degree.
However, i have been working at m(*****)web last year as an intern tester for 6 months.

I work in cpt, but i've seen some wonderful things in Sandton.

[Swift-wp]

Wowza! How much did you earn in Cape Town, or didn't you work there?

Nope, I moved up to JHB after completing my studies.

[CamiKaze]

As a graduate, dont get too hung up on your particular skills, whether C# or Java. Almost all of what you actually use, you will learn on the job. What you have learned at university is a good starting point, and the theory is necessary to prepare you. So, dont not apply for something just because you didnt cover it at varsity. Theres a lot of things you wouldnt have covered at varsity, its more important whether you can learn them (as a graduate) than whether you already know them.

+1
This is so true...