IT Job Myths Busted: What Is an Average Salary?

comptia salary

This article is part of an IT Career News series called IT Job Myths. These articles break down and explain common misconceptions about a career in IT. Each article will address the myth and explain the truth behind each myth.

Getting a new job is great, right? The butterflies and excitement you feel from being accepted to a new position can make you feel like you’re on cloud nine. But that euphoric feeling can quickly make your stomach drop when you’re surprised with a lower salary offer than you were expecting.

For example, let’s say you were just offered a job as a security administrator. You’ve done your research, so you know that the average salary for a security administrator is $80,000, but you were offered $65,000. You may feel a little defeated and disappointed, but there are some details you should investigate while digesting this information.

What Does Average Salary Mean?

The average salary is a calculation of the salaries reported for a certain job category, location, demographic or other specification. This means that the minimum and maximum salaries that make up the range can vary greatly. The salary data put out by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for example, is based off wages reported on federal tax forms. But other average salaries may come from self-reported data, like the Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report. So, even though the average salary for a security administrator is $80,000, the actual salary you are offered could be between $40,000 and $120,000, as shown in the table below: