r/ITCareerQuestions • u/Mundane_Pressure9758 • 1d ago
Seeking Advice School district pay advice?
Hey i'm a 25 year old who I recently got scheduled an interview for a technician I position for a school district. It pays 16.28- 20.25. I'm honestly confused as to what to ask for or negotiate or if I will even be given a the chance to.
The only qualifications say high school diploma/GED
I have no background in IT experience, other than studying for my CompTIA A+ ( I put in my resume i passed core 1 and currently working on core 2). Though I have a degree, its a B.S but in writing/ technical communications, so no help really because I have no actual job experience. If asked how much should I ask for, I truthfully need this job and am willing to take even the lowest amount (though I don't want to lowball myself).
any advice on the pay rate or just working in school district? (I know I haven't gotten the job yet but trying to think positive)
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u/thanatossassin 1d ago
I have no background in IT experience
You will get offered the minimum and you will take it. You have nothing to negotiate with, you have no other offers, you have no experience. This is how you start building your career, and then you can use your experience to leverage an increase in wage here, but more likely kely elsewhere.
If you balk now, you will easily be skipped over. I recommend you take the job, if offered.
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u/Mundane_Pressure9758 1d ago
oh no i’ll state it again i plan on taking whatever they give me lol!, ive been looking for a way out of retail for about two years, when i received the call I already had in mind that I want to take it and the pay is better than what im making, just moreso worried about the interview
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u/awkwardnetadmin 1d ago
As much as I like to tell people to make a case for the higher end of the range when you have no formal experience, no formal relevant education or completed education you really have no leverage to argue for the higher end of their range. Don't give them a reason to second guess giving someone else the job. When you have more experience you can maybe argue for more money especially if you have an existing job to go back to if they balk, but OP isn't there yet.
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u/PFUnnamed99 1d ago
It's likely that their pay is very rigid and based on a sliding scale that increments based specifically on your years of service in the school district. There won't be any room for negotiation, but it can't hurt to ask just to be informed.
Every district employee is paid strictly according to their paygrade and years of service. It's easy to know what others make if you know their job title and how long they've been there. It's all set and approved by the state and the district board because payroll consists entirely of taxpayer dollars.
Source: Worked in K-12 IT for 15 years.
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u/Mundane_Pressure9758 1d ago
ohh okay that makes sense, i feel as if im not in the place to negotiate, honestly and it scares me a bit lol. so when they ask should i just ask for the minimum?
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u/lwaxanawayoflife 1d ago
They probably won’t ask. They will tell you what you will get. Take it for the experience. The pay will suck, but you will likely get decent benefits and good work/life balance.
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u/xangkory 1d ago
I work in government IT, and at least on our end there is slight flexibility.
If they ask, ask for the top. If you get an offer on the low end, ask for more. Tell them that you think that the offer is reasonable for someone without a BA, but you have a BA. Regardless of what they come back with, take it.
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u/tjt169 1d ago
I bet you’ll do just fine.
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u/Mundane_Pressure9758 1d ago
I appreciate that! I’m hoping they take a chance and hire me. I have a lot of customer service experience so I hope that saves me.
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u/mzx380 1d ago
If you have no tech experience then say yes to anything ti get the experience
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u/awkwardnetadmin 1d ago
When you have experience to point to you can be pickier to some degree. If you have no relevant experience, no formal education or certification you probably aren't in a good bargaining position unless this is a ridiculously high cost location or something else made it undesirable.
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u/Weed_Wiz 1d ago
I wouldn't even try. Someone will happily take the pay they are offering.
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u/Mundane_Pressure9758 1d ago
Do you think they’ll even ask or just give me a flat out pay rate or its hard to say?
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u/Weed_Wiz 1d ago
They're gonna ask you your expectations.
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u/Mundane_Pressure9758 1d ago
would saying the pay rate that is listed fine with me, and just agree to rate they say first or just ask for the lowest
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u/winslayer 1d ago
School districts usually have a set pay grade, so don't be surprised if there's zero room to negotiate and the number is just the number. Ask what step or lane you'd land on and whether passing A+ moves you up a lane, because some districts pay a bump for certs. If they do offer a range, ask for the middle, not the bottom. Take the job either way, it's a great first rung and the A+ plus a year of tickets will get you the next one.
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u/False-Pilot-7233 1d ago
school districts have budgets too. There's a reason why school districts are always looking for technicians during the summer or after holiday breaks.
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u/JobHuntingManiac 1d ago
I'm with the others on just taking the job if you want it, and it's offered, you wont be negotiating pay at all at a school district outside of contract renewal time which is usually every 2 years.
I will say though, it's really sad seeing the pay go down for critical positions while the cost of living skyrockets.
Worked in K-12 IT for 13 years.
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u/Tyrnis 1d ago
Ideally, just let them present a number -- if they ask you for one, just tell them that their listed range is acceptable. With no experience and no completed certifications, you don't have a lot of leverage for negotiating salary, so that leaves the door open for them to offer you more than the minimum and also doesn't put you in a position where you're asking for more than they want to pay you.
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u/Boring_Ad_1456 1d ago
Most of the time with county and state jobs the salary is started at the lower number and the higher number is what you end with if you never move up. This is in my state at least
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u/DarkKumane 1d ago
At my district we have 3 distinct initial hite pay grades and the band you're offered if dependent on your experience or certs. I would try to swing that you have core 1 to get the middle bend of pay, but you're most likely getting the bottom. I'd still pick up the job just to get your foot in the door and leave as soon as reasonably possible.
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u/HjalmrNjalsson 1d ago
Hi, I’m currently a tech II at a school district. Those pay rates are usually negotiated per union contract, and within the budget for the school. There is almost no wiggle room to go higher. Your time will be spent On password resets, device setup, classroom AV, general IT help, etc., but may come with a lot of downtime. Also something to keep in mind - some districts offer fully employer paid health insurance to employees so you may not have to pay insurance if they offer it (my district does which is nice but not all do) so you won’t be out that deduction. Good luck - I love the environment and it’s a great place to learn skills!
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u/yugas42 20h ago
I've worked in K12 for 6 years. There are major differences here compared to the regular IT industry at large.
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The job is low stress. You will have more free time and time off than most other jobs you could take. This is great for work/life balance.
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Your skills will stagnate if you stay long-term. This can be okay for some people. I personally love the environment and am okay working with the same (older) systems that I am comfortable with, and accept that innovation does not come quickly in education. I still manage a basic on-prem AD server here, we just got a license for Intune in August.
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You often cannot negotiate your pay much. School districts are bound to abide by the decision of their board. What this means for you can vary. If your position is directly employed by the school, it means that your supervisor, and even their supervisor, will have little to no say in your pay rate, and even when they do, it cannot be changed until a budget is passed for the next school year, usually in July. If you work for an MSP or a staffing agency, it is actually easier to get a raise, since the school pays your employer a flat rate, and then your pay is a negotiation between you and your actual employer, not the school board.
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Your pay will be lower than most other IT jobs with similar roles. Public education has some great benefits, especially the time off from holidays, some of the best health insurance you can find (depending on your state usually), and often a 4/10 work schedule in the summer. You also will get access to a pension in many cases. All of this is balanced out by the fact that as a sysadmin, I make about 25/hr. I have also been in the ER three times in three years and have paid exactly $0 for it, so take that for what you will.
This is a great opportunity for you to get experience and then move on in a few years if that is your plan. I would make sure to move sooner rather than later, before you fall behind working on ancient systems that nobody else still uses. You never know, you might like the way it works and like the benefits enough to stay. People who start in Education IT often stay, and I have heard plenty of stories of people who leave Edu for more pay and then come back due to the quality of life differences.
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u/NoobensMcarthur 1d ago
If the pay range is up to $20.25, I’d be asking for $20.25. That’s already low to begin with.
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u/tjb122982 19h ago
wait is that the hiring range or the pay scale? i used to work for a school district and that is most likely the pay scale and you will not hit the top of the scale for a few years
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u/Wicked-Wabbit 18h ago
I work for a college, that is a very low wage. I’m getting around 24.50USD with helpdesk experience and associates
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u/PeepusTheWise 1d ago
With all the actual IT professionals looking for work, I would just take it without any negotiation. You're lucky to have it without any real qualifications.