rtified counterparts (of comparable age and experience). The average salary of MCP's increased over 10% from 1996 to 1997. Those who have attained Certification say it is worth it.According to a white paper by Southern Illinois University, ninety percent of MCSEs rated the Microsoft Certification as Useful or Very Useful. Seventy percent rated Certification as Useful or Very Useful for professional credibility. So how can a reseller differentiate by certification? From a salary perspective, Cisco is the way to go. With so many Microsoft gurus and Certified Novell (formerly NetWare) Engineers, these certificates are becoming commodities. Cisco's top certification, the CCIE, is worth a starting salary of $100,000. High-end CCIEs make $200k without breaking into a sweat. Reseller profits are similarly high, assuming you can keep your CCIEs from bolting to become independent consultants.The other Cisco accreditations--the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)--are also profitable for their holders and employers. Janet Ruhl's Computer Consultant's Resource Page, a well-regarded Web salary survey site, pegs these incomes in the mid-$80,000 range for certificate-holders with substantial experience.As for MCSEs, starters earn around $40,000 a year. With experience, system administrators and consultants jump to the high $50,000-range. High-level positions such as a senior consultant command between $70k and $90k. More lofty salaries are possible, but they're uncommon for reseller MCSEs.The oldest certification, Novell's CNE, is worth the least. The salary figures range from $35,000 to $80,000 annually, with the bulk of middle-range employees at $50K or below. By and large, more Novell folks are in the $35K to $45K range than MCSEs. Indeed, these Windows NT resellers seem to be pulling in at least $5,000 more per year than their NetWare counterparts....
