Okay, let’s tackle this. So Sam Hoover has a solid skillset in IT security and server management. His experience with Active Directory, firewalls, and VPNs is in demand. Location is Salem, Oregon, which is a mid-sized city with a growing tech industry. Salaries for IT professionals in this area tend to be lower than in major cities like San Francisco or New York. However, considering his skills and experience, he could charge a premium rate. Let’s look at benchmarks. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for an IT security specialist in Salem, OR is around $80,000 per year. However, this doesn’t account for hourly rates. Assuming a 40-hour workweek and 52 weeks per year, that’s around $125 per hour. Considering his expertise and the fact that he’s not in a major city, I’ll estimate his hourly rate to be around $125.