Why can't I find a fulfilling/decent paying job even with my education?

I have a BS in Computer Science and Engineering ('98) and have worked as Software Test Engineer (hated that), Programmer, Database Developer. Right now I'm a Developer working for a small consulting firm barely making 42k. I've done VB, some Oracle, some SQL Server and lots of MS Access. In my current job I'm stuck working with Access a lot. I'm in a small town so there's not much available here, but are there areas in the US where I could find a decent job easier? I'm finding that I'm falling behind really fast as this position is not keeping me engaged in the latest technology.
I have done a little VB.Net here, but they're not offering any training and I'm tired of trying to figure everything out on my own.

Expand your search from just your small area to a larger area.
Monster is a good job search engine.
So is Dice.

But what I think you really need to establish, before trying to find employment, is what your looking for. It sounds like You've done a lot and weren't happy with any of it.

Check out a few Career guidance sites and see if you can establish what Job you would be most interested in ACTUALLY DOING, not just which would pay the most money for your skillset.

Expand your job search. Start looking in larger cities. You might try browsing around on monster.com to see where your type of job is in demand.

Also, as long as you're working with computers at a steady job like that, chances are, you're always going to be behind on the latest programs because companies don't update at every available opportunity. You will probably have to keep up-to-date on your own with most jobs.

i would recommend you search for jobs in larger cities. If you want the big bucks, you have to work for big company. Don't expect to get pay a lot from a small business because they don't have enough to afford you. You're best in big cities, though it can be competitive. With your experience, you can get pretty good jobs, but it's a matter of how to deliver your abilities to the hiring employer. Best of luck.

I recommend that you make a fast career switch to Computer Networking and probably you will get a much better pay. You can obtain a certificate in Cisco or Novell and then you should apply to bigger companies and before you know it things will be better for you.

there's a huge demand for asp.net developers. so much demand that companies are actually hiring people who have little experience in asp.net. use that to your advantage.

Of course you definitely need to leave the small town ..

BS == <sarcasm_on> "So What" <sarcasm off> if you are not a capable engineer. You sound daunted by the pace of technology...

tsk, tsk, tsk...

Others embrace it, understand it, keep up with it, are excited about it.. AND NEVER WRITE THIS KIND OF A QUESTION ANYWHERE PUBLIC

just what can you do?

In addition to applying directly to companies offering jobs, you should try applying for jobs posted on major job websites like Careerbuilder, Yahoo! Hotjobs, Craigslist, Monster,Dice and post your resume on these sites.Websites like Indeed and Simply Hired allow you to search details of jobs posted on all major job boards, newspapers, associations and online classifieds. More info at http://h0j.info

Give what you want to receive. Reciprocity.