A magnetic layer that may serve as a top pole layer and bottom pole layer in a magnetic write head is disclosed. The magnetic layer has a composition represented by FewCoxNiyVz in which w, x, y, and z are the atomic % of Fe, Co, Ni, and V, respectively, and where w is between about 60 and 85, x is between about 10 and 30, y is between 0 and about 20, z is between about 0.1 and 3, and wherein w+x+y+z=100. An electroplating process having a plating current density of 3 to 30 mA/cm2 is used to deposit the magnetic layer and involves an electrolyte solution with a small amount of VOSO4 which is the V source. The resulting magnetic layer has a magnetic saturation flux density Bs greater than 1.9 Telsa and a resistivity ρ higher than 70 μohms-cm.