Do you make as much as you deserve? 4

[mikiekwoods]

This may be a sensitive topic, but feel free to share if you'd like. Open to anyone and no judgment here. Hopefully myself and others can benefit from your answers.

Question: do you believe that you make the an adequate salary considering your training and experience (don't have to say the amount)? If not, why not?

 

[msquared48]

In this economy, that's a relative question - one posed often by many relatives.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[zdas04]

There is a point where it is just keeping score. When I retired in 2003 (to start my own business) I was vexed that an idiot that I was carrying was making more money than I was. I had a good salary, I was covering my bills, saving a little, sending a kid to college, had money left over for playing and vacations. I was doing pretty well and I was pissed that this idiot was making 5% more than I was. I realized exactly how stupid that was and couldn't stop. Then I retired and started paying more taxes than the idiot was grossing. My attitude about compensation really changed at that point.

To answer the basic question, I'm self employed and make as much as the traffic will bear. If I ever feel under-compensated I can work harder. Only problem is the boss is a jerk.

David

 

[KENAT]

I get paid extremely well for my job title.

For the location though, and if I'm silly enough to compare it to what I think some of my colleagues may be earning, no where near enough.

If I take into account some of what I actually do it varies by day.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[grimmy65]

I'm not sure if this has been posted somewhere else on engtips before but I thought some here might find it to be useful. It is a yearly survey on engineering compensation by Design News magazine. This one is the 2009 survey.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Thank you for the survey as it was very enlightening (I hadn't seen anything quite this complete or up-to-date in some time).

However, I have to say that after looking at all of the numbers and the breakdowns, I've come to the conclusion that I should be even more satisfied with my current level of 'compensation' as I was not aware that I had already achieved such a lofty status (perhaps my wife should read it as she might think twice the next time she asks why I don't make more than I do ;-)

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[filasofee]

I've started a thread asking when it would be too late to pursue engineering and the question of pay scale seems to be a significant factor. The recommendations for assuring unnecessary debt were put forward but I haven't the slightest clue what engineers make.

My particular case for pursuing engineering as a major currently at my local community college (New Jersey)stems from being laid of as a network technician from Verizon. Before that I was an electrician. The electrical trade is very difficult and only gets harder through the years, and the pay scale is good for those who can weasel their way into a comfortable situation. A contractor makes significant more money at a huge cost to physical stress and aggravation.

Three years as a network technician on telephony and fiber optic circuitry has shown me the light. The work is clean, indoors, and working for a company like Verizon as a union member is a great paycheck for someone like me who never went to college (until now of course).

I was laid off in November 09' and every job available for optical networking or network engineers required an engineering degree or a slew of certifications, that which I had none. As a tech in a union for Verizon I made $79k in 09' from Jan-Nov 20th, including appx 200 hrs ot. The ot hrs are not all real hours worked since working holidays and Sundays count as ot.

Do engineering firms pay comparable to $65k-80k per year?

 

[bpattengale]

filasofee that would be one heck of a payraise for me.

Entry level EIT pay is nowhere near that. Even having 4 years experience that pay is significantly above what I make. You might make that out on the costs in a major market, but the cost of living is way higher out there.

I'm happy with what I make. I can pay all my bills and still have money to do what I want for the most part.

 

[Nella95]

Me? Nah - but I'm pretty happy - which might be more important.

 

[DWHA]

Define Deserve.

I am happy with what I make. But, (there is always a but) I only make a coupel percent more than the guy that sits next to me; and I can do the same project twice as fast & more technically correct & with better constructability. So either, I make what I deserve, or he makes more than he deserves. I am happy with what I make, so I think that I make what I deserve.

 

[jgailla]

It's all about the comparison. I feel pretty well compensated but..
One guy makes more than me, can't pass the PE, and does nothing but striping on roads.
One guy makes more than me and is a drafter with very little drafting ability or work ethic.
One guy makes twice what I do, sleeps in his office, has no technical ability, and has not brought any work in since he's been here.
On the other hand, I make double what one of the guys makes with a Masters in biology or something. I really felt bad for him.

 

[mtu1972]

John - guilty on both counts

As a native of the Copper Country I had little choice as to where to go to school.

gjc

 

[JohnRBaker]

gjc,

Note that I graduated from 'da Tech' in 1971 with a BSME. Perhaps we've crossed paths before, in the Student Union or even at the 'Library' (and I don't mean the one with all the books ;-)

As for your lack of 'choices', I was from 300+ miles away and felt that despite perhaps wider choices, that I still made the correct one.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[mauricestoker]

I definitely get compensated based on what I deserve. I've got standing offers for larger salary and more benefits, but that would mean going back into engineering management. I'd rather be happy and make less money.

I see it as "is the glass half full or half empty?" I really don't care as long as the bottom half is mine.

 

[mtu1972]

My family comments - "It isn't that dad's glass is half empty, . . . it's generally broken!".

gjc

 

[MechEng2005]

In short, no.

I make enough, but think I could do better. I'm (generally) happy where I am though and things could be worse. There are other things that could make work more enjoyable that would go as far or farther than a strict pay raise as well.

-- MechEng2005

 

[KirbyWan]

The glass has an overflow factor of saftey of 2.

I feel I'm compensated about where I should be for the short number of years I'm out of school. My first job after graduating with a BSME was for $54000. I think I was overpaid for this first engineering job. After 6 months I was kicked to the curb.

I now earn less then this, but I like my job much better, it's in the field I want to be in and I have a good boss. My compensation will catch up as the economy recovers I hope. If it doesn't I'll put the pay scale in high gear by returning for a masters in engineering.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[dgillette]

I don't think anyone gets paid what they deserve. We (even teachers and those with government jobs) get paid according to the law of supply and demand (with complications from inertia). A top-shelf engineer with advanced degrees, PE, and two decades of experience makes less than a mediocre young lawyer. As silly as that seems, it's the market at work. Jgailla's biologist coworker gets paid a whole lot less, because there isn't so much demand for MS biologists that they have to be paid more. Any "deserving" is relative(perhaps jagailla vs the road-striper, whose salary gap is likely caused by inertia and who got in the door first - even Adam Smith's magic hand can't fix some things).

Does Yo Yo Ma (one of the highest-paid classical musicians in the world) deserve to make a small fraction of what Madonna does? Is it 'yes,' because his music appeals to a much smaller number of people, or 'no' because his musical talents and work ethic are similar or greater? (Rhetorical question only. I don't want to face an angry mob of Madonna fans.)

Me? No complaints. I'm way better off than most Americans. I don't actually deserve to make as much as 8 McDonalds burger friers, but I can while doing useful work I like, and I'm not so altruistic that I'll turn it down.

drg

 

[ScottyUK]

It's not 'the market' at work. The legal profession know that left to its own devices 'the market' will result in more lawyers (like the world needs that, huh?) and salaries will drop. So they close ranks, their professional body restricts the numbers who are able to practice, and the market is distorted because the supply is artificially choked back. As a result salaries remain high.

We're too dumb to do the same.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[dgillette]

Couple days ago I saw an article about TOO MANY new law schools being opened up and creating a glut of lawyers. Maybe that's not an issue in the UK, but I think we in the US have many more per capita already.

 

[mtu1972]

I also make more than X x McDonald workers - but that does not mean I am paid what I am worth.

It is a supply and demand world, but how many engineers are brought into the USA on H1B visas? They are not illegal aliens, but the big companies keep posturing that there is a shortage of technical workers and Washington keeps greasing those wheels.

I do know that structural engineering is not the trade where most H1B workers are being employed - but undoubtedly some are. And those that are are like indentured servents, somewhat captive to the corporations that sponser them.

Every firm I know has had either layoffs, or reduced hours, or both. Yet I bet a lot of foreigners are here still here working, and helping to keep our wages down.

gjc