Master Degree = Raise? 5

[CivilTom]

Is it safe to say that a master degree (related to your work) will get you a raise? What is the typical raise % given after completeing your masters?

 

[zdas04]

It is safe to say that you are smoking something that is not legal in 49 states. My management wouldn't even let me change my business cards when I got mine (though I got my P.E. shortly after and I was allowed to change my business cards for that, no raise or change of job title though). If you went to grad school in the hopes of short-term gain you are generally going to be disappointed. Some fields (Civil might be one of them) do value advanced degrees, but most of the folks on this board have shared experiences similar to mine.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.

 

[CivilTom]

Well that sucks..On the bright side, my company is offering to pay for my education tho.

 

[Maui]

Earning an advanced degree in your discipline will likely result in a pay increase if you change jobs. But if you stay with your current employer, don't bet on it.

Maui

http://www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com

 

[CivilTom]

I have no plans to leave my current job. But out of curiosity, are you obligated (by contract) to stay with a company for some time if they offered to pay for you degree?

 

[JedClampett]

If you have a signed contract or there's a policy in your Personnel Practice manual, you're obligated. Otherwise, it's up to you.
Leaving might be considered as burning a bridge by some of us.
As far as a raise, I know when I started I got more money (in those days $1.00 an hour) because I had a masters. But I'm not sure there was an increase for getting one while you were working. Getting a license got you a raise.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

I tend to agree with Maui - just make sure you have "paid" off your education credits with your current employer. Most require you stick around at least a year or two!!

 

[KENAT]

"are you obligated (by contract) to stay with a company for some time if they offered to pay for you degree"

Wouldn't that depend on what the contract says?

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

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

 

[Jboggs]

CivilTom,
It sounds like you are in the early stages of your career. I have some advice for you, and please, please take it to heart as soon as you can:

In any position other than government, you are not paid for who you are, or what you know, or what certificates you have on your wall, or what color hat you wear. You are paid for the profitable results you produce. Pure and simple. Period. Many young engineers, having spent most of their time so far around academics, tend to come into the real world still thinking like teachers, meaning "more degrees = more pay." Not so. More results = more pay. If the extra degree allows you to produce more vaulable work then you can demand more for your time (from your current or potential future employers), but its not because you have a degree. It is because you produce more valuable work.

But don't think I am not recommending further education. Far from it! Many years ago I knew a guy whose company had just purchased a 3D cad system. They wanted him to get trained on it and would pay for the training, but they would not pay for his time in training. Because of that he refused to get trained. How short-sighted can you get? Being self-employed at the time, I would have junped at the chance for someone else to pay for training me on 3D cad. Any education (almost) enhances your future potential. But expecting any immediate benefit from it, such as a pay raise, is usually not very realistic.

You and your employer have a business relationship. No profit, no pay.

 

[Maui]

CivilTom, read your contract carefully. In many of these contracts if you fail to meet the minimum grade that they require for a class, then you won't get reimbursed for the costs associated with that class. Most contracts require you to earn at least a B or higher. It is not unusual for an employer to require an employee to stay for a specified length of time if financial support for the employee's education are provided. And if you violate the contract by changing jobs too soon after earning the degree, you may be required to pay for the entire education out of your own pocket.

Maui

http://www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com

 

[msquared48]

Is not the fact that they would be paying for your education a raise in itself? They value you and are willing to invest in the product you represent.

Don't burn your bridges here.



Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[Forensic74]

It is not safe to say. Each employer is different because the value of a MS is company dependent (technical or marketing value). If you think you're going to work at this company till your 70, and they're not going to pay you more, the MS is not really going to be a value to you.

FWIW, my pay approximately doubled because of my master of science degree, but only because I was able to shift to a higher paying niche that valued the MS, writing skills, research background, etc.

 

[IRstuff]

"If you think you're going to work at this company till your 70, and they're not going to pay you more, the MS is not really going to be a value to you."

That's not a truism either; for many jobs improving customer confidence may require some decent bonafides, like an advanced degree. Therefore, an advanced degree may make you a more prominent and valued employee, particularly if you are able to project that air of authority justified by your degree. It's not a mandatory thing, but I maxed out on my previous company's payscale with only a BS.

Conversely, of course, that advanced degree may stoke your internal diva and get you booted out quicker...

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[Forensic74]

So you become more valuable to the company but they don't pay you more, sheesh, that'd be a harsh position to work in.

 

[IRstuff]

Well, do you want much better pay and get laid off a month later? Or only slightly better pay, but keep your job for years to come?

And, it's not that an advanced degree makes you bulletproof, it's what you do with it. But, if you could do with it, you probably could have done mostly the same without it.

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[rowingengineer]

Ask your boss

http://www.nceng.com.au/

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning."

 

[SteelPE]

I have to disagree with zads04. I think the laws are become so relaxed now that you may be smoking something this is illegal in 32 states.

 

[Qshake]

As a manager in a large engineering company I agree with rowingengineer - ask your boss. I found it differs from job to job and from discipline to discipline. Usually what will happen is that your boss will give you a promotion to a different grade or level within your grade and thus a raise. Of course, as others mention it's not guaranteed and if you don't bring it up you'll never know. In some firms there may not be any room for promotion and you're be the same as you are today. However, if you've managed to learn anything at all (MBA or technical MS) then your worth will increase in the long run and thus provide a better sense of security over the person who doesn't have as much to offer as you do.

As usual, it's the dual street where you have to continue to show your increased value after the MS for the company to compensate. You can't become lax. And if you do provide all the work and no company reward, it may be time to re-evaluate your employment.


Regards,
Qshake

Eng-Tips Forums:Real Solutions for Real Problems Really Quick.

 

[FSS]

You get the raise you ask for, not the one you hope that someone notices that maybe you deserve. Start the conversation sooner than later.

 

[stanweld]

CivilTom,
Did you sign a Contract or only sign a document that established your incoming pay. In the main, you can leave your current employer at will, just as your employer may terminate your employment. Slavery in the USA has been abolished. Your employer has provided the education benefit to attract new employees, keep valuable employees and enhance the output/value of its employees.