Starting salary for a graduate EE? 6

[mmenarry]

A friend is potentially going for a job in New Hampshire, recent graduate in Electronic Engineering. Graduated in the UK.

What would be a reasonable expectation of starting salary, in a pretty small company? He has no idea of living costs, etc. in the 'states.

Many thanks!

M.

 

[YoungTurk]

In response to SomptingGuy above, that sort of "embellishment" is just the sort of thing that draws the derision of native engineers. We have laws which state H1B visas are for jobs that can't be filled by local workers. Companies which use these types of work arounds are, to me, in the same boat as companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants. I don't place blame on the workers, but I do think the companies and the laws should face increased scrutiny.

As far as "stoking the American economy", I can see your point, though in actuality the practice does put downward pressure on US engineering salaries. And many other workers do send large portions of there earnings home. For example, the #2 source of foreign income (after oil proceeds) for Mexico is workers sending home their American earned pay.

I'm no isolationist, but I can't buy this level playing field idea. First off, the playing field isn't level when I pay for a $50,000 education (many pay more) and compete for jobs with people educated for free or much less, and who are willing to live at a level considered poverty here in America. Secondly, though there may be an aspect of fairness in a "level playing field", the reality of populations and resources means we would all have an exceedingly poor standard of living were things to be level around the world. I'm pretty sure nobody here at e-tips would accept that change if it happened to them over night. I guess we all live in the grey area between isolationism and a world economy.

Personally, I'm thinking of taking up a trade to fall back on, as I'm pretty sure they'll never be able to send someone over from China to fix peoples plumbing

 

[HVACctrl]

OK,
Maybe I was a little hot-handed in my post. FOr that, I apologize if I offended anyone. Seriously.

I have no problem with foreigners- any foreigners- coming to the US and working my trade or any trade for that matter if they get paid at the general going rate. Ideally, I probably shouldn't get upset even if they come in and upset the apple cart by asking for a salary of half what I make. I guess that's capitolism at its best- even if they do send a large portion of their income home to their family in another country. I guess we need to live by the sword/ die by the sword, so to speak.

It is disheartening, though, to see that engineering salries have declined and the profession doesn't get the same respect that it used to. I'm not sure the answer, but do foreign medical doctors come into the country and work for half price? Is that even accepted? Its sad to see that our work is becoming more of a commodity. I do believe that undercutting of salaries by foreign workers does contribute to that effect.

Someone mentioned that they were amazed that I couldn't see the same thing happening when US engineers go to other countries and work. I think it could be different, although I'm not 100% sure. But here's why:
1) I think the US workers are often being employed by US companies or at least companies with very strong business in the US
2) I don't think that US engineers are diluting the salary rates by going to other countries and working for low pay.

It's really only the low pay thing that bothers me. Again, I admit that I should probably find a way to live with it as it is only capitolism in action.

http://www.engineerboards.com

 

[Pud]

Youngturk,

In the UK we already have the "Polish Plumber"! (Although I guess it may be anectodal/media hype, as I have never come across one...)


Cheers

Harry

 

[SomptingGuy]

Youngturk,

For the record, my H1B was to replace an L1B (intracompany transfer) that was fast running out. Moving staff around the World is good for multinational companies - it builds and binds teams. Anyway, in applying for the H1B, the American lawyer wasn't at all interested that my work was highly specialised and I'd already been doing that exact job for a couple of years. He was trying to put the word "manager" into my mouth all the time. It all got very frustrating. I think my work was actually too specialised for him to understand.

You're dead on about the education thing though. For people my age and older, it was less than free (beer money was supplied too). Not any more though.

 

[ScottyUK]

Ed,

No offence taken, don't worry.

You're right in both your points, but on the first point there are very few jobs which could not be done by an indigenous engineer from, say, England, Germany or Poland to name just a few of the technically skilled nations IF the US-owned company was mandated to employ one instead of shipping their own engineer out from the states. Most other countries don't take such a militant attitude, and I hope you can see why we reasonably expect a reciprocal arrangement.

I made a conscious decision to work in an industry that 'they' can't offshore to China or India: power generation. I understand completely the frustration the people employed in manufacturing feel having seen the great shipyards and the turbine works of my hometown close down as it became cheaper to build them in the Far East. It is the downside of globalisation, but it is also inevitable.

----------------------------------

Sometimes I only open my mouth to swap feet...

 

[YoungTurk]

SG: Wasn't trying to take issue with you personally, just commenting on the whole foreign engineer / visa topic. Didn't mean it as an inference that your situation was improper (though it sounds like the company lawyer may have dealt with situations which were less than kosher).

Pud: Hadn't heard of the polish plumber before, thats a great tie in. This whole debate is funny. I always try to remember I'm not too many generations removed from a "polish plumber" myself (german farmer, actually).

I just hope the pot keeps on meltin' and I keep on workin' too.

 

[JJPellin]

I have never cared for any sort of protectionism. If a foreign engineer is willing to leave his home and family and come to this country to do an honest days work, let him come. I will compete with him for available jobs because I feel I can provide my employer with a higher value relative to my wage. If I can't complete, then I should find another trade. Many of the engineers I work with have spent time working around the world for US companies. If we want that option, we have to accept the competition here. A little competition should not drive down the wage as much as drive up the productivity. Who here could not work a little harder, smarter or better? I work with engineers from England, Canada and Lebanon. All of them do fine work and I am glad to have the chance to work with them. You either favor open markets or you don't. If we want to sell our products around the world, we should be willing to compete on all other playing fields as well.