Civil Engineers Construction Salary Forum
Engineers - What are you making? ($$$)
Non-investing personal finance issues including insurance, credit, real estate, taxes, employment and legal issues such as trusts and wills
- alfaspider
- Posts: 3840
- Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:44 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
sapper1371 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 9:47 am
alfaspider wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 9:03 am Like any profession, engineering has a wide range of specialties. It's like asking doctors what they make and hearing from folks in specialties ranging from primary care to neurosurgeons. Knowing that some Hollywood plastic surgeon makes $2 million a year isn't really relevant to a small town primary care physician. Likewise, I'm not sure why knowing a silicon valley engineer makes $500k is particularly relevant to a civil engineer in Europe making $50k.
The CEO of my company is an engineer by training. He makes over $10 million a year most years. How that's for a salary to aspire to?
Thanks for weighing in but I totally disagree if you implying that the diversity in the field invalidates this question or feedback. People have added necessary qualifiers to their feedback and I think this has been a very informative thread.
Engineers are well adapted to interpreting data
It doesn't invalidate per-se, but I'm not sure if it's helpful. If the OP is a mechanical engineer and wants to know if they are fairly paid, why bother sifting through data including a bunch of EEs and civil engineers?
- onourway
- Posts: 3140
- Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2016 3:39 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by onourway »
I think it's very interesting.
I am a non-engineer in an engineering role in a engineering company (with very few/no "Engineers".)
The replies here verify that our pay/benefits are competitive.
I think everyone understands there will be one-offs. That's not really affecting the responses in this thread much.
-
mhc
- Posts: 4437
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:18 pm
- Location: NoCo
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by mhc »
When I saw the title, I thought we would be listing the products we make. I'm surprised so many people list their salaries, but I guess that is not too much different from people listing their assets.
I have found that the salary websites are no where close to what I see for salaries.
I won't list my salary, but I do make chips that go into all types of products that could be radios or look like radios. End products are satellites, EW, test and measurement, LIDAR, ....
- Unladen_Swallow
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:12 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Unladen_Swallow »
I am amused by how the word "Engineer" is so loosely used here. This is a regulated profession, like architects, physicians, etc. There are licensure requirements by State to practice.
If this were a thread started by a doctor, it wouldn't be so ambiguous as to what a doctor meant.
Anyone can call themselves anything I suppose. And they do. Which is the very reason why States require licensure to practice.
"I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong." - Richard Feynman
- rich126
- Posts: 3050
- Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:56 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by rich126 »
The numbers here aren't going to mean a lot.
Commercial sector or defense? You can make big $ in the commercial arena, especially if you can cash in the stock options but it can also come with high living expenses, lack of job security, sometimes long hours, etc. In defense if you can get a high level clearance you are almost guaranteed a job for life. Government (federal) tends to top out around $160K. There are some jobs that go beyond that, and some will also pay varies bonuses. Private defense contractors (I'm referring to programming & cyber jobs) with 10+ years of experience can definitely make $150-220K depending on your skill set. Those are for strictly technical, non-management type jobs, 40 hrs a week with solid vacations.
----------------------------- | If you think something is important and it doesn't involve the health of someone, think again. Life goes too fast, enjoy it and be nice.
- kevinobes
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun Aug 06, 2017 5:18 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by kevinobes »
-Civil Engineer (Water Resources), PE, MS Environmental & Water Resources Engineering, Baltimore (MCOL?)
-8 yrs design exp. with this company plus 2 yrs prior in the field doing construction management
-88K, no 401K match or HSA contribution but we get roughly 5% salary in company stock every year (can't sell/diversify stock until 5 yrs after leaving the company regardless of reason...quit/fired/retirement)
I feel a bit underpaid but I'm sure the vast majority of people in the labor force feel that way. Graduating in 2010 didn't help and the terrible starting salary with the construction management firm didn't afford me any leverage in salary negotiations when I switched companies. Frustrating to hear new hires are coming in asking 70k+ with zero experience (not sure what they received but an offer sheet was signed so it must be close) while I'm not too far ahead with 10 yrs, PE and a Masters.
Actually planning to ask for a pay bump next week when the boss is back in the office. Its tough to know whats even a reasonable request though so I'm glad to get any insight from this thread. I'm planning to ask for 10k with the expectation they balk and maybe I can get at least 8. Ballpark 10% seems reasonable since I've been in the work force a decade and never asked anything beyond our standard yearly raises.
- jayk238
- Posts: 883
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 1:02 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by jayk238 »
galving wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 7:52 am
unclescrooge wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:34 pm
tigermilk wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:14 pm
jayk238 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2020 9:58 pm The average engineer makes about 50k in europe would you guys live in europe for that salary?
Absolutely not.
What if it came with a 35hr work week, union benefits, a pension, and 30 days of vacation?
And a 48% tax rate + a 21% VAT tax on most of what you buy.
My observation while I was in Europe is that that is not a great deal of variability from one profession to another.
Engineers salary = ~ Doctor's salary = ~ Teacher. . . etc. Admittedly my sample size was fairly small.
Thanks for your insight.
This is true and not true.
I asked this q because I am a doctor and I hear how our salaries are higher than in europe. What people dont realize is that most salaries in europe are lower by a lot.
The avg engineer makes 50k. Starting is 39.
The taxes you mention are mostly true but not the parity. Doctors still make more in europe-around what engineers make here- 90-110. But you have to understand thats the thing. They still get paid a lot more compared to other fields.
To me its not that doctors incomes are responsible for the extraordinary higher costs in the us. Its that everything is more expensive here.
European govt do a better job of wealth transfer by depressing everyones wages. This is how they pay for a more generous welfare state that helps the poorest. But its not on the backs of doctors alone. Engineers lawyers etc too.
If one really wanted to they could find websites that cherry pick high wages in europe thru surveys. They are usually only a small number of wages tho compared to the averages. Really what I refer to by average are the medians. The median wages there are a lot lower than our medians.
Last edited by jayk238 on Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- jayk238
- Posts: 883
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 1:02 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by jayk238 »
alfaspider wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:00 am
sapper1371 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 9:47 am
alfaspider wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 9:03 am Like any profession, engineering has a wide range of specialties. It's like asking doctors what they make and hearing from folks in specialties ranging from primary care to neurosurgeons. Knowing that some Hollywood plastic surgeon makes $2 million a year isn't really relevant to a small town primary care physician. Likewise, I'm not sure why knowing a silicon valley engineer makes $500k is particularly relevant to a civil engineer in Europe making $50k.
The CEO of my company is an engineer by training. He makes over $10 million a year most years. How that's for a salary to aspire to?
Thanks for weighing in but I totally disagree if you implying that the diversity in the field invalidates this question or feedback. People have added necessary qualifiers to their feedback and I think this has been a very informative thread.
Engineers are well adapted to interpreting data
It doesn't invalidate per-se, but I'm not sure if it's helpful. If the OP is a mechanical engineer and wants to know if they are fairly paid, why bother sifting through data including a bunch of EEs and civil engineers?
Actually you hit the nail on the head.
I am a physician! In fact Im a small town pcp!
I ask because I wanted to show how much disparity there is bw incomes in the us and europe not just bw doctors but also engineers!
Also I trust the data here over salary data thru websites. Just from my experience as a doctor. I dont see engineering surveys that are as well done as the ones for doctors and the same sites for engineering also list highly inaccurate doctors salaries.
- jharkin
- Posts: 3055
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:14 am
- Location: Boston suburbs
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by jharkin »
Bs.ME here, but I never worked in the field. I ended up in software working for a couple different companies that make technical software engineers use.
23 years in I am now in a program management role making just shy of 150k + bonuses that have the potential to eventually reach 1/3-1/2 of base, 6% 401k match, HSA match and very cheap health premiums. And a lot of the other perks typical to the software industry (subsidized food, company travel, discounts on all kinds of stuff, etc) HCOL.
Edit to add: commute is 20-30min and 40hr/week with real lunch hour is typical. Very laid back.
I'll second a couple comments that we really need to separate "traditional" engineers - Mech, civl, elect, aero, checmical, etc - from software developers. The latter can make FAR more money but that is a very recent development since the rise of the FAANGs. Basically only people who graduated AFTER the dot com implosion take such software salaries for granted. Remember it wasnt all that long ago that the industry was hemmoraging jobs and Apple needed a bailout from Microsoft to avoid bankruptcy.
I could in theory jump to a FAANG and make a lot more than I do right now, but Ive been there and done that with public companies and hated the stress. Company I'm at now is privately held, laid back and the job security is infitely better. Plus the stuff we work on is so much more interesting (and impactful to society) than the next social media time-suck.
Last edited by jharkin on Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:26 am, edited 2 times in total.
-
geerhardusvos
- Posts: 2046
- Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:20 pm
- Location: heavenlies
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by geerhardusvos »
In the Pacific Northwest engineering roles vary significantly in pay depending on the size of the company and the type of engineering. Civil, electrical, mechanical make anywhere from 80K right out of school to 300K for an experienced engineer. Software or security engineers make anywhere from 120K to 500K. Totally depends on the sector and company.
VTSAX and chill
- Unladen_Swallow
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:12 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Unladen_Swallow »
geerhardusvos wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:54 am In the Pacific Northwest engineering roles vary significantly in pay depending on the size of the company and the type of engineering. Civil, electrical, mechanical make anywhere from 80K right out of school to 300K for an experienced engineer. Software or security engineers make anywhere from 120K to 500K. Totally depends on the sector and company.
Who/what is a security engineer?
Last edited by Unladen_Swallow on Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong." - Richard Feynman
- investingdad
- Posts: 1943
- Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:41 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by investingdad »
BS ChemE, plus MBA (that I don't use)
120k with target 15% bonus, last two years payout has been high.
9% total 401k match.
24 years experience
VLCOL area
40 hours, but very low stress
Super flexible work environment
I could be making more if I was motivated to go into management or project work, but I'm not.
My wife is making similar money, not engineering.
It boils down to saving and investing starting at 23 and just making it a priority, wife as well.
So chasing more money with more hours and responsibility? Haha, no thanks.
- GoldenGoose
- Posts: 341
- Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:08 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by GoldenGoose »
Reading this and feeling guilty of not contributing to even out the playing field a bit with my lower salary. So here goes.
Living in Wisconsin. Software engineer working for a megacorp. Experience 26 years. Base: $110K/year. Employee stock purchase options. The normal 401K match. Decent insurance. Putting everything together, about $130K/year. Having 2 young kids so flexibility is a high priority for me and because wife's work schedule is not flexible. Contemplated job hopping before but decided against it b/c I need time more than money (the more you make the more you spend). Can't envision slaving 70 hours/week working like I was when I was younger. Enjoy life with family. So why I envy those with much higher salary than I have, there are trade-offs that are not mentioned.
-
geerhardusvos - Posts: 2046
- Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 10:20 pm
- Location: heavenlies
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by geerhardusvos »
Unladen_Swallow wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:59 am
geerhardusvos wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:54 am In the Pacific Northwest engineering roles vary significantly in pay depending on the size of the company and the type of engineering. Civil, electrical, mechanical make anywhere from 80K right out of school to 300K for an experienced engineer. Software or security engineers make anywhere from 120K to 500K. Totally depends on the sector and company.
Who/what is a security engineer?
Oh just a little thing called cyber security, ever heard of it? 
VTSAX and chill
- SC Anteater
- Posts: 401
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:50 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by SC Anteater »
Son is studying civil engineering so this thread is very interesting to me! I'm trying to convince him he'll be better off leaving Calif. because the salary differential isn't going to be big enough to make it worth staying. Some of these replies prove that out.
- justcruisin
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2017 1:59 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by justcruisin »
13 years and in civil engineering - project management/semi-exec role. $200k base + various bonuses + 12% company contribution to 401k = ~$500k. Private civil firm in HCOL area (CA). Very stressful ~60-70 hours a week.
Thought competitive, starting salaries are still $75k with 12% company contribution as well...with bonus, grosses out near $90k. 5 years of experience and well over $100k.
- BioEng
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Mar 05, 2019 5:07 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by BioEng »
Less than a year of experience, BS in ME. $71k with 5% bonus, $800 HSA deposit, 2% 401k match, 15 days PTO, ESPP with 15% discount. This is in a HCOL (CA).
- barnaclebob
- Posts: 4631
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:54 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by barnaclebob »
Aero eng, 13 yrs exp, bsaae. HCOL, Ground level grunt,
120k, 9% 401k match, still building up a decent pension, 5 to 10% bonus most years. 17 days vacation, 11 paid holidays 10 sick days.
- mighty72
- Moderator
- Posts: 1235
- Joined: Fri May 04, 2018 11:22 pm
- Location: Somewhere in the West
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by mighty72 »
Several off-topic and offensive posts have been removed. Please respond to the OP's specific question. Please refer to the forum rules
. At all times we must conduct ourselves in a respectful manner to other posters. Attacks on individuals, insults, name calling, trolling, baiting or other attempts to sow dissension are not acceptable.
rules#Moderation
- Wellfleet
- Posts: 631
- Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 8:18 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Wellfleet »
kevinobes wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:26 am -Civil Engineer (Water Resources), PE, MS Environmental & Water Resources Engineering, Baltimore (MCOL?)
-8 yrs design exp. with this company plus 2 yrs prior in the field doing construction management
-88K, no 401K match or HSA contribution but we get roughly 5% salary in company stock every year (can't sell/diversify stock until 5 yrs after leaving the company regardless of reason...quit/fired/retirement)I feel a bit underpaid but I'm sure the vast majority of people in the labor force feel that way. Graduating in 2010 didn't help and the terrible starting salary with the construction management firm didn't afford me any leverage in salary negotiations when I switched companies. Frustrating to hear new hires are coming in asking 70k+ with zero experience (not sure what they received but an offer sheet was signed so it must be close) while I'm not too far ahead with 10 yrs, PE and a Masters.
Actually planning to ask for a pay bump next week when the boss is back in the office. Its tough to know whats even a reasonable request though so I'm glad to get any insight from this thread. I'm planning to ask for 10k with the expectation they balk and maybe I can get at least 8. Ballpark 10% seems reasonable since I've been in the work force a decade and never asked anything beyond our standard yearly raises.
I've got a similar profile to you in the Northeast and suggest you interview and see what the market offers.
-
RootSki
- Posts: 576
- Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 11:52 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by RootSki »
I am not an engineer per se, but I've been on mega-telecorp's Engineerning team since 2001. My background is more computer science. They classify me as systems integrations engineer. I plan the deployment, installation, testing and launching of all new technology into 18 different data centers.
I earn about $165K annually after equity compensation and 401k match.
- Unladen_Swallow
- Posts: 784
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:12 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Unladen_Swallow »
Compensation is also the intangibles - something that is attractive to one person but not another.
Tele commuting
Flexible work hours
Bringing your pet to work (this is real).
Generous FMLA
Paying for advanced degrees
Supporting continued education
Mentoring
Other things - some firms pay good salaries, but have high turnover. Or they do not provide much career growth or networking opportunities. You could plateau soon with limited skills or client network.
The best way to evaluate the reasonableness of your pay is to compare comparable positions, with comparable responsibilities.
Example: If OP is the Mechanical lead or Project Manager on $20M-$100M projects with mainly government clients - compare that to a similar position at a competitor. Compare the qualitative and quantitative value of the competition's compensation (if you can reasonably suss that out). You might be surprised at the values you assign each benefit.
"I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong." - Richard Feynman
- bh7785
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:57 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by bh7785 »
This thread is depressing. You think you're doing well until you go and read posts on the internet. Damn. I feel like a lot of these "engineer" salaries and benefits are what the executives at smaller companies are making.
- Chesterfield
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:39 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Chesterfield »
Contributing data from someone I know. LCOL area. MEE. non-management. 20+ years of experience.
$175K ($140k base + $35k OT, totaling 50 hr/week & Flexible schedule/v short commute)
$9k annual bonus
$16-17k/year retirement plan match and will receive additional $22k/year in Traditional Pension at 65.
$30/month Healthcare, $0 Vision, $5/month Dental & 30% HSA match.
Rare grandfathered "guaranteed" low cost healthcare & dental & vision coverage starting at age 55 (even when no longer working there)
20 Vacation Days and 14 Holidays
Last edited by Chesterfield on Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Chesterfield
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:39 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Chesterfield »
bh7785 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 1:45 pm This thread is depressing. You think you're doing well until you go and read posts on the internet. Damn. I feel like a lot of these "engineer" salaries and benefits are what the executives at smaller companies are making.
I hear you, yet I'm curious myself as I know a lot of engineers who don't make nearly as much as some here. Please do share the numbers anyway.
-
mmmodem
- Posts: 2457
- Joined: Thu May 20, 2010 1:22 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by mmmodem »
Tim_in_GA wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 7:31 am Man, I need to ask for a raise!
Unfortunately, you don't ask for a raise. You find a new job. 2 years ago, I'd have answered $90k. With my new job, my process engineer title with 12 years experience now pays $110k. I'd probably still be under 6 figures if I asked for a raise at my last job. And if had switched jobs 5 years earlier, I'd probably be much closer to what people are replying here.
-
khangaroo
- Posts: 153
- Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:11 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by khangaroo »
"Project Engineer" in construction management. Degree was construction engineering management although I passed the FE exam and considered an EIT in my state. However, I work for a general contractor and I don't stamp drawings so a PE is not necessary.
Living in MCOL (Portland, OR). 7 Years out of college. $100k with 5% employer match and $2k employer HSA contribution.
60+ hours/week and the job is stressful but I really enjoy the work and it's nice to be outdoors and walk the project. Also the access to incredibly smart trades people and tools have made my rental renovations a little easier.
- MOBugeater
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2018 10:21 am
- Location: Missouri
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by MOBugeater »
Civil w/PE
30+yrs
Federal engineering manager so no secrets about what we make - just visit OPM GS salary scale.
Lcol area
$120+k, small bonus (by boards standards) but I do have a pension plus tsp w/match and a true 40 week.
Feds have treated need well and I have no complaints, and even less when I retire in a couple of years 
- bsee123
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:39 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by bsee123 »
here are my info
Degree: BSEE, between 7.5 and 10 years experience
Field: Semiconductors, chip design/verification
Salary: $146k
Bonus: $14k
RSU: $40k/year initial grant, highly variable. Stock has gone up since joining
ESPP: $2.5k / year min
Total taxable income: ~$202.5k
Benefits: Above-average megacorp-style benefits (401k, subsidized health plan, etc.), but not insane
Location: Medium/Medium-High COL Area (not Bay Area). 15-25 minute commute in car, depend on traffic
Work hours / culture: Tyipcally 40 hours / week, but can go to 50+ if not meeting deadlines. Not relaxed, but also not crazy. some WFH allow when needed.
When changing jobs last year, received more than one offer with similar pay. Was a big pay bump from last job.
This maybe understates my income for 2020 due to stock appreciation since joining, but is a realistic picture.
Last edited by bsee123 on Sun Jan 19, 2020 11:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- shorty313
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2016 8:43 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by shorty313 »
SC Anteater wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:56 am Son is studying civil engineering so this thread is very interesting to me! I'm trying to convince him he'll be better off leaving Calif. because the salary differential isn't going to be big enough to make it worth staying. Some of these replies prove that out.
I'm surprised there isn't more differential to be honest!
-
unclescrooge
- Posts: 5810
- Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 7:00 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by unclescrooge »
bh7785 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 1:45 pm This thread is depressing. You think you're doing well until you go and read posts on the internet. Damn. I feel like a lot of these "engineer" salaries and benefits are what the executives at smaller companies are making.
Good thing there isn't a tech sales salary thread. I know several guys that just to party schools and fell into digital sales. Their comp is $300k to$500k in their early to mid 30s.
- Momus
- Posts: 1023
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:23 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Momus »
If you want 350k-500k/yr in less than 5 yrs, faang software engineer. Mid level managers 500k+
$100-250k for staff/manager on other types of engineers.
Seems to be the typical salaries.
- tesuzuki2002
- Posts: 1194
- Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 12:40 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by tesuzuki2002 »
Electrical Engineer (Mechanical Masters) Aviation Industry. (14 Years)
Making $111K base. 3% Match, 3% safe Harbor, 4-6% bonus, Options and RSUs starting this year. 15 Days Vacation, 11 Holidays, 40-45 hours.
Local area is LCOL, but based nearish to LA area.
I would consider this to be pretty typical. I learned very quickly that in my industry area raises are treated very traditional 1-3% that gets distributed among each team...
I started a side business that is now pulling in around $35-$45K a year depending on how much effort I want to put in. That's where I make the gravy.. Some day I might many the side business more of a full time thing and get out of engineering.
- tesuzuki2002
- Posts: 1194
- Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2015 12:40 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by tesuzuki2002 »
beehivehave wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 5:53 pm Apparently the lower paid engineers are not responding.
According to this, average engineering salaries range from about $86K (Industrial) to $123K (Petroleum). That seems likely to me (though I'm not an engineer).
https://engineersalary.com/
I have recruiters contact me often with engineering positions in the $80-90K range and I respond back that we can't even have a conversation until it is above $120K.
- investingdad
- Posts: 1943
- Joined: Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:41 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by investingdad »
tesuzuki2002 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 6:16 pm
beehivehave wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 5:53 pm Apparently the lower paid engineers are not responding.
According to this, average engineering salaries range from about $86K (Industrial) to $123K (Petroleum). That seems likely to me (though I'm not an engineer).
https://engineersalary.com/I have recruiters contact me often with engineering positions in the $80-90K range and I respond back that we can't even have a conversation until it is above $120K.
There's no question that there are some companies out there that think they can get engineers for cheap. They annoy me.
- spae
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2019 9:29 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by spae »
Electrical engineering background, working for a software company.
Rounding to the nearest $50k, I made $50k/yr in my first job and worked my way up to $100k/yr after almost a decade at engineering companies in the middle of the country.
Switched to coastal software jobs, now have a target comp of $500k/yr, paystubs indicate my W-2 will list $750k for the past year. Hours are shorter and the work is less easier and less technical. I don't prefer the latter, but considering the compensation difference, I can go back to working on hard engineering problems after I retire.
Currently working under 40 hours a week, low stress job. Not every software job I've had has been like this, but the more intense ones still weren't more intense than my real engineering jobs.
- mecht3ach
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:39 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by mecht3ach »
mhc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:08 am When I saw the title, I thought we would be listing the products we make. I'm surprised so many people list their salaries, but I guess that is not too much different from people listing their assets.
I'm glad that I'm not the only one who clicked on the thread link thinking that. I was looking forward to reading about how folks were engineering better PV cells, designing deep space telescopes, creating advanced braking systems, etc. I guess I was thinking like an engineer....
- Starfish
- Posts: 2441
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:33 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Starfish »
mhc wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:08 am When I saw the title, I thought we would be listing the products we make. I'm surprised so many people list their salaries, but I guess that is not too much different from people listing their assets.
I have found that the salary websites are no where close to what I see for salaries.
I won't list my salary, but I do make chips that go into all types of products that could be radios or look like radios. End products are satellites, EW, test and measurement, LIDAR, ....
Asymmetry of information does not benefit you.
I discuss incomes with few friends.
- Nathan Drake
- Posts: 2550
- Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 12:28 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Nathan Drake »
spae wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 7:40 pm Electrical engineering background, working for a software company.
Rounding to the nearest $50k, I made $50k/yr in my first job and worked my way up to $100k/yr after almost a decade at engineering companies in the middle of the country.
Switched to coastal software jobs, now have a target comp of $500k/yr, paystubs indicate my W-2 will list $750k for the past year. Hours are shorter and the work is less easier and less technical. I don't prefer the latter, but considering the compensation difference, I can go back to working on hard engineering problems after I retire.
Currently working under 40 hours a week, low stress job. Not every software job I've had has been like this, but the more intense ones still weren't more intense than my real engineering jobs.
If the job is so much easier and low stress making a cool 750k...why does it pay that much?
20% VOO | 30% VXUS | 20% AVUV | 15% AVDV | 15% AVES
- ehendu13
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:51 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by ehendu13 »
I'm an ME in a LCoLA. 12 years experience. Masters in Mech Eng, also got my MBA. Also got my PE in an industry that values it.
Base salary is $102k. Bonus is usually around $15k. The company is an ESOP, so they ditched the 401k match and changed to ESOP contributions instead (increased from 4% each year to 5.5% last year...but that is subject to change based on profits). Other benefits are pretty good. Type work week is 46-47 hours, but definitely averaged more hrs/wk earlier in my career.
I have had some chances to jump ship for "decent" raises at other companies, but never made the move. Would take a pretty good offer to get me to switch as I am close to family and the company is pretty good.
One thing I have noticed is the compensation is pretty good, but I am not sure what it would take to absolutely kill it one year. In bad years, my bonus may be $3k less. In a good year, it might be $3k higher. Seems like the upside is pretty capped, but you get the benefit of stable income. Is this anyone else's experience?
- spae
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2019 9:29 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by spae »
Nathan Drake wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:11 pm If the job is so much easier and low stress making a cool 750k...why does it pay that much?
What does difficulty or stress have to do with compensation? This is like saying, "if the job involves eating fewer bananas...why does it pay that much?"
My friends who studied biology worked a lot harder than I have at any job and they make less than I made before I switched to software.
The ones who are still trying for tenure track jobs are putting in 60+ hours a week in poorly paid post doc roles. The ones who dropped out work a more intense job than I ever have, as lab techs or another job that's skilled but stressful menial labor.
On the other side, I've had multiple friends take home eight figures due to a nice acquisition or exit. Some worked hard and some, by their own admission, did nothing at all.
- Nathan Drake
- Posts: 2550
- Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 12:28 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Nathan Drake »
spae wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:21 pm
Nathan Drake wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:11 pm If the job is so much easier and low stress making a cool 750k...why does it pay that much?
What does difficulty or stress have to do with compensation? This is like saying, "if the job involves eating fewer bananas...why does it pay that much?"
My friends who studied biology worked a lot harder than I have at any job and they make less than I made before I switched to software.
The ones who are still trying for tenure track jobs are putting in 60+ hours a week in poorly paid post doc roles. The ones who dropped out work a more intense job than I ever have, as lab techs or another job that's skilled but stressful menial labor.
On the other side, I've had multiple friends take home eight figures due to a nice acquisition or exit. Some worked hard and some, by their own admission, did nothing at all.
Businesses like to make money. If a task is easy, yet pays a lot, there are numerous highly qualified people that could replace you for a fraction of 750k
20% VOO | 30% VXUS | 20% AVUV | 15% AVDV | 15% AVES
- spae
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2019 9:29 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by spae »
Nathan Drake wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:38 pm
spae wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:21 pm What does difficulty or stress have to do with compensation? This is like saying, "if the job involves eating fewer bananas...why does it pay that much?"
My friends who studied biology worked a lot harder than I have at any job and they make less than I made before I switched to software.
The ones who are still trying for tenure track jobs are putting in 60+ hours a week in poorly paid post doc roles. The ones who dropped out work a more intense job than I ever have, as lab techs or another job that's skilled but stressful menial labor.
On the other side, I've had multiple friends take home eight figures due to a nice acquisition or exit. Some worked hard and some, by their own admission, did nothing at all.
Businesses like to make money. If a task is easy, yet pays a lot, there are numerous highly qualified people that could replace you for a fraction of 750k
Ahh yes, the efficient market hypothesis of employment.
If you look at the hours people put in at big tech companies outside of Amazon and some groups in Apple, it's easy to see that people aren't working harder than their counterparts who are mechanical or civil engineers.
We can also observe that barriers to entry are lower. People get hired out of coding bootcamps and make "senior" after a few years if they're lucky, after six or seven if they're not. Target comp $350k/yr, $500k today due to stock appreciation.
My company as well as half of the other major tech companies are so desperate to hire that we have apprenticeship programs where we take people who cannot code and turn them into programmers. Starting comp for a new grad is a touch below $200k/y and they'll make that rate after a six months to a year.
I've provided examples where it appears the market appears to not be efficient. You've provided nothing but naked assertions, in this thread and others. What's your explanation for my examples and what evidence do you have?
If I did my same job in remotely from London, I would make half as much. In Toronto, I would be lucky to make a quarter as much. But if I was remote from Buffalo or Cleveland, I would make what I make now. What is your explanation for that? Is there something in the water that reduces the productivity of every single employee in Canada by a factor of five? For some companies, there could be tax complications for their first Canadian employee, but we employ Canadians already, there's no change there. At the same compensation, I would cost the company more, but nowhere close to five times.
Last edited by spae on Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Nathan Drake
- Posts: 2550
- Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 12:28 am
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by Nathan Drake »
spae wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:44 pm
Nathan Drake wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:38 pm
spae wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:21 pm What does difficulty or stress have to do with compensation? This is like saying, "if the job involves eating fewer bananas...why does it pay that much?"
My friends who studied biology worked a lot harder than I have at any job and they make less than I made before I switched to software.
The ones who are still trying for tenure track jobs are putting in 60+ hours a week in poorly paid post doc roles. The ones who dropped out work a more intense job than I ever have, as lab techs or another job that's skilled but stressful menial labor.
On the other side, I've had multiple friends take home eight figures due to a nice acquisition or exit. Some worked hard and some, by their own admission, did nothing at all.
Businesses like to make money. If a task is easy, yet pays a lot, there are numerous highly qualified people that could replace you for a fraction of 750k
Ahh yes, the efficient market hypothesis of employment.
If you look at the hours people put in at big tech companies outside of Amazon and some groups in Apple, it's easy to see that people aren't working harder than their counterparts who are mechanical or civil engineers.
We can also observe that barriers to entry are lower. People get hired out of coding bootcamps and make "senior" after a few years if they're lucky, after six or seven if they're not. Target comp $350k/yr, $500k today due to stock appreciation.
My company as well as half of the other major tech companies are so desperate to hire that we have apprenticeship programs where we take people who cannot code and turn them into programmers. Starting comp for a new grad is a touch below $200k/y and they'll make that rate after a six months to a year.
I've provided examples where it appears the market appears to not be efficient. You've provided nothing but naked assertions, in this thread and others. What's your explanation for my examples and what evidence do you have?
I'm not saying you're wrong, but if the labor market is that wildly inefficient then this party isn't going to last.
20% VOO | 30% VXUS | 20% AVUV | 15% AVDV | 15% AVES
- spae
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2019 9:29 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by spae »
Nathan Drake wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:48 pm I'm not saying you're wrong, but if the labor market is that wildly inefficient then this party isn't going to last.
Jeff Kauffman made this argument recently and most programmers think he's wrong, if you read programmer forums, the tech equivalent of bogleheads, most people think he's an idiot. https://www.jefftk.com/p/programmers-sh ... -lower-pay
I agree with Jeff myself. I hope Jeff is wrong, but I'm prepared for him to be right. I personally view anything I make beyond baseline engineering compensation in other fields, adjusted for regional COL difference in the U.S., as an undeserved windfall that could disappear at any moment. People can quibble over what that means, in my hometown I would put that at $80k/yr. The $80k/yr isn't deserved either, but it's not a windfall.
-
vectorizer
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 3:52 pm
Re: Engineers - What are you making?
Post by vectorizer »
Ha! When I saw the title, I thought the OP was asking about what physical things engineers were producing. I was ready to write about the "maker" life I've started in retirement to build ham radio stuff. As far as salary: $0.
Posted by: jeffreyrforwasaes.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=300926&start=50
Posting Komentar untuk "Civil Engineers Construction Salary Forum"