So do you fit this picture?
So do you fit this picture?
(OP)
As suggested, I started a new thread with this. I recently received the results of a USA mechanical engineering salary survey I participated in. Looks like median salary is very industry dependant, and fits me personally fairly well. I am a Mechanical engineer, 20 years experience, working in the petro-chemical industry. I am paid consistant with the General Corporate management, even though I am an individual contributor. But I also work in a central services group, so I suppose the Consultants catagory fits me. In that case I am well above median.
Based on these numbers it seems that there are several industries that engineers are still valued, just not the government, HVAC, or wood products.
Here is the data:
By type of employer, the five groups of M.E.s with the highest median incomes are:
Consultants (independent) - $105,000
Petroleum/Coal/Natural Gas (extraction & refining) - $101,250 Computers & Allied Products - $94,550 Drugs & Medicine - $94,500 Utilities-Electric - $94,000
The five groups of M.E.s with the lowest median incomes by type of employer are:
Government-State - $62,000
Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Products - $63,300
Wood and Wood Products - $63,810
Transportation Services - $64,750
Merchandising - $64,907
Median income in the many remaining types of employer studied ranged from $93,100 down to $65,000.
By primary job function, the group of M.E.s who are highest-paid are in General or Corporate Management ($123,500), followed by those in:
Consulting - $94,750
Basic R&D - $86,400
Education - $86,000
Systems Design - $85,000
The lowest median income by primary job function is that earned by those in Production/Processing/Manufacturing Engineering ($74,000), preceded by those in:
Operations & Maintenance - $84,423
Testing/Reliability Assurance/Quality Control/Standards -$75,000 Product Design - $75,000 Equipment Design - $79,400
Based on these numbers it seems that there are several industries that engineers are still valued, just not the government, HVAC, or wood products.
Here is the data:
By type of employer, the five groups of M.E.s with the highest median incomes are:
Consultants (independent) - $105,000
Petroleum/Coal/Natural Gas (extraction & refining) - $101,250 Computers & Allied Products - $94,550 Drugs & Medicine - $94,500 Utilities-Electric - $94,000
The five groups of M.E.s with the lowest median incomes by type of employer are:
Government-State - $62,000
Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Products - $63,300
Wood and Wood Products - $63,810
Transportation Services - $64,750
Merchandising - $64,907
Median income in the many remaining types of employer studied ranged from $93,100 down to $65,000.
By primary job function, the group of M.E.s who are highest-paid are in General or Corporate Management ($123,500), followed by those in:
Consulting - $94,750
Basic R&D - $86,400
Education - $86,000
Systems Design - $85,000
The lowest median income by primary job function is that earned by those in Production/Processing/Manufacturing Engineering ($74,000), preceded by those in:
Operations & Maintenance - $84,423
Testing/Reliability Assurance/Quality Control/Standards -$75,000 Product Design - $75,000 Equipment Design - $79,400





RE: So do you fit this picture?
I earn less than the median income listed for Manufacturing Engineering (lowest median income) in your post.
--CAUSE--
I recently switched jobs (<12 months) as a result of a offshoring threat to my old position, one that paid closer to the median income in the same field, and one that did indeed eventually move the bulk of operations offshore.
I am getting paid much less that my previous job, but am infinitely more secure and better valued in my present job-
and I didn't have to move houses to get it! I feel good about my future, but I will be the first to admit that I've had to sacrifice in areas of my previous standard of living.
RE: So do you fit this picture?
RESULT
I earn less than the median income listed for Testing Engineer.
CAUSE
I have less experience than the median Testing Engineer.
RE: So do you fit this picture?
I earn lest than the median income listed for Government/State.
CAUSE:
I am a civil engineer working for Government/State.
Hg
RE: So do you fit this picture?
RE: So do you fit this picture?
Anyway, guys, the neighbour's grass always looks greener and true job satisfaction follows from your job itself and your colleagues, not from that number you see every month (if you pay attention to it at all).
RE: So do you fit this picture?
I see this as being a very representative cross section of engineering, inclusive of geography, they typically are. I live in the middle of nowhere and my glass palace aint all that different than the next guys. I am at that top scale and you know what, I don't think that is good enough...We [engineers] deserve more for what we do, and what our contributions are to society...Seeing a scale like this, and knowing that I was not on it or on the low end of it would make me upset and downright angry...
I see industry as one of the lower classifications...what the heck is that all about???? Is that the price we pay for making ourselves a commodity? Seeing this and knowing that primary health care physicians lower range is 150,000 makes me very upset....And don't take me down that path of comparing doctors to engineers, I feel that our profession is more [yes more] important to more people at any one time than a Dr's impact.
Seeing information like this and some of the responses...yikes....
BobPE
RE: So do you fit this picture?
----------------------------------
If we learn from our mistakes,
I'm getting a great education!
RE: So do you fit this picture?
RE: So do you fit this picture?
RE: So do you fit this picture?
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: So do you fit this picture?
Edward L. Klein
Pipe Stress Engineer
Houston, Texas
"All the world is a Spring"
All opinions expressed here are my own and not my company's.
RE: So do you fit this picture?
Time should have nothing to do with it.
We should all be paid on ABILITY.
RE: So do you fit this picture?
Rhodie - Interesting point, if dangerous.
By observation a good draftsman is about 4 times as productive as an average one.
A really good engineer is five times as useful as an average one.
Where do you fall on that curve? Would you like to work in a company where the guy at the next desk to yours is on 20% of your pay, for nominally the same job?
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: So do you fit this picture?
There have been a number of industrial tribunals in the UK where payrises in performance related pay schemes seems to be biased heavily by gender.
RE: So do you fit this picture?
BobPE
RE: So do you fit this picture?