Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
(OP)
There is a certain SALARY wed site, yes in fact it is a DOT COM (I won't mention which exactly one it is) that I am suspecting of being inaccurate on the high side. Have any fellow engineers checked out this particular salary web site and noticed the same thing? I feel that it's maybe as much as 20% or more higher than reality. Please discuss!





RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
Don't forget that the site's data is based on an AVERAGE of data from wherever they get it, but given the larger population in large cities, the numbers are skewed toward big city salaries. I haven't seen anything to suggest an gross errors.
TTFN
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RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
Someone who's salary is a bit higher than the going rate isn't going to be complaining about it, are they? That's the biased sample. You're only hearing from people, like yourself, who fall below the mythical line in the salary ranking.
A truly unbiased experiment would be to collect the salary information from a truly random sampling, and, assuming one could get a clear correlation to the job categories, try to match the salary curves.
I'm not saying they're right, but it's essentially impossible to prove they're wrong.
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RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
corus
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
I used to check the site as well and think the numbers were inflated. That was two jobs ago. Now the numbers look low.
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
My other post about the 7.5 years experience is about me.
Anyway, you're a good guy with great posts, and thanks again for helping me with that thermal problem!
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
You have to be careful on selecting the correct job description, not just the job title on that site.
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
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RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
This does not take into account many specific local effects, and the fact that enginnering does not need to be done at the same location as the work.
For example, much of the structural engineering for new york city is done in connecticut/new jersey. This pushes salaries lower than they should be for NYC jobs as these companies have to compete.
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
Another thing to consider is the demand for that particular job. Back in the late 90's in Automotive lots of designers were making what I have trouble making now as a degreed engineer. Now the market is so saturated with experienced people due to layoffs that salaries have been pretty stagnant IMHO. Employers have their pick. The good paying jobs are still there though just harder to find.
I agree that you have to look at the job descriptions. I can rarely find my job title on those sites.
I would like to see how these sights figure out their numbers.
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
As IRstuff said, it's difficult to prove wrong, and there are so many variables that at best it's just a rough guide.
Picking the right title is important.
Plus look at the range in salaries, that can be an eye opener sometimes.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
As to your original subject, your best bet is to talk to HR. While they otherwise resemble Catbert, they also have routine meetings with other HR people and probably have an much better view of prevalent salaries in your particular location.
TTFN
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RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
I dont know if this is the site which you are talking about.
Although for my area alot of them are very high... I assume because of NYC been near by.
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970
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RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
"You're only hearing from people, like yourself, who fall below the mythical line in the salary ranking."
Then you go on in another post to explain that you didn't assume anything, but it is pretty obvious that you assumed he was underpaid by your comment.
I am not trying to be an a-hole, just pointing out inconsistencies.
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
My poorly stated point was simply that any one person will fall below or above the line; there is no such thing as the "average" engineer, whose salary exactly matches the survey numbers. As in this and the other related thread, some people report that they're above the numbers and others report that they're below the numbers. That's the way the statistics works.
TTFN
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RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
We're doing self appraisals at the mo' and I went on there as part of my deliberations on if I should ask for a job re-classification, I'm a apparantly a _ Engineer IV which I thought would make it easier. Anyway they didn't have my job title so I looked at similar. For 3 of them that were various types of Engineer IV I was below the 10% mark (not sure I was even on the chart for one of them
So maybe if you find the right job description it's fairly accurate!
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Have you read FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Is a certain salary web site inaccurate?
TTFN
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