Bridge Engineer (4-5) yrs of experience no PE yet, where can I find stats for salaries in the US

[Bridge_Man]

Hi,

I am looking for stats to help me compare my salary to others in different states and my state, I tried linked but it only gave me results averaged across the states, I would like to have some data from my state/city which I can easily find for an entry-level engineer but not for a similar case to mine (4-5 yrs) no PE yet.

Any help/suggestions?

Thanks,

 

[SwinnyGG]

If you are operating exclusively in the bridge world and do not yet have a PE, are firms going to hire you at anything other than an entry-level role?

Not trying to be rude, but I had previously assumed that in the infrastructure world there wasn't really a path to advancement until you had your stamp.

 

[bridgebuster]

You could try your local chapters of ASCE & NSPE.

FWIW, in NYC, entry level bridge engineer about $60k.

 

[Guest090822]

Check state DOT pay schedules. Some states have the information readily available with a little Dr. Google effort.

In the Northeast, the salary range is $65,000 - $75,000 per year based on your experience.

Don't be fooled by the "private sector pays more" argument, I've worked in both. The private sector uses the government salaries as a baseline too. The difference, is you can negotiate salary, whereas in the government you cannot.

You also have to factor in the cost of living. $80,000/year is not a lot of money in New York City but is in let's say Rutland, VT.

There are a lot of things to evaluate than just base salary.

Good luck!

 

[BridgeSmith]

Another thing to consider when weighing government vs. private sector, is the job security in government is typically better. For someone who can easily move to another area if the private sector job market slows down, it's probably not a big deal, but for someone with a family that's settled in a particular area, the job security can be a major consideration.

Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10

 

[bridgebuster]

That's a good point Rod. Although, in the new world of COVID, it may not matter. In my department - before COVID - many of the young people in my department moved to Manhattan so the could be within walking distance of the office. They had some aversion to commuting. Now a lot of them have moved quite far from the city and have no intention of returning to the office if things go back to normal.

 

[BridgeSmith]

...in the new world of COVID, it may not matter. In my department - before COVID - many of the young people in my department moved to Manhattan so the could be within walking distance of the office. They had some aversion to commuting. Now a lot of them have moved quite far from the city and have no intention of returning to the office if things go back to normal.

That's a good point, too. I was thinking about relocating on a larger scale, though, like to a different state or region of the country.

Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10

 

[bridgebuster]

I know what you meant Rod. It's just that COVID has created a new work environment. A former coworker said his firm - also a large engineering company - is essentially doing away with offices; going forward you could live in California and be assigned to an office in NY and never leave home.