Engineer Salary 9

[brane23]

Hi! I am a civil graduate (May 2005). I've been working for about 1.5 years since graduation. During college I worked several internships, a co-op and worked for the University doing structural work. I took a job with a relatively small company making an average entry level salary. $43680 + 1.5(OT). I'll probably make around $50k this year. Since I arrived, I have thrived in the consulting envrironment. I have a few clients, I'm doing project management work and I do more design work than any other civil/structural here. I am very proficient in STAAD and trained in Land Developement. I am the right-hand man of the principal civil engineer and will bill 1800+ this year. I guess right place at the right time sort of thing. So a year has past and I would like to ask for a raise. I know (at least think I do) there will be resistance. Do you folks feel I have some ammunition??? I don't want to leave but I want to be appreciated at the same time. I think I'm worth and my position is worth more, but I don't want to get shut down. HELP!! Thanks so much.

 

[Heckler]

One would think with 1800+ billed hours you should not go unnoticed but only you will know this. Do you have your FE (EIT) cert? This could put you at the top of the pile since with 1 1/2 years experience you are close to PE eligibility.

http://www.EngineerSalary.com

Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 5.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience every time.

 

[brane23]

Yes, I have my EIT and am taking graduate work in structural. Also, I have 5 years of military experience (maybe be irrelevant)

 

[ee2002]

brane23,

Will you be eligible to take the PE after two years experience? If so, you may want to focus all your energy and attention on passing the test, especially since you'll need your advisor and at least three other references to vouch for you in order to take the test.

If it has been more than a year and you feel you have earned a raise, do some research and find out what fair market value is for someone with your experience and credentials. Youy're doing the right thing by getting into project management. Try to find a way to negotiate an increase that will not leave you with a dollar more and your employer with a dollar less. For instance, what does your employer bill your time for? Billing rates are tyypically multiplied by 3. Maybe you can make a case for a higher billable rate and hence a higher hourly salary for yourself. The botton line is if you can find a way for your company to make more money, then naturally, you should make more money.

 

[Beggar]

I would not push for a raise until you get your PE.

Did you get an annual raise? Did you get a review? If not, I would ask to schedule a review and then, depending on how that goes, broach the subject.

Your military experience is irrelevant to this issue.

--------------------
How much do YOU owe?

http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

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

 

[GregLocock]

In mechanical engineering it would not be unusual for a young engineer's pay to rise by 8-15% pa over the 4 years after graduating. FWIW my pay doubled in four years, and I went up two grades (Junior engineer->engineer->senior engineer), sitting at the same desk.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[tygerdawg]

Several things to consider:
(1) you ONLY have 1.5 years work experience + internships. When I was just starting out I thought I knew everything and was invaluable to the company. 25+ years later, I now know this to be not true. EVERYONE needs to pay their dues. Looking back, I wish that I had concentrated on living my life at a younger age rather than allowing my ego to chase dollars, while at the same time booking some very valuable experience. But you must make that decision as to whether your current employer is providing you the opportunity to gain good experience.
(2) In my humble cynical opinion it's a falacy that pay raises are merit-based. They SHOULD be, but many times are not. They usually depend upon company health, economic factors, inflation rate, job grades and associate payscale restrictions, and unfortunately political factors. Typically pay raises will be inflation_rate + a little if you've been a good boy. It may be tougher if you work for a small company. The President of a small company typically started the company to fund his beach house and Trophy Wife's diamond collection, not to make his employees wealthy.
(3) Speaking of small companies, don't discount the fact that you may be wearing many hats and that you are gaining fabulous experience. A larger firm may pay more, but you might get stuck in a specialty. This kind of many-hats experience has a value that doesn't show up in your paycheck, but it might later on if you decide to leave.

TygerDawg

 

[brane23]

Thank you all very much...

 

[zcp]

"The President of a small company typically started the company to fund his beach house and Trophy Wife's diamond collection, not to make his employees wealthy." - TygerDawg

Spoken like a man who doesn't own or run an engineering firm. I would say most people who start a small company do so out of drive and ambition. Your attitude is why I have considered opening the books to all employees and letting everyone know what everyone else (and the company) are making. It may not be as rosy as you think as health care and insurance take bigger and bigger bites out of the cashflow.

As for brane23, don't forget the time the company funded you when you were training and getting started. Now that you are finally producing at the level they needed you at to begin with, you can start to help find ways to make the company more profitable. More profit and more profit brought in by you means more money for all.

I also agree with the others, sit tight and get started studying for your PE. You can make yourself feel better compensated by looking at it as paid grad school with lots of experience and an eventual PE to boot. Good luck and don't let a few dollars get in the way of good work and good experience.

ZCP

http://www.phoenix-engineer.com

 

[zdas04]

Read the above very carefully. You like your work. You feel like you are an important part of the company. You're making good money (it really isn't about keeping score, you can live on $50k/year). You are getting great experience.

Work on your PE. Keep taking graduate courses. Keep building your experiences. Seek out the toughest projects. Don't bring up salary at all and try to stop thinking about it (I know how hard that is).

Five years from now take another look at your position and see if you are where you want to be. With 5-7 years and a PE and maybe a masters you should be able to enter a serious salary negotiation from a position of strength since you'll have the option of going out on your own at that point.

As a military vet who has hired a fair number of other vets over the years, let me say your military experience is not irrelevant to many prospective employeers. People who were not in the military may look at your service time as a wasted youth, but folks who have been there know what that experience can do for a person's leadership skills, problem-solving skills, etc. I always put vet's resume's on the top of the stack when I was looking for folks.

It looks to me like the only thing that can screw up your future is unreasonable expectations.

David

 

[65Roses]

Don't ask for too much too soon.

Why is my handle 65Roses?
Please visit

http://www.cff.org

to learn why!

 

[Ashereng]

65Roses,

One story is that a little boy had problem pronouncing cystic fibrosis when someone explained to him what his mother had. Not sure if the story is true, but it is a good one none the less.

brane23,

I don't often disagree with David, since he doesn't often give me reason to. And this is not one of them. I would like to add to his suggestion though.

You need to take a look around you (literally, not metaphorically) and see what similar duties to yours are paying. Some places are low payers, some, high payers. If you can make more money doing the same thing (all else being equal), then my suggestion is that you ask for a raise - and go to the other job if you don't get it.

Companies change suppliers all the time (changing office supply company because they offered much better prices on of all things, photocopying paper) and everyone says that is a good move. So, why shouldn't you, as an engineer, seek to maximise profits (your salary) also?

Keep in mind all that the other posters have opined. Money really isn't everything - it all depends on what is important to you.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[HVACctrl]

Someone said military experience was irrelevant. I think it can be relevant to some employers. It implies dedication, possible management skills, etc...

Of course, this mostly helps one to get hired in the first place, but may not help once employed unless the experience actually manifests itself in your performance.

Ed

http://www.engineerboards.com

 

[COEngineeer]

You never mentioned what state your are from. Are you saying 1.5 years youve been with them, you never get a raise? Arent they suppose to give you a review? I think you have to get at least 4% raise. Expect to get more than 5% when you are finih with your M.S. Also getting your PE will give them no option to give you at least $55k/year. If they dont, they are just waiting for you to quit.

I think everyone deserves at least 4% raise on their first year.

 

[johnsmith2]

I know many Civil engineers with 3-5 working experiences making around 45-55K in Texas? Your level is not bad. I think

 

[brane23]

From West Virginia. Consulting in Industry. 1.5 years experience.

 

[COEngineeer]

Like I said before, you should get at least 4% for your 1st year review. If they dont do review on 1st year, they will lose a lot of engineers because new engineers learn a lot in 1 year. They can easily move on to other firms with that experience.

 

[brane23]

Exactly. I agree

 

[KENAT]

If you haven't had any pay increases since you've been there you've probably got a problem.

Many places give 6 monthly increases for the first year or two for graduate engineers.

As CoEngineer said your value as an engineer grows rapidly during the first few years then tends to slow down. As such other things being equal I'd expect your pay to increase similarly.

Out of interest did the issue of when/how you'd get pay increases not come up in an interview before you took the position?

 

[brane23]

Not initially. Probably my fault. I worked for the government previously, so it was given you would get a raise. In the private sector, ecspecially in a small firm it's almost a mind game / tug-of-war.