Salary Question 2

[wwchick]

Hi,

What is the typical hourly salary? I have over ten years experience (civil/environmental) and make $28 per hour, no benefits in So Cal. Is this about average?

 

[bioengr82]

are you full time?

 

[ctopher]

From what I have seen, seems about right.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP3.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[IRstuff]

Seems to be low, given the lack of benefits and the experience.

TTFN

 

[davidinindy]

In SoCal that's just above poverty level, isn't it?
Just kidding.
Hoestly, if I was a degreed engineer, I'd be hoping to make more than that, even here in the midwest.
I am just a CAD designer, but make probably the equivalant to that here in Indiana, factoring in the cost of living.

David

 

[pso311]

I'd definitely look around. I consider benefits to be a baseline, not something to be negotiated.

 

[Maury]

In the Chicago area that would be a reasonable rate if a good benefit package were included. Without the benefits, it's a little low, but not outrageous.

 

[wwchick]

Yes, I am full time. Although it is expensive out here. Apparently cost of living is not considered in salary compensation?

 

[IRstuff]

Cost of living in So Cal is not so low that it makes up for no bennies.

The usual valuation of total bennies is something like 20% to 50% of base salary.

TTFN

 

[ARenko]

It still seems quite low to me even if you did have benefits. Are you an engineer?

Is it normal that an hourly rate would be significantly less than the calculated hourly rate of a salaried employee? I suppose considering that overtime will make up the difference? I hate to count on overtime as anything other than bonus.

 

[sms]

FYI, just received this today....

As you know, earlier this year, you participated in our survey of income in mechanical engineering, sponsored by the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers. Therefore, you will
undoubtedly be interested to learn that "Compensation in Mechanical Engineering, 4th Edition - 2005" has just been published. Brief articles, based on this survey report and findpay, will appear in ASME periodicals.

This unique, 572-page publication and findpay reports the base salaries, other cash compensation, and total cash compensation of 8,999 members of ASME.

Nationwide, the median income of survey participants is $88,000, with 10% making under $55,000 and 10% making over $139,731. The median income of some of the 39 benchmark jobs investigated were:

Chief Marketing & Sales Executive ... $155,000
"Distinguished" Researcher ... $141,000
Professor (11-12 mo. appt.) ... $135,000
Research Director/Vice President ... $133,716
Consulting Branch Manager ... $126,000
College/University Dept. Heads (11-12 mo. appt.) ... $125,500 Engineering Director/Vice President ... $119,100 Principal Consultant ... $112,000 Environmental Manager ... $111,000 Project Manager ... $100,000 Senior Engineer ... $87,000 Sales Representative ... $76,250 Intermediate Researcher ... $68,490 Project Engineer ... $65,430 Junior Engineer ... $52,000 College Instructor (11-12 mo. appt.) .... $50,500


-The future's so bright I gotta wear shades!

 

[mshimko]

The "typical" salary depends greatly on your field, industry, and geographic area.

In "my" field and area, you would be on th elow end with 10 years of experience, but that's worthless without more info.

I previously checked out sites such as "

http://www.salary.com"

when my daughter graduated college. Give it a try.

 

[whyun]

2004 Salaries for Architects and Engineers:

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_17Ar.htm

 

[QCE]

It is low. I don't know your background so it depends. Are you a PEng? Is all your experience in the field that you are currently working? You must have an idea what other engineers are making at your company.

At my company an engineer with 3 years experience makes that much but we are in Canada.