The million dollar question: how big of a raise do I ask for now that I passed?

[Bean PE]

But then again, in this profession you should be doing all of the above regardless of your status. Engineers do it for the love of the profession.

Attitudes like this allow the entire field to be beaten over the head with the stick of "professionalism." Yes, engineering can be very satisfying, but it can also be incredibly aggravating. If it didn't pay the bills, I doubt most would stick around. It's also a lot easier to say you do it for love of the profession if you're actually respected and treated well by your employer.

 

[kstatenupe]

It's also a lot easier to say you do it for love of the profession if you're actually respected and treated well by your employer.

So true cuz I am respected and treated well...now time to donate some overtime...

 

[Caligula]

But then again, in this profession you should be doing all of the above regardless of your status. Engineers do it for the love of the profession.

Attitudes like this allow the entire field to be beaten over the head with the stick of "professionalism." Yes, engineering can be very satisfying, but it can also be incredibly aggravating. If it didn't pay the bills, I doubt most would stick around. It's also a lot easier to say you do it for love of the profession if you're actually respected and treated well by your employer.

Furthermore that attitude drives down engineer's wages. Compared to the liability that comes with sealing plans and the typical long hours, engineers are very underpaid. Even in industry, engineers can be kept in their box and passed over for promotions/raises because they "love to do it".

 

[munsonco]

Instead of asking for a raise, be thankful you have a job at all. There are plenty of unemployed engineers who would love to have your position.

I certainly sympathize with all the unemployed engineers out there...I was in the same boat 2 years ago when this whole economic mess first started...luckily I have since found a new job which I am absolutely thankful for. But why can't I be thankful for my job and still ask for a raise for my accomplishment? I busted my butt and invested a lot of time and money in taking and passing this exam. Am I not allowed to be rewarded for my efforts? If not, then why did I bother?

 

[chaocl]

0 %

 

[Bean PE]

Instead of asking for a raise, be thankful you have a job at all. There are plenty of unemployed engineers who would love to have your position.

I certainly sympathize with all the unemployed engineers out there...I was in the same boat 2 years ago when this whole economic mess first started...luckily I have since found a new job which I am absolutely thankful for. But why can't I be thankful for my job and still ask for a raise for my accomplishment? I busted my butt and invested a lot of time and money in taking and passing this exam. Am I not allowed to be rewarded for my efforts? If not, then why did I bother?

For "love of the profession."

 

[navyasw02]

"For the love of the job" is bullshit shoved down our throats by the people we work for. Why does every profession have to be some sort of higher calling? Why can't it be something that's good enough to give you a good lifestyle and support you until retirement? The only people who overzealously love their profession are those that are either workaholics, people who are too naive to know otherwise, or people who have worked long enough to gain freedom from their shackles by virtue of seniority or self employment.

 

[ironman]

as big of a raise that you can get a counter offer, however I would not leave my current employer unless its at least 30-40% more than my current employer gave me because there are alot of unknowns in taking a new job so the money has to be fatty. Unless you already hate where you work then you may take a new job for as little as 10% or the same money if the interviewer is a nice guy/girl.

 

[ironman]

But then again, in this profession you should be doing all of the above regardless of your status. Engineers do it for the love of the profession.

Attitudes like this allow the entire field to be beaten over the head with the stick of "professionalism." Yes, engineering can be very satisfying, but it can also be incredibly aggravating. If it didn't pay the bills, I doubt most would stick around. It's also a lot easier to say you do it for love of the profession if you're actually respected and treated well by your employer.

Furthermore that attitude drives down engineer's wages. Compared to the liability that comes with sealing plans and the typical long hours, engineers are very underpaid. Even in industry, engineers can be kept in their box and passed over for promotions/raises because they "love to do it".

That just means their is a over supply of engineering skills compared to demand, when I graduated with an engineering degree I never imagined it would only be a half step above competing for a job at the GAP, obviously the pay is higher but the competition is nearly equally cut throat.

 

[ironman]

But then again, in this profession you should be doing all of the above regardless of your status. Engineers do it for the love of the profession.

Attitudes like this allow the entire field to be beaten over the head with the stick of "professionalism." Yes, engineering can be very satisfying, but it can also be incredibly aggravating. If it didn't pay the bills, I doubt most would stick around. It's also a lot easier to say you do it for love of the profession if you're actually respected and treated well by your employer.

Furthermore that attitude drives down engineer's wages. Compared to the liability that comes with sealing plans and the typical long hours, engineers are very underpaid. Even in industry, engineers can be kept in their box and passed over for promotions/raises because they "love to do it".

The flip side is if you are getting paid peanuts you don't really have any liability because they are going to go after the company (deep pockets) for any damages, especially if the PE makes sub 6 figures and has 50 cents in their savings (obviously being facetious). There is no way they can charge you criminally unless they can prove you designed something with malicious intent. It would probably mess up your credibility which is the main reason I would not want to stamp anything.

 

[Titus Barik]

Instead of asking for a raise, be thankful you have a job at all. There are plenty of unemployed engineers who would love to have your position.

Perhaps employers should also be thankful that they have good engineers who choose to work under them. I didn't realize gratitude was a one way street.

 

[Titus Barik]

For "love of the profession."

Yeah, this is the same joke we tell new college hires so we can pay them dirt cheap.

 

[Titus Barik]

I got a 10% raise when I passed the PE, but it was a standard thing for the organization I worked for at the time. I think in general, if your employer offers a raise for passing, it is somewhere in the 10% range.

10% seems to be consistent in most good organizations.

 

[willsee]

Ask for as much as you think you can get.

 

[Shanster]

At my firm, we are are hourly (with straightime for OT) until we get our PE, then they take our best gross compensation (standard hours + OT) that we've had since working there and throw a raise on that and put us on a salary. That way, when we have to work any overtime we won't feel cheated. I'm not sure what the percent raise is though.

 

[DVINNY]

^^^ Been there.

It's that transition to salary, is WHEN YOU GET CHEATED. (been salary for years now, hourly is 1,000 times better for the individual)

 

[Shanster]

^^^ Been there.
It's that transition to salary, is WHEN YOU GET CHEATED. (been salary for years now, hourly is 1,000 times better for the individual)

Definitely better. In fact, we went on a salary freeze in 2009 and one kid got his PE and he's still hourly + straight time for OT.

 

[bambooi]

So munosco how much will you ask

 

[munsonco]

So munosco how much will you ask

Well...based on all my research from salary surveys and what I've seen posted here...it looks like 10% should be about right to get me in line with the current market...not feeling too optimistic though...apparently I have to go through the company's Director of Engineering...he works out of another office roughly 600 miles away and hasn't returned any of my messages yet.

 

[Sandman VA]

I would like a 50% raise, too bad that's not realistic.

I agree with most that 10% seems to be the right economy of scale for a salary increase. However, at my firm, we have annual reviews in January that come with annual pay inceases. The reviews are typically towards the end of the month and as we are paid monthly, the salary increase is retro-active to the start of January. So we are making a higher salary after the new year without specific knowledge of the raise until the review (at least 3 weeks later, sometimes a day or two before the end of month).

This process has always worked fine, however for this year, I feel that if I was awarded a salary increase equal to 10% only, I will have missed out on the annual increase, unless nobody gets a raise except me. If firm wide gets 3%, then I guess I would be hoping for 13%. Now, how to find out the firm wide raise..................