# Has anyone reviewed engineering problems for a publication?What is the market rate?



## Alpha (Dec 7, 2012)

I have been approached by a publication company to review some engineering problems. What is the average market rate for this type of work? Seems the offer of $10 per problem is too low...has anyone done this type of review work? How much time does it take?

Looking for some sound advice on whether this is worth spending time on. Thanks!


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## solomonb (Dec 8, 2012)

OK, let's look at this systematically. Are you qualified? Do you have a license? Are the problems in your area of expertise or subject matter expertise? If yes, then the next question is how detailed are the problems? Are they PE problems? FE problems? The average PE problem is designed to be 6 minutes in length to solve. Assume that you can work 5 problems an hour, you make $50/hour. The question really is are these problems in your area of expertise? Do you really know the problems? If yes, then the answer is you should be able to make $50/hour. Big salary? dON'T Think so, however, if you have nothing else to do, $50/hour is not too bad to work problems and identify solutions.

On the other hand, if you have to do a lot of research and review, then only 2 problems an hour might be your completion rate---$20/hour, well, you have to decide that.

Again, the lawyer's answer comes into play, "It depends."


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## ptatohed (Dec 12, 2012)

Alpha said:


> I have been approached by a publication company to review some engineering problems. What is the average market rate for this type of work? Seems the offer of $10 per problem is too low...has anyone done this type of review work? How much time does it take?
> 
> Looking for some sound advice on whether this is worth spending time on. Thanks!


More info? What kind of problems and what are the problems for?


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## rrui00 (Dec 27, 2012)

The way I see it is how long is going to take you to solve each, and to put all formulas of your solution, etc in an acceptable format. It may be much longer than just 6 minute per problem (unless they are very easy and short problems/answers). If you will do 3 problems per hour, and that is an acceptable rate for you ($30 per hour), accept it or negotiate. If you feel that those problems cannot be solved and prepared in less than 3 problems/hour rate, well, then they are underpaying, so no matter what industry standards are, we should try to change them. If that company does not want to pay you $30 per hour, and they move on to a different candidate and he/she also declines the job offer, they will eventually have to raise the offer.


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## paw1191 (Dec 28, 2012)

I would not accept less than your current hourly rate as an engineer, especially if you are licensed...


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