Salary by Discipline

[Desert Engineer]

http://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm

 

[JoeBoone82]

http://www.engineersalary.com/

Also, depends on location, so check a cost of living calculator:

http://www.bestplaces.net/col/

NSPE has something too :

http://www.nspe.org/Employment/SalaryInformation/index.html

 

[udpolo15]

Mech. Eng.
PE (passed in October '08)

ATL, GA

6 years experience

Environmental consulting, now power plant consulting

75K current; am expecting increase in Jan.

[color="#FF0000]Anyone know of any good sites to get relevant salary data for my review?

Do you know how much you bill out at? In consulting, typical NM are around 3. In other words, if you bill out at $100 per hour, your salary should be around $33 per hour. Each industry/company is different depending on other overhead and benefits offered, but this is a useful barometer to know if you are out of whack.

 

[JoeBoone82]

Do you know how much you bill out at? In consulting, typical NM are around 3. In other words, if you bill out at $100 per hour, your salary should be around $33 per hour. Each industry/company is different depending on other overhead and benefits offered, but this is a useful barometer to know if you are out of whack.

I agree Udpolo.... I work in consulting and I think we are around that same range.... 2.65 to 3.0 is what I have heard, depending on the discipline/division. For instance, our Transportation multiplier is less because our clients are gov't agencies like DOT's, etc.

 

[jrs6767]

What kind of salary should I be making as a Civil Engineer in Richmond, VA

w/ 6 years experience and I am an EIT? I am working in the land development

field currently

 

[jrs6767]

Also, if I pass my PE exam. What kind of jump could I expect to see in my salary? I have heard all kinds of stuff but am not sure if any of it is true (10% increase, 5k-10k, etc)

 

[Rodfat]

BS Mechanical Engineering

MS Mechanical Engineering

PE Registered in CA Mechanical Engineering

CCM Certified Construction Manager

Resident Engineer for a large Public Agency

15 years of experience

$120,000.00 per year

 

[SSmith]

Rodfat,

Would you mind sharing your story about how you got to that point with only 15 years in a public agency?

Scott

BS Mechanical EngineeringMS Mechanical Engineering

PE Registered in CA Mechanical Engineering

CCM Certified Construction Manager

Resident Engineer for a large Public Agency

15 years of experience

$120,000.00 per year

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Rodfat,
Would you mind sharing your story about how you got to that point with only 15 years in a public agency?

Scott

I would guess it has a lot more to do with the fact that he lives in CA than how many years he has in the company/agency. The cost of living out there is a lot higher than Alabama or Kentucky. $120k would be middle class in L.A. or San Francisco.

 

[SSmith]

I would guess it has a lot more to do with the fact that he lives in CA than how many years he has in the company/agency. The cost of living out there is a lot higher than Alabama or Kentucky. $120k would be middle class in L.A. or San Francisco.

I checked the OPM tables to compare. In CA, $124k buys you a GS-15 step 1. So that would still be a fast mover if starting from the bottom rungs of the GS scale.
One thing I didn't consider was the possibility of overtime in the $120k. I have read several stories recently that mentioned the massive amounts of overtime CA state and local employees are making driving those areas bankrupt. (One story had a jail nurse making more than the mayor once overtime was factored in.)

 

[JoeBoone82]

One thing I didn't consider was the possibility of overtime in the $120k. I have read several stories recently that mentioned the massive amounts of overtime CA state and local employees are making driving those areas bankrupt. (One story had a jail nurse making more than the mayor once overtime was factored in.)

I agree with you. In May, I did not really have any overtime hours for the year, but since then until now, I have increased my salary by about 15 percent. I have a little over 300 hours OT and divided that by 2080 hrs. My OT hourly pay is my salary divided by 2080, which just gives an equivalent hourly pay for anything I work over 40/week. That is also while going to graduate school from late August to mid-December. Some of the other guys have put in way more than me... some in the mid-20 percent range. The cadd techs gets 1.5 times the hourly rate, so I bet some of those guys are at about 1.5 x their annual salary. It is crazy when you look at how many weeks, or even a couple of months extra some have squeezed in since May. Just slammed right now, but it's a lot better than the alternative these days with the economy.

Oh yea, and like that other guy said.... I just checked out a cost of living comparison calculator online.... $120k in CA is equivalent to $57k in TN.

 

[SSmith]

All this discussion of the different variables is why I would think it would be interesting to hear exactly what Rodfat's situation is...

 

[benbo]

All this discussion of the different variables is why I would think it would be interesting to hear exactly what Rodfat's situation is...

Here are the salaries for California state eningeers -

http://www.pecg.org/2008-increases.htm

The state actually still pays slightly less than some local agencies.

I'm not sure about Rodfat, but

Here is how an ambitious person could pull it off (or close)

Suppose you got hired right out of school with an EIT at my agency. You would be a utilities Engineer Range A. Currently around 55K.

Suppose in two years you get your PE, you are automatically a Range D. Salary min $82K.

If you are really lucky and supposedly good, you can become a Senior in another 2 years. Salary $97K. So far, you have 4 or 5 years in.

Then, you will get a regular 5% raise annually until you peak out at $118K.

This usually takes around 4 more years. So after around 9 or ten years you're close to 120K.

Like wilheldp says, it's not as much as you would think here. But it is pretty good, and maybe that's why the state's going broke.

 

[benbo]

Oh yea, and like that other guy said.... I just checked out a cost of living comparison calculator online.... $120k in CA is equivalent to $57k in TN.

That's true, but Ca is a big, diverse state so it depends what city you are talking about. 120K in Sacramento, Ca is like 92K in Chatanooga.

 

[JoeBoone82]

That's true, but Ca is a big, diverse state so it depends what city you are talking about. 120K in Sacramento, Ca is like 92K in Chatanooga.

Yea, you're right. I was not sure which city in CA so I entered San Francisco and Nashville... and $120k was comparable to $57k.

 

[jillnova]

BS Environmental Engineering

EIT 2003

PE 2008

Project Manager for mid-sized consulting firm

14 years of experience

$75,000.00 per year

 

[Rodfat]

BS Mechanical Engineering

MS Mechanical Engineering

PE Registered in CA Mechanical Engineering

CCM Certified Construction Manager

Resident Engineer for a large Public Agency

15 years of experience

$120,000.00 per year (Update: $123,000.00 per year)

 

[Art]

OK, here goes, I'm a bit uncomfortable, but you asked

BSEE

PE 2 years

20+ years experience

president, 30 person firm

102k base

~15k straight time OT (mostly evening meetings)

bonus 56k (this year), expect the same or more next year

60k, profit disbursement (this year) about same next

expenses ~10k

I also do some work on the side that my firm won't touch and have a partner in a LLC to treat gas well wastewater, basically set-up deals with local STP's

made ~30k from the 2

so I am doing very well...>250k...life is good, but I also worked dog hard jobs, 20 hour days, no sleep, high pressure...it's just pay-off time now

2 years ago I made ~100k total

 

[DVINNY]

^^ Well done.

I hope to see the light at the end someday.

 

[Art]

^^ Well done.
I hope to see the light at the end someday.

if you want it, you can get it...if I can, almost anyone can...

honestly, I never really cared about money...stereotypical hippy/nerd/dweeb lol

I was fortunate to love engineering, so a good living was had without trying...

and had a knack for making $$$, but usually for others...but they knew who buttered their bread, so I was treated well, and besides, I didn't really care about $$$...

after seeing all sorts (mostly the sorts I avoided) grub and fawn over money and compromise their selves to get it, it was their reason de tendre, I decided to make some, a concerted effort...partially out of the challenge, partially to 'rub it in', and show them how easy it is, and how much time they wasted...

and partially to set my wife at ease, she has MS...

the retired owners son works for me now, he made 50k max, after I took over his bonus was more than his salary...

25 bitter years he longed for the almighty dollar, in 3 years, I double his income...so I'm dragging others along with me...

did I mention I'm an arrogent prick at times too? lol

honestly, after having done it, I'm kinda bored with it, much to my wifes dismay

but I've got it running like a clock and might as well ride the proverbial gravy train for a while...I really like what I do...

but, the toys are worth it...my one vice...

talk about engineering...

awd

420 HP V8 with 8200 rpm redline...

active suspension

brakes as large as a trucks

Audi 'Truth in Engineering'