Huh. Did I just screw myself?

[erwos]

Wow. I made more than $50k out of school, and my GPA positively sucked (albeit, this is one of the best CS schools in the country). And I _left_ those guys after a year because they were paying me below going rate. (I make more than 50% more now, a good five years later, and it's probably going to ratchet up even further next year.) This is in the Washington, DC metro area.

So, understand where I'm coming from when I say that $30k seems like they're getting some stupid-cheap work out of you. Fifteen bucks an hour strikes me as about what you could make at Wal-Mart. Then again, what are living expenses like in western Montana? Are these guys giving you benefits? I could see living on $30k for a year, but they'd better be willing to go up further once they've ascertained you don't totally suck.

You should probably consider moving. DC is a great place to be a CS guy, excepting our ugly weather.

 

[squatchman]

Originally posted by: erwos
Wow. I made more than $50k out of school, and my GPA positively sucked.

Yar... I'm not so sure that the GPA even matters on a lot of jobs. It's like when the high school principal threatens to put something on your "permanent" record, which really just amounts to something they throw out right before you graduate. I graduated right at a 2.0 GPA and wasn't looking for a job three months last year.

As long as you don't panic and can hold yourself in a conversation that isn't about video games or farts then you should do fine.

 

[JACKDRUID]

Originally posted by: brandonb
Understand their position.

How many people come out of school with a programming degree who struggle just to know the basics? The odds of finding a good programmer is about 10-25% in the industry. The rest are just dead weight waiting to be fired.

30k is not low... It's a starting wage to see your potential, if you are good, then you'll get raises quickly.

very well said.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: erwos
Wow. I made more than $50k out of school, and my GPA positively sucked (albeit, this is one of the best CS schools in the country). And I _left_ those guys after a year because they were paying me below going rate. (I make more than 50% more now, a good five years later, and it's probably going to ratchet up even further next year.) This is in the Washington, DC metro area.

So, understand where I'm coming from when I say that $30k seems like they're getting some stupid-cheap work out of you. Fifteen bucks an hour strikes me as about what you could make at Wal-Mart. Then again, what are living expenses like in western Montana? Are these guys giving you benefits? I could see living on $30k for a year, but they'd better be willing to go up further once they've ascertained you don't totally suck.

You should probably consider moving. DC is a great place to be a CS guy, excepting our ugly weather.

What was your job title then and now...probably accounts for a big reason you are bringing in $75k+ in D.C.

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: erwos
So, understand where I'm coming from when I say that $30k seems like they're getting some stupid-cheap work out of you. Fifteen bucks an hour strikes me as about what you could make at Wal-Mart. Then again, what are living expenses like in western Montana? Are these guys giving you benefits? I could see living on $30k for a year, but they'd better be willing to go up further once they've ascertained you don't totally suck.

Wal-mart no, but railroad or construction, yes. I've made $10/hr and had my friends raise their eyebrows at that. COL is low: my roommates and I pay $750/month for rent on our 3-person apartment. This city is weird (low) for salary because everyone "just loves it here." We've got PhDs making burritos for $7.50/hr.

I mean, I'm disappointed by my wage, but I did accept it, and I think they'll pay me more shortly. They used the phrase "very high expectations" rather pointedly a number of times (I get the impression that they'll double my wage or fire me).

 

[chronodekar]

Originally posted by: brandonb

I started at $11/h (or 22k an hour)

This spiked my curiosity. What do you mean by it? Were you getting 11 dollars an hour or 22k an hour?

what currency are we talking about here ?

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: chronodekar

Originally posted by: brandonb

I started at $11/h (or 22k an hour)

This spiked my curiosity. What do you mean by it? Were you getting 11 dollars an hour or 22k an hour?

what currency are we talking about here ?

I think he meant $22k/year and $11/hr.

 

[chronodekar]

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: chronodekar

Originally posted by: brandonb

I started at $11/h (or 22k an hour)

This spiked my curiosity. What do you mean by it? Were you getting 11 dollars an hour or 22k an hour?

what currency are we talking about here ?

I think he meant $22k/year and $11/hr.

Hmmm... that makes sense.

 

[BigPoppa]

Originally posted by: presidentender

Originally posted by: erwos
So, understand where I'm coming from when I say that $30k seems like they're getting some stupid-cheap work out of you. Fifteen bucks an hour strikes me as about what you could make at Wal-Mart. Then again, what are living expenses like in western Montana? Are these guys giving you benefits? I could see living on $30k for a year, but they'd better be willing to go up further once they've ascertained you don't totally suck.

Wal-mart no, but railroad or construction, yes. I've made $10/hr and had my friends raise their eyebrows at that. COL is low: my roommates and I pay $750/month for rent on our 3-person apartment. This city is weird (low) for salary because everyone "just loves it here." We've got PhDs making burritos for $7.50/hr.

I mean, I'm disappointed by my wage, but I did accept it, and I think they'll pay me more shortly. They used the phrase "very high expectations" rather pointedly a number of times (I get the impression that they'll double my wage or fire me).

Mind PMing me the company? I'm following basically exactly in your footsteps and going back to school this year for a CS/Math degree at UM.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
What was your job title then and now...probably accounts for a big reason you are bringing in $75k+ in D.C.

"Associate Software Engineer" to "Systems Programmer".

Honestly, I kinda liked the "Software Engineer" better, but I don't think that's how they roll at my current employer.

 

[brandonb]

Originally posted by: chronodekar

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: chronodekar

Originally posted by: brandonb

I started at $11/h (or 22k an hour)

This spiked my curiosity. What do you mean by it? Were you getting 11 dollars an hour or 22k an hour?

what currency are we talking about here ?

I think he meant $22k/year and $11/hr.

Hmmm... that makes sense.

Yep, I was half asleep when I wrote that post. Forgive me. And it was USD.

 

[SunnyD]

When I started out, I was still in college - finishing up a semester for the last month I got my first full time job in software at $20/hr. They had me on internship for that until the semester ended. When I finally started full time salary the next month, it was at about 45k. This was in Rochester NY back in 2000. I've seen numbers all over the map. One in Florida offered me 40k - I was insulted. When I moved back to NY (Ithaca area) I was square at 50k. I moved to AL, I'm making more than 50k now. But then again I'm also a senior software engy here too.

In this market - I'd take what I could get to be honest, go to work, do my job, and when I get home keep looking for something better.

 

[Markbnj]

I started out at $35k in Massachusetts, with basically hobbyist experience and a little consulting. My wife was pregnant with our first child, it was about two months until Christmas, and I had just left a $45k a year technical sales job that I detested. Like someone else here mentioned, once you get in and demonstrate ability the raises come quickly. By the end of my second full year I was near $80k, and well-positioned to ride the C++ wave into the Internet wave and do well back in the 90's when we could write our own employment contracts .

 

[presidentender]

Originally posted by: Markbnj
I started out at $35k in Massachusetts, with basically hobbyist experience and a little consulting. My wife was pregnant with our first child, it was about two months until Christmas, and I had just left a $45k a year technical sales job that I detested. Like someone else here mentioned, once you get in and demonstrate ability the raises come quickly. By the end of my second full year I was near $80k, and well-positioned to ride the C++ wave into the Internet wave and do well back in the 90's when we could write our own employment contracts .

See, now I just have to hope for another boom after this bust, and that I'm in a position to ride it like you vets did in the 90s.

 

[Sphexi]

Depending on the area, that may not be bad. The company I work for would not have hired you with less than 2 years experience, and that's for an entry level junior programmer. I think they're getting 40-45k to start. 30k with just the diploma and an internship (which very from a few months to a year mostly) may be about right. If you can live on it comfortably in your area I would, get a year or two of experience, then ask for a raise or look around again when the economy is better.

 

[SilentZero]

That is VERY low in my opinion. When I finished school with a CS degree my first job paid ~58k a year with excellent benefits.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: SilentZero
That is VERY low in my opinion. When I finished school with a CS degree my first job paid ~58k a year with excellent benefits.

Location, location, and experience


My first job was $14K
Second job was $26K w/ a company that my college buddy (same degree) was making $23K

I can take a job requiring the same experience in CA for $1250/hr vs Atlanta for $75/hr vs Podunk Iowa at $60/hr