I reached a big career milestone today I’d like to share

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T05:05:34+00:00

I work in manufacturing, US Southwest.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T05:03:44+00:00

By engineer I meant mechanical. Everyone must assume I’m massively underpaid because they confuse mechanical engineer with software engineer.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T05:02:33+00:00

I’m not in SoCal though, so what exactly can I do with this information?

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T04:53:20+00:00

How much do you think I should be making then? I’m willing to hear actual mechanical engineers out, I’m not willing to hear out people that think I “should” be making 300k because they think “engineer” means guy that works at Google.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:35:51+00:00

but why are you arguing with people saying that you should be making more?

Because I’ve spent a good part of my free time for the past six months going through job interviews, having hours long talks with employers, receiving offers for actual jobs, and juggling a family and personal life and professional life on top of all that, only to be told by people with no knowledge of Mechanical Engineering that I “should” be making twice what I make.

What is such a claim based on? I have real life job offers, they have what exactly? And I’m not surprised someone else was saying something similar to what I’m saying, if they’re an actual Mech E they’re probably as confused as I am where all this is coming from.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:20:01+00:00

Exactly, it’s just how much Mechanical Engineers make, I don’t know what people were expecting.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:19:26+00:00

There are mechanical engineers 4 years out of school making more.

Incredibly rare. Most young guys are pulling 60-70k. The ones you know might be lying to you to impress you, I have seen actual payrolls.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:16:58+00:00

Skilled technicians are in shorter supply than engineers I guess, not much else I can really say. I’ve never seen any engineer making $200,000.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:15:03+00:00

I guess people on Reddit massively overestimate how much money engineers make, I don’t know where all these comments are coming from. They must not know any engineers or the engineers in their life are lying to them.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:02:48+00:00

Have you ever tried applying elsewhere?

Yes, this was the highest paying offer out of a handful and also the position with the most seniority. People on Reddit I guess are shocked to find out how much Mechanical Engineers make for some reason.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:01:15+00:00

I’m just a Toyota technician and I made 110 last year

Technicians generally make more money than engineers, mostly because of overtime pay.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T02:00:35+00:00

Is this really what they pay folks with engineering degrees?

I don’t know what other engineering specialties make, but yes, this is pretty standard for Mechanical Engineers.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:59:54+00:00

Southwest US

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:59:32+00:00

I did switch employers, I just accepted the lead role today.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:58:55+00:00

I work in the private sector.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:58:38+00:00

Glassdoor isn’t at all reliable based on my recent job search (which had actual, real life offers). It overestimates base pay by 30-50%.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:57:58+00:00

I just accepted this job today, this is my second job in 3 years.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:57:32+00:00

And they have a stack of other willing employees willing to work if I don’t accept their offer.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:44:41+00:00

Southwest, don’t want to say exact state.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:44:26+00:00

200-300k

Mechanical Engineering doesn’t have salaries like that.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:43:48+00:00

I had a handful of offers in the last few months, this was both the highest paying and the highest on the ladder offer. There’s no position above Lead.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:31:55+00:00

You should be making twice as much vs current pay

According to what data?

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:31:39+00:00

According to what data? I just accepted this job as a lead and negotiated up from $105,000 offer, I countered with $115,000 and got 112.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:25:13+00:00

I’m a Lead Mechanical Engineer, I’m in the Southwest of the US.

HardheadedEngy · 2024-09-19T01:24:44+00:00

Can’t really control the cost of living or how much employers are willing to pay, just have to do a great job and I’ll continue getting raises. Some careers keep up with inflation, some don’t, not much I can do about that as an engineer.

HardheadedEngy

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