How much do programmers get paid?


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  1. #1
    MrNewbie Guest

    How much do programmers get paid?

    I wanna be a programmer but I dont know how much they get paid. Is it alot?
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    Mr Newbie

  2. #2
    kmj Guest
    Depends on a number of factors; where (geographically) you work, who you work for, what kind of programming you do, what level of degree (AS, BS, MS, Ph.D), and how good you do it, among other things. That said, any decent programmer should not have much to worry about. If you know what you're doing and know how to do it right, you'll be wanted, and that translates into better offers. Gotta remember though that Bill Gates didn't get where he is today by being a good programmer; if cash is your goal, then business is your path.

    I'm sure there's some resource that can give hard and fast statistics, though I wouldn't be sure they're tremendously reliable.

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  3. #3
    Dru Lee Parsec Guest
    I started out in the software QA department making $13 an hour (about $26K/year) BTW, These are all San Diego prices. YMMV.

    I worked 10 hours a day and 6 hours every other saturday. Partly by my own skill and hard work and partly because people above me kept moving to other companies I wound up being the QA department manager. A lofty title for the guy who collected the time cards. But it got me up to $32K.

    I moved to another company and started at $41K as the QA Manager. The title "Manager" was kind of funny since I was the only one in the QA department. Being only one person (in a company of only 12) I learned to write automated test programs using a product called QA Partner by Seque Software. I became quite good at writing test plans and then automating them. People began to notice that I could write code. That company (BGM) was absorbed by a company called NDS. I kept getting the corporate raises of 5 to 7% every year. After a year in QA I applied for a job in the programming department and (eventually) got it.

    As a new programmer I wound up writing the installation program and doing bug fixes. After a total of 4 years with BGM/NDS I left to go to yet another TLA company (TLA = Three Letter Acronym) where I asked for $60K and got $58K I worked for them for 8 months and realized that I was a much better programmer than NDS would admit. I realized that I was underpaid for my talent and I wasn't really happy with the government projects I was working on.

    I moved again and this time I told tham that I would take any offer the put on the table as long as it started with a 7. I got it.

    I also consult at $75/ hour but that work is few and far between. Besides, I work a full time job alread so adding in consulting work really takes a lot out of your personal time.

    I think I'm just about right for a Java programmer with 3 years of QA and 6 years of programming experience. I've been doing Java exclusively for just over 3 years now and I think there are more and more Java jobs every year.

    My wages will go up more slowly now, but I don't think it's out of line to think that within 5 years I should be getting a salary of at least 100K/year. The most important thing is to stay on top of the new technologies. I know people who have been programming COLBOL for 20 years and are only making in the mid to upper 40's, maybe to the low $50s.

    Go to school and get that degree, even if it doesn't teach you anything you need in the real world (and they usually don't). But it will get you in the door. Then, for the rest of your career start studying the topics that will keep you in demand. And study tham as hard as if you were still in school. You'll probably raise through the ranks faster than I did.

    One more thing: Motivational guru Tom Peters says that if you spend 15 minutes a day, every day, doing something that makes you better at your job then within a year you will be within the top 10% of the people who do your job. That may or may not be totally true, but the point is clear, once you're out of school keep studying.

  4. #4
    pbharris Guest
    get that freaking technical degree (BS), like the last guy pointed out it may not mean much much but it is prerequisite. i know more than one moron with a degree making truckloads of cash. and i know some real bright guys w/o an degree who should be making more than the otehr guys. the brightest guys i know do have a degree so i do think it makes a difference, but how much i don't know.

  5. #5
    speck Guest
    At least in Northern California, right out of college with a BS should get somewhere between 45-55. Senior level, which can sometimes be achieved within a few years, starts on the low side around 65. Most senior programmers that I know make between 80 and 95.

    Speck

  6. #6
    iDxMan Guest
    Originally posted by pbharris:
    get that freaking technical degree (BS), like the last guy pointed out it may not mean much much but it is prerequisite. i know more than one moron with a degree making truckloads of cash. and i know some real bright guys w/o an degree who should be making more than the otehr guys. the brightest guys i know do have a degree so i do think it makes a difference, but how much i don't know.
    That's where my vote is.. Get something, anything. It'll help. If you find a company with a brain (which is rare), they can see your talent and wont worry much about the crust you put after your name. << which is mostly bs anyways.

    Currently, I'm getting paid $hit, but as usual know more than any of them. Ok, except for that old-school unix nerd. I should be making at least 2x-3x what I am now, but my time will come..

    Oh and yes.. You'll find many morons making a load of cash since they have a degree and can create a (buzzword warning) "project plan". [ooohhhhh]

    ... I better stop here before I reach for the soapbox....

    -r

  7. #7
    jemfinch Guest
    Originally posted by Dru Lee Parsec:
    I moved again and this time I told tham that I would take any offer the put on the table as long as it started with a 7. I got it.
    "I looked at the slip they passed me...$7.00/hr. After a second, I said, 'Maybe I was a bit unclear...'"

    Sorry, couldn't pass it up

    As a note, I'm a programmer and I make about $10-12/hr bussing tables. Not all programmers get paid to program

    Jeremy


    [This message has been edited by jemfinch (edited 08 October 2000).]

  8. #8
    Sweede Guest
    Originally posted by Dru Lee Parsec:
    I started out in the software QA department making $13 an hour (about $26K/year) BTW, These are all San Diego prices.

    the McDonalds Drive-through window in Joliet, IL, get an average of 18$ an hour..

    but then, they've had like, 10 drive-through shootings in the past year or so...

  9. #9
    kmj Guest
    Originally posted by Sweede:

    the McDonalds Drive-through window in Joliet, IL, get an average of 18$ an hour..

    but then, they've had like, 10 drive-through shootings in the past year or so...
    LOL; I'd do it. Just don't forget your bulletproof vest.

    I've heard of drive-by shootings, but drive-throughs? lol!


  10. #10
    Ethan Guest
    I want to say first off that I'm not trying to contradict or refute what was said before. But I just want to mention stuff I've heard elsewhere and get peoples' reactions to it. I, personally, have not made my mind up on this school issue, so please don't hurl rocks.

    I have been thinking about going back to school for a second B.A. in CS or software engineering. (I have one now in English Literature) I talked to a couple programmers about it and they said I shouldn't do it. One, the instructor of my Intro to Java course, said the time to make money at this is now. Three or four years from now, who knows where the economy will be. And Java is really hot right now, but it won't be forever, so one should grab the opportunity while it exists, not hang out in a school program for 3-4 years.

    The other guy I talked to is a self-taught programmer. He's been doing it for a long time and has been pretty successful. He agreed with the first guy, and said that people in the industry are starting to put less weight on degrees.

    Although I kind of want to go back to school, just because I like school, I found the first guy's argument very compelling.

    I'm curious to know peoples' reactions to the above.

    Ethan

  11. #11
    iDxMan Guest
    Although I kind of want to go back to school, just because I like school, I found the first guy's argument very compelling. I'm curious to know peoples' reactions to the above.
    Although, in my above post, I did say that getting a degree is probably a "good" idea, its not what I'm currently doing. Perhaps I should follow my own advice..

    In any case both are good arguments, but there are several factors ..

    .) How much can you teach yourself?
    .) How much does the degree mean to you?
    .) Do you believe its going to get you farther up the chain faster as opposed to the "experience & self-taught" method?

    Most people I see graduating with a "X" degree (CS/MIS - whatever) are nowhere close to being productive (at least in my type of job), nor know as much. Must be from that ingrained "click here on the M$ button - and poofie, you have email".

    Some guys I work with suggested to just forget the formal education (as you mentioned) and focus on the certifications that are hot right now.

    Just depends on what fence you want to jump.

    -r

  12. #12
    pdc Guest
    A degree is a good thing, best acquired before children and responsiblity. As to pay, 55k right out of school and 75K with 2 years experience in my area.

    Paul

  13. #13
    MrNewbie Guest
    Thanks! I definitly want to be a programmer now. But I saw on tv that the average Microsoft programmer gets $220,000 and I know a lot of you think Microsoft is evil but that pay sounds real good! So I'd really wanna work there. By the way, how much is American tax?
    Thanks a lot.
    Mr Newbie

  14. #14
    klamath Guest
    I saw on tv that the average Microsoft programmer gets $220,000
    LOL - do you mean a Windows programmer, or a programming working for Microsoft?

    Java is really hot right now, but it won't be forever, so one should grab the opportunity while it exists, not hang out in a school program for 3-4 years.
    I personally would never be interested in programming if I thought that it would only be 'hot' for 3 or 4 more years. Besides, so what? If you take a job now, work for 3 years and then the industry dies, where will you be? You're still screwed.

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  15. #15
    toolie Guest
    Wages depend a LOT on how good you are at what you do. I know a kid who skipped college and just went right to work. He's 23 and makes $125k/yr. That's in Arizona, fairly low cost of living.

    I'm not a programmer by training, I just kinda picked it up. I've been out of school for 2 years, and in the past 3 months have had offers for $75k/yr and most recently (like last Friday) I was offered $65k/yr + $7k signing bonus + choice of positions/departments. I'm still at my regular job, only at $55k/yr because I love it too damn much (way killer toys).

    Code slingers can make some money. DBA's make even more money. Remember, it isn't the money though, if you are miserable doing what you do, no amount of money in the world will make up for it.

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