More Questions about San Diego

[intelfan11315]

Thanks for the advice everybody, I think I kind of expected to take a little paycut. But honestly what I heard about it easier to get a job because of a lower base salary makes me feel a little better. I'm more than happy to start out of college making a little bit less in a city I really want to live. I can build my career from there and gain more experience. At my age, it is more imporant for me to be in a city of my choice than to make an extra 5-7k per year

[DrJoey]

Originally Posted by burgler09

I have searched and it looks like an average salary for a Chemical Engineer out of college makes about 65,000-70,000 dollars.

From talking to friends who are ChemE the typical BS level pay is much less here in SD. 50-55k is probably more realistic depending on your experience/expertise. Thats still pretty good money out here if you can find a job, but without a handful of cash (20% down) you're not likely to get a house anytime soon.

The reality of SD is that there are a number of people with advanced degrees and great credentials that are willing to pay the sunshine tax and the housing market is so screwed that without a ton of cash you are going to start out in condo. I have lived here for 2 years now and have an MD/PhD with a BS in ChemE and have been renting since I moved here. I know a lot of people with similar degrees and years of experience that are sitting on their skills in this market. With no real economic indication of better times in the area there is always going to be an enormous level of competition here.

[intelfan11315]

Originally Posted by DrJoey

From talking to friends who are ChemE the typical BS level pay is much less here in SD. 50-55k is probably more realistic depending on your experience/expertise. Thats still pretty good money out here if you can find a job, but without a handful of cash (20% down) you're not likely to get a house anytime soon.

The reality of SD is that there are a number of people with advanced degrees and great credentials that are willing to pay the sunshine tax and the housing market is so screwed that without a ton of cash you are going to start out in condo. I have lived here for 2 years now and have an MD/PhD with a BS in ChemE and have been renting since I moved here. I know a lot of people with similar degrees and years of experience that are sitting on their skills in this market. With no real economic indication of better times in the area there is always going to be an enormous level of competition here.

On a different note, that's pretty cool you also have a chemE degree. Just wondering, what do you think about going the MBa route?

Is it really that hard to find work as a Chemical Engineer? Do you have any advice about the field?

[NYSD1995]

Plan on 50-55k and 50% of income to housing. That puts you about in the 1500/mo range which will get you a decent apartment in a decent part of town.

Don't listen to the naysayers... you have a ChemE degree and they don't. A lot of people can't really fathom how rare and in-demand a degree like that actually is.