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A lot of people on here are making the claim that salaries are being squeezed and that we are experiencing a severe drop in incomes. Now, I don't necessarily doubt this or support it. I'm curious about what you consider a fair wage. There are so many variables that go into what a person earns. What field are they in? How much experience or education they have? How big is their employer? What geographic location do they live in? etc.
Personally, I make in the low to mid-40s in a large city (500,000+) in the west with a couple years experience. My field is not extremely technical, but my job does require a degree. When I read these posts about dropping wages, I don't know whether to be alarmed or apathetic towards them. How do I know if I'm not making a fair salary? What is a fair salary? How does someone determine a fair salary, particularly in this long-term economic stagnation?
Last edited by Z3N1TH 0N3; 02-01-2011 at 03:06 PM..
I wonder how accurate these are, because when I've asked about them in the past, people seemed to doubt their credibility. I mean, if these are correct, then I'm at least $10k underpaid in my field, with my experience, and in my geographic location.
Check all the calculator and statistic sites you like, but there is really no way of determining what exactly is the "fair" salary for what you do and how well you do it.
Instead of worrying about what other people make, consider:
1. Lots of people right now don't have a job, and aren't making ANY salary, so you're fortunate to be getting what you're getting.
2. Do you earn enough to cover the basics (home, food, utilities, car/transit)?
3. Do you have any money left over to put into savings?
4. Do you have any money left over for extras (not huge things like a boat, not expensive vacations, but going out to dinner, pay-TV channels, buying a DVD when you'd like to, buying yourself a shirt when it grabs you or a toy for your kid).
5. Do you enjoy what you do (not meaning you jump for joy every day at work, but you generally find what you do meaningful and somewhat enjoyable, and something you chose).
6. Do others recognize if you're good at what you do and give you credit for it?
7. Can you maintain a healthy balance between personal life and work life?
8. Are you at least "in the pack" with regard to the resources your friends and family have? (meaning they are not vastly richer or poorer than you are).
I think as long as you like what you do, you do a good job, you keep trying to do better, you have enough money to live, to save, and for some treats, then everything else is "icing" and it doesn't matter how much other people earn. Living with envy will just ensure that you're never satisfied and you're always unhappy. Instead learn to be happy with what you have and keep setting the bar higher for yourself each year. It's like running track: who cares of you get a ribbon for placing againt the other runners; just get your personal best time.
I think as long as you like what you do, you do a good job, you keep trying to do better, you have enough money to live, to save, and for some treats, then everything else is "icing" and it doesn't matter how much other people earn. Living with envy will just ensure that you're never satisfied and you're always unhappy. Instead learn to be happy with what you have and keep setting the bar higher for yourself each year. It's like running track: who cares of you get a ribbon for placing againt the other runners; just get your personal best time.
Yeah, for me, it's not really an envy thing. Knowing what others make gives me an idea about how much I should value my work. For all I know, my work could be valued at $10/hr. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the better off you are in terms of bargaining power. If my employer realizes that I'm ignorant as far as knowing what my position is worth, they will low ball me. Rather than slap some arbitrary value on my work it'd be nice to know what I can get for my experience/skills/etc.
I find the payscale.com sites and things overestimate some of the positions I've looked at locally and underestimated a few others.
From: May 2009 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Wage Estimates
Occupation Code Occupation Title Employment (1) Median Hourly Mean Hourly Mean Annual (2) Mean RSE (3)
00-0000 All Occupations 130,647,610
$15.95 $20.90 $43,460 0.1 %
So, you are on par with the average wager earner in the US. And, I am at a point where I would be happy if I could, sadly, catch up to the mean.
What field are they in? How much experience or education they have? How big is their employer? What geographic location do they live in?
In the South, 2m+ population, System/Business Analyst,
20 years experience, consulting companies < 250, salary
in the low 6 figures. I've considered $60k, just to get
back in the game.
There is disparity in salary for a S/BA ... if you're with a
consulting company, salary will be in the low 6 figures,
but if working in the IT department of "some" company,
salary can be $80-100k. Actually, this applies to many
positions in the computer field (programmers/etc).
Check all the calculator and statistic sites you like, but there is really no way of determining what exactly is the "fair" salary for what you do and how well you do it.
Instead of worrying about what other people make, consider:
1. Lots of people right now don't have a job, and aren't making ANY salary, so you're fortunate to be getting what you're getting.
2. Do you earn enough to cover the basics (home, food, utilities, car/transit)?
3. Do you have any money left over to put into savings?
4. Do you have any money left over for extras (not huge things like a boat, not expensive vacations, but going out to dinner, pay-TV channels, buying a DVD when you'd like to, buying yourself a shirt when it grabs you or a toy for your kid).
5. Do you enjoy what you do (not meaning you jump for joy every day at work, but you generally find what you do meaningful and somewhat enjoyable, and something you chose).
6. Do others recognize if you're good at what you do and give you credit for it?
7. Can you maintain a healthy balance between personal life and work life?
8. Are you at least "in the pack" with regard to the resources your friends and family have? (meaning they are not vastly richer or poorer than you are).
I think as long as you like what you do, you do a good job, you keep trying to do better, you have enough money to live, to save, and for some treats, then everything else is "icing" and it doesn't matter how much other people earn. Living with envy will just ensure that you're never satisfied and you're always unhappy. Instead learn to be happy with what you have and keep setting the bar higher for yourself each year. It's like running track: who cares of you get a ribbon for placing againt the other runners; just get your personal best time.
I was forced to take this job. It was the day that my unemployment(which for a part time school bus driver was $169 a week) ran out. I was forced to accept $10hr for 40 hours a week. No benefits for 13 months, no vacation, no sick and no personal time. I am on probation for 6 months. I hate this job with ever ounce of my being. Since we got sent home for snow today-I had to come home and continue to work remotely just to get my pay for the day. I've worked every weekend for 4 or more hours a day to make up hours because they shut down early or all together for snowstorms since Christmas. I've not left the house except for Christmas-all I do is make up work at home.
We are a family of 5. Two in college-who can't even get a job at Burger King for all the immigrants there. 1 pre-teen and my husband's business is dead this time of year. I can't make my bills at all. Our cell phones have been turned off, I can't buy groceries-I go now to the food pantry. We went from having jobs that combined we made 70K and were comfortable-to now making under 20K a year. What else do I give up? My kids need the computers for school work-one has a class that requires online access. While we paid off our home, I don't earn enough to pay the $5900 in taxes that are looming at us. I can't save a dime-there is not a dime left. I live in county with 300,000 people. That's pathetic I can't get a job that pays a living wage. While I only have a Associate's degree-it's more than the GED that the people who are in their early 20's in my office have. Why can't I make more than them?
We don't have money for vacations, dental problems, clothing, nothing at all. I pay it all for heat/electric, car insurance, the business/house phone, gas, and what little food, and a home equity loan that is more than half way paid off. I am still 1k a month short to save up for the taxes that are coming up.
I'd love to find a job away from here in the Hudson Valley. But having to care for a 87 year old parent as a only child-I am stuck. It's not right employers are purposely underpaying their employees where they have to get Medicaid, food stamps and welfare. Something is seriously wrong with that picture.
A lot of people on here are making the claim that salaries are being squeezed and that we are experiencing a severe drop in incomes. Now, I don't necessarily doubt this or support it. I'm curious about what you consider a fair wage. There are so many variables that go into what a person earns. What field are they in? How much experience or education they have? How big is their employer? What geographic location do they live in? etc.
Personally, I make in the low to mid-40s in a large city (500,000+) in the west with a couple years experience. My field is not extremely technical, but my job does require a degree. When I read these posts about dropping wages, I don't know whether to be alarmed or apathetic towards them. How do I know if I'm not making a fair salary? What is a fair salary? How does someone determine a fair salary, particularly in this long-term economic stagnation?
In my area the vast majority of people (80%+) make less than $10 per hour. Most make between $8 - $9. Even when both people work, it is still very hard to make ends meet.
I consider a good paying job $30,000 or more. There are precious few of those around where I live. In a tourist environment, most jobs are service-oriented and low paying. Breaking into management is difficult if you are not in the "in crowd". Occasionally, you will get lucky with a company that is coming into the area and does not know that wages are so low. But those instances are rare.
"While I only have a Associate's degree-it's more than the GED that the people who are in their early 20's in my office have. Why can't I make more than them?"
Yes, people, companies, and geographic areas fall on hard times, and you are facing that right now. But getting a job with more pay, for yourself and for your family should be the focus, not making more than those 20-somethings with a GED make. If those people in the office earn more than you or less than you, how does that affect you? It doesn't, unless you allow it to emotionally affect you.
I have a Master's degree and work my butt off in a difficult field. Yes I see people making more than me, with a lesser degree and not working so hard. But that doesn't affect my life at all. Why should I even let that resentment in?
I'm not sure why your post was directed to me. I'm not saying people don't have it rough, but that worrying about what salaries other people make doesn't do you any good.
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