Software Engineer Salary Question

Starkiller · 13-02-2006 2:53pm #1

Hey up!

I gotta question for ye all. I'm a software engineer for the past 5.5 years. I gotta 1.1 degree and loads of Java, UML, systems analysis skills. I am on 40K.

Can anyone give some comments on where this ranks in the pecking order?

Thanks.

toString · 13-02-2006 3:00pm

I think it might depend on where you are located as well

cousin_borat · 13-02-2006 4:11pm

It sounds like its on the lower end of the scale for somebody with over 5 years experience as a Java engineer. As toString points out, not enough details given on location, specific experience to give an accurate evaluation. Theres alot of exciting opportunities, especially in area of Web Services. Are you interested in going down the project management road?

UberNewb · 13-02-2006 4:15pm

Starkiller wrote:

Hey up!

I gotta question for ye all. I'm a software engineer for the past 5.5 years. I gotta 1.1 degree and loads of Java, UML, systems analysis skills. I am on 40K.

Can anyone give some comments on where this ranks in the pecking order?

Thanks.

I'm a software engineer on 60k, it all depends on your employer. Same with programmers...

Peace · 13-02-2006 4:20pm

UberNewb wrote:

I'm a software engineer on 60k, it all depends on your employer. Same with programmers...

Exactly... its all about who you work for.

I'm programming in .Net almost 2 years and previous 1.5 years in VB6. On 27k now.

irishguy · 13-02-2006 4:45pm

Peace wrote:

Exactly... its all about who you work for.

I'm programming in .Net almost 2 years and previous 1.5 years in VB6. On 27k now.

is that not a bit low ? I just went for a graduate Java developer position and they are offering 26,000 in dublin. acenture are offering 29,000

Peace · 13-02-2006 4:51pm

irishguy wrote:

is that not a bit low ? I just went for a graduate Java developer position and they are offering 26,000 in dublin. acenture are offering 29,000

Thats exactly the point, it depends on where you work. If i joined MS with my current qualifications (BTW i have a BSc Comp Sci) I'd start on 37k.

CountryWise · 13-02-2006 4:53pm

where did you see the Accenture position advertised?? i work for them and didnt even know that position existed

irishguy · 13-02-2006 4:55pm

Peace wrote:

Thats exactly the point, it depends on where you work. If i joined MS with my current qualifications (BTW i have a BSc Comp Sci) I'd start on 37k.

but intel in shannon are offering 27,000ish and erikson in athlone are offering 26,000 so it doent seem to vary that much, for grads anyway

irishguy · 13-02-2006 4:56pm

it was on grad ireland they did interviews about 2weeks ago in Limerick

deadfingers · 13-02-2006 5:01pm

what skill sets do you have Ubernewb? I was talking to a friend who has six years developing experenice and he says that he started in a company as a grad and he thinks that he would be on a lot better money if he left due to the fact that his salary increase's do not match current salary trends. He would not tell what money he was :rolleyes:

CountryWise · 13-02-2006 5:07pm

salaries seem to vary from County to County also, Wages are higher in Dublin in most cases, unfortuantely so are living prices and generally everything!!

UberNewb · 13-02-2006 5:40pm

I forgot to point out that I started on a much lower salary and I used to work on much smaller projects of less importance, but over the years my salary has gone up to reflect my experience. I have been with the company for 9 years now

and another pay review is coming soon!

UberNewb · 13-02-2006 5:46pm

deadfingers wrote:

what skill sets do you have Ubernewb?

Just C++ and SQL but to a very high level as thats all I'll ever need.

randomname · 13-02-2006 5:48pm

I have to say the majority salaries listed in the thread are really low for dublin ( i dont know all these people are in dublin).

At the moment a grads salary is 30K (in dublin) coming out of college. If you work in a place a long time it doesnt mean your gonna have a high salary but more likely you'll like what you are doing and the environment.

If your working 5 years plus depending on how competent and what field you are in you can easily be getting 60K.

Anyway best way to earn a lot in IT get your 3 - 5 years experience and then start contracting.

I know a few engineers that are on quite a lot contracting with about 6 years experience.

dazberry · 13-02-2006 8:41pm

Can anyone tell me where these 60k jobs are (and in what!?) - I honestly don't know anyone - myself included that earns that salary in SE - I've been stuck on more or less the same salary (in different companies) for the last 7 years

D.

irishguy · 13-02-2006 8:45pm

randomname wrote:

I have to say the majority salaries listed in the thread are really low for dublin ( i dont know all these people are in dublin).

At the moment a grads salary is 30K (in dublin) coming out of college. If you work in a place a long time it doesnt mean your gonna have a high salary but more likely you'll like what you are doing and the environment.

If your working 5 years plus depending on how competent and what field you are in you can easily be getting 60K.

Anyway best way to earn a lot in IT get your 3 - 5 years experience and then start contracting.

I know a few engineers that are on quite a lot contracting with about 6 years experience.

very few grad salaries are 30 or above. even in dublin most are 25,000 - 28,000

Draupnir · 13-02-2006 8:50pm

randomname wrote:

I have to say the majority salaries listed in the thread are really low for dublin ( i dont know all these people are in dublin).

At the moment a grads salary is 30K (in dublin) coming out of college. If you work in a place a long time it doesnt mean your gonna have a high salary but more likely you'll like what you are doing and the environment.

If your working 5 years plus depending on how competent and what field you are in you can easily be getting 60K.

Anyway best way to earn a lot in IT get your 3 - 5 years experience and then start contracting.

I know a few engineers that are on quite a lot contracting with about 6 years experience.

No way grad jobs are 30k in Dublin, the grad bracket is from 25k to 28k max right now in Dublin, I should know, I'm a graduate! As are my 15 - 20 mates all working in various places around Dublin.

Quigs Snr · 13-02-2006 8:58pm

As a manager trying to recruit staff all over Ireland right now I find most of these salary claims silly.

Grads start early to mid twenties 99% of the time, add 2k for Dublin.

3-5 years puts you up in the 32 - 40 bracket (on average).

5+ you may get 45. This is all as a developer. Project Management, team leads, 50-60 depending on years. Most are closer to the 50 mark.

Some niche markets can do well like DBA's in rare databases, that kind of thing. But in general, the above is realistic. I interviewed/saw CV's of maybe 80 people in Dublin, Waterford, Limerick, Galway, Athlone and those were the numbers these people were putting on their CV's.

Having worked in Dublin for many years and now working elsewhere, I can tell you that the difference in money is far from stellar. In most cases, there is none or less than 10%. Most of the time as has been pointed out it depends on the company, the bigger payers are rarer than rocking horse sh*t and are very much in the minority.

toString · 13-02-2006 9:00pm

2 1/2 years experience and was on €38K when I left Bristol in the UK 8 months ago, was offered €45K to back there 2 weeks ago

cousin_borat · 13-02-2006 9:16pm

Some facts and figures on IT Salaries for 2005:
http://www.rescon.ie/IMAGES/Rescon_Salary_Survey_July_2005.doc

I'm currently working as an ERP technical consultant in Oracle, on the second year of a Graduate programme. At the moment just below the lower bracket figure on this survey for my role.

Hope this helps

rsynnott · 14-02-2006 6:53pm

UberNewb wrote:

Just C++ and SQL but to a very high level as thats all I'll ever need.

That's... foolishly optimistic.

damnyanks · 14-02-2006 8:17pm

Working in London. Grad's get the equav of 60k euro. Sounds impressive but living cost, working hours etc. all add's up (But still a strong salary all the same)

MrPinK · 14-02-2006 11:24pm

damnyanks wrote:

Working in London. Grad's get the equav of 60k euro. Sounds impressive but living cost, working hours etc. all add's up (But still a strong salary all the same)

While they certainly make a fair bit more here alright, 60k is a bit of an exaggeration. The only 'grad' jobs I've seen offering near £40k are for PhD grads with 18 months commercial experience. That kind of money is certainly not the norm for grads.

Morpheus · 15-02-2006 10:17am

Started on IR£18,000 with BSc C++ and VB6 for about 2 years in nice small software company that went bust.

6 months more on VB6 with finance company in IFSC, hole of a place at €25K

moved to VBA for 6 months at €24K, cool place to work but kept giving me 3 month contracts no salary based pay.

Now doing c# ASP.net and windows forms for last 2 years earning €33K, due a performance review this week, will raise issue of salary too.

Friend of mine left this job for new company earning €45K 3 weeks ago, same experience in .NET as myself, I think he got lucky!!!

bringitdown · 15-02-2006 10:36am

Am now on €45k ... with 4.5 years exp, C, C++, Telecomms
That all excludes the benefits - VHI, Contrib. Pension (makes a diff kids)... etc

I know some people in my experience bracket that are not on the same salary and some are on better ... all depends on where / who / how good you are.

rebellad · 15-02-2006 10:44am

Am on 40k... with 4.5 years experience, mostly SQL + VB in Cork though

Peace · 15-02-2006 10:50am

I think an important point that hasn't been mentnioned is the shortfall in IT grads coming out in recent times (past 2-3 years). I have seen more than one article in the last 6months on the subject. When demand will out strip supply of quaified programmers, then things will change.

Hobbes · 15-02-2006 11:07am

Peace wrote:

When demand will out strip supply of quaified programmers, then things will change.

Yea they will outsource to India.

IronMan · 15-02-2006 11:11am

I'm on a IT graduate program with a very large semi-state. First year of the program. Basic salary is €31,000. Bonus of €3000 a year. On call allowance of €650 a month. Also get a pension, free broadband, free laptop, free mobile. Which is excellent. Not involved in programming at all, but in storage. Thought I'd miss code, but its being surprisingly and quite pleasent to forget how to invoke a method etc.

Am I gloating, quite potentially! That said, I worked for CPL before that, and was on €20,000. So I've seen what hell looks like.

Phileas Fogg · 15-02-2006 3:08pm

IronMan wrote:

Am I gloating, quite potentially! That said, I worked for CPL before that, and was on €20,000. So I've seen what hell looks like.

How much were they charging for you per day? :v:

Software Engineer Salary Question

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