• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

What was your starting salary after college?

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
I never went to college, but when I was 18 I was making about 30k a year, by the time I was 21 I was making closer to 80, now I make about 47k. Changing professions is fun.
 
Was offered $50k after graduating in CS but turned it down, partially because of my doubts of the future of the company. Ended up self-employed for a couple years (completely unrelated to my degree) making substantially more. When that business died down in 2009 (great time to be looking for a job), I got hired with the same company starting at $60k as my first "real" job.
 
After Undergrad, made -(neg)30k/yr,
Then during residency made 24k/yr (37k todays dollars)
First job after residency made 95k/yr (130k todays dollars)

Not much but I'm only a physician.
 
After college: $45k
at 27 -> $150k after taxes - ( I have no life though)

Undergrad: EE
Grad: PM
Grad: MBA

Management pays well, but your life sux. Hope this helps.
 
Took me nearly two years to get a "real" job after college graduation.

Programmer
54k/yr

Undergraduate in MIS
 
Last edited:
According to your converter I was making $42,000 when I started my first job after college ($26,000 in 1990's money).

it took me to my mid 30's to break $100k...ahh well, wasnt worried since I always had enough money to do what needed doing.
 
Last edited:
Dropped out after 2 years ...
Was making $11 an hour, averaging about 10 hours per week overtime, so earned about 30k

Nowadays, 11 years later ... I am doing a LOT better.
 
Juked07 said:
Slightly off topic but.. I bet this thread has huge selection bias even beyond this just being ATOT. Although there are obviously exceptions, people who feel they were inadequately successful are unlikely to post, people who feel they made too much to not be bragging are unlikely to post. Who knows.. I guess maybe people who made absurdly little take some sort of perverse pride and would have more propensity to share. Etc.
Click to expand...

Yes, there are lots of doctors and lawyers in this thread, successful salespeople, and engineers that went on to management. Good for them, but it can be discouraging to those that post here that are struggling, like most of the country is. The only reason that I read these threads is to get an idea of what I might want to do next since people also talk a bit about their careers.
 
Blackjack200 said:
Yes, there are lots of doctors and lawyers in this thread, successful salespeople, and engineers that went on to management. Good for them, but it can be discouraging to those that post here that are struggling, like most of the country is. The only reason that I read these threads is to get an idea of what I might want to do next since people also talk a bit about their careers.
Click to expand...

🙁

Graduated with bachelor of chemical engineering in April, probably applied to 300 employers. One call back, next day after scheduling an interview they called me and said a guy with more experience willing to take the same pay filled the job. It was for $18/hour so not even what these other posters are saying they got starting. Working for min wage at a retail place.
 
18k starting salary for IBM in 1981. Using the calculator that would be $44.5k in today's money.

I was very happy with the starting money, and within 7-8 years I was topping $100k in yesteryear dollars.
 
mOeeOm said:
🙁

Graduated with bachelor of chemical engineering in April, probably applied to 300 employers. One call back, next day after scheduling an interview they called me and said a guy with more experience willing to take the same pay filled the job. It was for $18/hour so not even what these other posters are saying they got starting. Working for min wage at a retail place.
Click to expand...

Ouch. I find that discouraging. Did you have a good GPA? I've noticed its really hard to find an engineering job with <= 3.2ish GPA (source: a handful of friends who graduated with low GPAs).
 
Leros said:
Ouch. I find that discouraging. Did you have a good GPA? I've noticed its really hard to find an engineering job with <= 3.2ish GPA (source: a handful of friends who graduated with low GPAs).
Click to expand...

Yea GPA not too hot. Going back for more schooling/certification hopefully make my resume better and I actually get an interview. Although I know people with weak GPA who got jobs, but they also had a relative get them the job. But I don't think it's the GPA that matters, it's the experience or connections.
 
CompE. Made 48K my first year out, in 2005. This year I am already over 80K, but that is mostly due to the insane amount of overtime. @40hr/wk I would probably be around 65K.
 
mOeeOm said:
Yea GPA not too hot. Going back for more schooling/certification hopefully make my resume better and I actually get an interview. Although I know people with weak GPA who got jobs, but they also had a relative get them the job. But I don't think it's the GPA that matters, it's the experience or connections.
Click to expand...

From what I've seen among a sample group of 20-30 people I graduated with, GPA seems matter a lot (even with internship experience). My engineering friends with low GPAs (3.0-3.3 or so) were able to get jobs as technical sales people making about $40k. I know a few guys with sub 3.0 GPAs. One got a sales job through his dad. The other eventually gave up on finding a job and became a waiter.

For reference, my engineering friends from college with GPAs > 3.3 got jobs making $50-95k.
 
Leros said:
From what I've seen among a sample group of 20-30 people I graduated with, GPA seems matter a lot (even with internship experience). My engineering friends with low GPAs (3.0-3.3 or so) were able to get jobs as technical sales people making about $40k. I know a few guys with sub 3.0 GPAs. One got a sales job through his dad. The other eventually gave up on finding a job and became a waiter.

For reference, my engineering friends from college with GPAs > 3.3 got jobs making $50-95k.
Click to expand...
My sub-3.0 GPA got me a great job. /shrug

GPA is overrated and any employer that puts too much emphasis on it...meh.
 
rcpratt said:
My sub-3.0 GPA got me a great job. /shrug
Click to expand...

It might just be the major. I found GPA to be much more important in electrical engineering that in other majors (e.g. I have friends with 3.0 GPA in CS or ME that got great jobs, but a 3.0 in EE is pure failure).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top