Just wondering, anybody want to share salary info as to what we make and what we should be paid? Just a thought, but I think most of us are underpaid. I will be first, I work 50+ hours/week, make about 55/ year. Sucks:site:
There are many factors around pay. Experience... Do you go on the road... Are you simply a programmer or a Electrical Engineer/Motion Control/Robots etc etc which will add to your pay.
Also amount of work in your area... if little work then more people chase it which drives wages down.
I would say controls is generally poorly paid compared to say process engineers, which is where i would advise my kids to head for
I have an Associates of Science in Electronics Engineering, and am the Control Systems guru here. Not an electrician, I have one of those. But it seems that there is not enough understanding in what we do, machine interface, safety, control? :site:
Dunno if "Controls Guru" is a title that brings home the bacon!
Lets throw some scenarios:
1 - You work in a Plant, and have a Maintenance title: $
2 - You work in a Plant, and have a Controls Technician title: $$
3 - You work in a Plant, and have a Controls Engineer Title: $$$
4 - You work for an OEM/Systems Integrator w/a Junior Controls Engineer title: $$$
5 - You work for an OEM/Systems Integrator w/a Controls Engineer Title: $$$$
6 - You work for an OEM/Systems INtegrator w/a Senior Controls Engineer Title: $$$$$
Granted that is extremely dumbed down, but it's my experience of my career so far.
Another factor is how much experience the engineer has. Without knowing your work history/years of experience, it's hard to judge whether you're being underpaid or not.
Since i am in arkansas i can let you you know what ive seen/experienced. Your paid inline with your job title. When i moved to arkansas i took a job as an etech and provided support for controls only. I was paid 25/hr worked 40 every week. Left for a senior controls engineer paid 70k worked 45hrs a week with minor travel. Went to work for an integrator for 80k. Left to start my own company have been pretty successful so far. Hope to make 60+ and i am on track to do that.
I will state that the salary jump from someone in your position to an integrator is pretty big, but so is the responsibility/accountability. I was offered a job with a manufacturer that was willing to pay 100+ but i would eventually get bored etc.
Honestly what do you want to make? And more importantly what are you willing to do to get that amount?