Most lucrative area of Software Engineering

[kev374]

What is the area that pays most for hands on development in Software Engineering? By most I mean somewhere in the $160-180k range.

I am in server side Java and no matter how much skill you have in this area these days salaries are pathetically low ($110-120k or so) and in my opinion a lot of this stuff is complicated…for example I am currently working on a ridiculously complicated in house developed Javascript framework for a company despite being primarily a server side Java guy.

I would like to make around $175k or so base and then a bonus, I think with inflation the way it is that more accurately represents the complexity one has to deal with.

[Coronita]

Its not worth switching just for the pay. Sorry, even if you invest all that time and energy, unless you’ve been doing it for awhile, you aren’t going to be commanding the highest pay. Also the highest pay changes based on current skills market conditions. Trying to specialize in a Software area just for pay is a receipt for disaster.

[an]

I totally agree with flu. Do you want like, not what pays the most at the moment. However, app development is hot right now, and you can make $130-170k with the right experience. .NET isn’t too bad either if you get yourself in .NET + Biotech.

[no_such_reality]

That’s the treadmill.

All will top out around that today over the long term, imho that top end will push down with continued advancement in the developing world.

In the short term, you can find niches that may be paying more but as Flu said, you need track years in it where it wasn’t hot and more hobby than job and the skill shortage can fill in surprisingly quickly. Design leads pay more, but even those are driving down

So either get on the new skill treadmill or find new career.

[kev374]

It’s just frustrating, I have looked at node.js, mongoDB, Express.js etc. and all that stuff is WAAAAY easier than what I am breaking my head here doing. I think some of those guys are making $150k+ so i’m thinking perhaps MEAN stack can up my salary? I’m just tired of making $125-130k as I think I should be making way more given how complex all this crap is…

btw, $130k is not enough. Everyone and his dog is making that these days. Even the guy here that barely knows how to markup a HTML document is getting $100k! WTF??

And at my last company…there was an INTERN, she barely knew WTF she was doing and she was paid $95k and did I mention she was an Intern??

[kev374]

I know people in the SAP space, private consulting, making $500,000 a year, I think that is where the money is. Niche areas of consulting… create your own agency. My GF’s ex BF earned something like $1.5 million/yr or something (so she says)..he had his own consulting company taking on small projects, I don’t think all these SAP guys are something special. SAP is just super boring but if it pays that kind of $$$ then why not.

With all the inflation going on $130k in greater LA just ain’t going to cut it anymore… I don’t even consider it a livable middle class wage anymore.

[an]

kev, I know and understand what you’re feeling. But you have to understand that also mean the floor for our profession is pretty high as well. Glass half full vs empty mentality. If you want to break out into the $150k+ range, you have to become an architect and understand have experience in full stack. Strictly server or client won’t cut it.

[Coronita]

[quote=kev374]I know people in the SAP space, private consulting, making $500,000 a year, I think that is where the money is. Niche areas of consulting… create your own agency. My GF’s ex BF earned something like $1.5 million/yr or something (so she says)..he had his own consulting company taking on small projects, I don’t think all these SAP guys are something special. SAP is just super boring but if it pays that kind of $$$ then why not.

With all the inflation going on $130k in greater LA just ain’t going to cut it anymore… I don’t even consider it a livable middle class wage anymore.[/quote]

You care too much about salary and the number you get on a paycheck. The difference isn’t meaningful that much after taxes. If you care so much about money, you should spend much more time thinking about how to make you money you earn grow more without requiring that much more sweat labor. That isn’t easy too, it will be impossible to do that if you stay way to fixated on your sweat labor paycheck. How long do you think you could really make $200-250k as a top notch software engineer?

And who cares what you gf’s ex boyfriend makes. Unless she cares…and then if that is the case, you have bigger issues to worry about. You should then ask snarkly “then why is he an ex if that’s all you care about”

[Anonymous]

Sorry but you are not going to make 175K as an Engineer in San Diego. For that kind of pay you will need to be in management of some sort. If anybody has example to the contrary, I would be interested in hearing the details (i.e. what company and job).

[no_such_reality]

LOL, I know those SAP guys too. Most make near what you make, maybe $150ish. It comes with a bunch of baggage and I don’t mean the boredom.

Death march project, check.
Irrational customer, check.
Conflicting deliverables, check.
Long hours, check.
Travel to unexotic and dull places, check.
3rd reboot of the project after two fails and less flexibility on requirements, check.
Lawsuits, check.

To make good money in SAP, you need to travel, know the full stack, project management, have great people skills and a Clintonesque Teflon coating for the frequent sh*tslingng. Just imho.

The toughest skill for many is developing the skill to build and document what was asked for, whether or not it will work, while documenting who made the decision without pointing the finger at the exec that’s brought you in or another with more clout than them and making sure they have a goat to sacrifice that has their marks all over it.

[Coronita]

[quote=deadzone]Sorry but you are not going to make 175K as an Engineer in San Diego. For that kind of pay you will need to be in management of some sort. If anybody has example to the contrary, I would be interested in hearing the details (i.e. what company and job).[/quote]

Not to make you feel bad, but you would be wrong.

[Anonymous]

Okay, give me an example then.

Or more widely, does anybody on this board make base salary of 175K in a purely technical position for a corporation?

If that possibility exists, not sure why FLU is always whining about how Enginerds don’t make enough money.

[Coronita]

[quote=deadzone]Okay, give me an example then.

Or more widely, does anybody on this board make base salary of 175K in a purely technical position for a corporation?

If that possibility exists, not sure why FLU is always whining about how Enginerds don’t make enough money.[/quote]

Because $200k and under on a w2 in cal really isn’t rich. Its middle class. 35-40% of it goes to taxes if you don’t itemize. And on a w2, you can’t really deduct much.

And engineers don’t make squat on a net basis after taxes because most engineers are salaried w2 which is different from say professionals that have their own practice and run things as a business.

That gross number looks big. But your net is what matters. $10k salary difference really looks like $5000 difference after taxes. You want to work an extra 15hrs a week for that as most employers would demand, be my guest. I’d rather spend more time doing something else.

[Anonymous]

Still waiting for an example of Engineer making 175K in San Diego.

Nobody claimed 175K (or 200K) salary in California is “rich”. But if you don’t think someone with that salary is very well off you are delusional.

[plm]

I don’t think 175K is rich at all. If I made that, the extra money would go into my bank account, not much of a lifestyle change at all. I think rich would be making over a million which isn’t going to happen with just salary. But maybe with stock options and RSUs. I think people should concentrate on that instead of salary.

Oops, I misread your post, you mean well off. Yes, 175K is well off but I’d think most engineers making less than 175K is well off as well.

[Author]

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