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What makes the whole thing super weird is that where I live, "software engineers" which is to say, javascript programmers, get paid a lot more, say, than civil
by lsc 7y ago
What makes the whole thing super weird is that where I live, "software engineers" which is to say, javascript programmers, get paid a lot more, say, than civil engineers or aeronautical engineers... so it's weird that computer technicians try to say they are Engineers rather than the other way around.
- airbreather 7y agoMaybe depends where you are, I live in resources city, generally speaking a good experienced engineer gets paid quite a lot more than good programmer. Some experience you just can't overwhelm with any amount of youthful vigor or brilliance when the consequences are substantial enough.
- lsc 7y agoYeah, probably depends a lot on where. I'm just a sysadmin, the difference in pay between here in silicon valley and the cheaper parts of the US for my labor are extremely dramatic. I mean, it's dramatic for better educated programmers, too, but not nearly as much as it is for me with no degree and a less prestigious title. I know a bunch of people who worked at lockheed around here, and, like you'd get literal MIT rocket scientists with security clearances making... dramatically less than me, even though I have one of the lower paid technical roles you can find at the FAANG companies.
- galfarragem 7y agoSuply and demand explain most phenomena. Where I live, and in most places - I believe - there are some traditional engineers and architects that earn more than a software engineer. However, they are outliers, a regular one is comically bad paid comparing with a regular software engineer. Disclaimer: I worked as an architect in a previous life.
- badpun 7y agoA profession can be high pay and low prestige (ex. prostitution). Engineering is more prestigious than programming, so no wonder than programmers want to be called engineers.