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If you look at how salaries are distributed across the US public, the 60k - 100k category is way too large while 151k-200k should probably be just one range and
by jaxn 15y ago
If you look at how salaries are distributed across the US public, the 60k - 100k category is way too large while 151k-200k should probably be just one range and not two.
As someone who hires programmers, I am much more interested in how many people make between 60-70, 70-85, and 85-100.
- smackfu 15y agoUnevenly sized buckets give weird data anyways. How would you show it on a graph? The buckets should be uniform, except for catch-alls at the ends, then you choose how to display them afterwards.
- lojack 15y ago> How would you show it on a graph? A relative frequency density histogram
- eru 15y agoYou could argue for uniformity in the logarithmic domain just as well.
- fhars 15y agoBut the buckets in the poll are even more ubequal on a logarithmic scale than on a linear scale.
- graywh 15y agoStatistically speaking, using buckets is like throwing away 1/3 to 1/2 of your data. There was a salary survey on here a couple of months ago.
- vu0tran 15y agoI'm also very interested in this. Can somebody else make a poll with ranges 50-59,60-69,70-79,80-89,90-100? My karma's too low :(
- almightygod 15y agoI think it adds value but I have also created a richer survey here (https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGFfZ1NuSXZ3WHNibmF5Rk5OSWxTekE6MQ https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey...) The raw anonymous results will be shared on HN in a few days w/analysis.
- smackfu 15y agoMay want to clarify what domain means in order to get useful values for that.
- almightygod 15y agoyep - changed to industry
- code_devil 15y agoYou might want to add "Technology/Industry" like Web Companies(FB,Twitter), App Companies(Built on Top of FB, Twitter), Mobile Companies, Networking (Cisco, Juniper), DB/related (Oracle), OS(Apple, MSFT). I "get" the feeling that programmers in Web technologies get paid less than people in hardware/appliance companies like Cisco, Juniper, NetApp etc. Edit: Just noticed the Industry Option :)
- nl 15y agoHardware (as in embedded programming) actually pays pretty badly compared to web programming (although I expect Cisco/Juniper are exceptions).
- X-Istence 15y agoDepends on what field you are in with embedded programming. I know a few people that work on embedded hardware such as microwaves, fridges and whatnot that make 100,000+ a year.
- bstx 15y agoHow about a seniority/years of experience field?
- mendocino 15y agoThe buckets might have a Valley bias. It seems the only programmers at SV companies that make less than 100k these days are interns.
- sukuriant 15y agoActually, this is a serious consideration. Location greatly affects pay, as cost of living changes. For example, it's substantially more expensive to live in Silicon Valley than it is to live in Cocoa Beach, FL or Seattle, WA
- dasil003 15y agoOn the other hand London is more expensive than Silicon Valley and salaries are much lower. The correlation to cost of living is loose at best. In the case of Silicon Valley I'm convinced it's actually the tech money that raises the cost of living.
- scythe 15y agoSalaries in Britain are in general lower than the US, especially as measured by purchasing power parity; the difference is about 30%. This is recouped in theory by the increased services provided by the British government (e.g. NHS and the Dole). On the other hand, New York is more expensive than the Valley and salaries are, IIRC, even higher.
- gopi 15y agoActually this is a big misconception in UK/Europe. Unless you are a independent software contractor you get insurance thro your company in US. So the salary posted here excludes the benefits (insurance, vacation, 401k etc)... IMO, with lesser US taxes & cost of living the US software programmer makes atleast twice than that of his eurpoean counterpart!
- X-Istence 15y ago
- thebandrews 15y agoWhat about an unemployed category?
- MrKurtHaeusler 15y agoHeh I read that as "as someone who pays developers, I am much more interested in the low end, or at least believing that most developers are that cheap"
- jaxn 15y agoMaybe I should have been specific and said that I am a developer who is now the founder. I pay well above average, but I hire people who earn it. Still, as the company grows, there will be a need for more junior developers. In our market (Nashville, TN) many senior developers still make less than $100k while some make $60k fresh out of school. As I look at how the poll numbers play out, I suspect that is true for most markets and not just mine. That is why I say the range is too big.
- dkokelley 15y agoThat's not a fair reinterpretation. The parent hires for positions that pay <$100k. It's fair that he/she would be more interested for fine degrees of scale at the general range the company hires for.
- sshumaker 15y agoInteresting. When doing hiring, I've always mentally divided developers into different categories than you've been suggesting: - 65k (entry-level) - under 100k (intermediate, or junior with a lot of promise) - 100-125 - most of my hires have been in this range - mid-level, talented, solid programmers - 150k+ - 'lead' / superstar level. It's very rare to find candidates that meet this level. Beyond 150-200k range, most of the compensation tends to come from bonuses, stock, and options - which can vastly exceed base salary.
- skrebbel 15y agoI'm amazed at what people in the US earn. Seems like the Netherlands is a developing country after all. I'm rather certain that my employer rates me in at least what you describe as the "under 100k" range, but I earn 40k euros per year. Do you guys all go on holidays to Latin America 3x per year? And have six broadscreen TVs? And villas with seaside views? Or is a 1 liter bottle of coke just also 10$ in the US?
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- BrandonM 15y agoA 1 liter bottle of coke is about $1.50-2. Some people do have several large screen TVs. Mostly, though, college education is really expensive, minimum wage is comparatively low, medical coverage isn't nationalized, and debt is (or at least used to be) easy to acquire. In other words, it's easy to come out of college with $50-100K in student loans. It's also easy to get a major injury without medical insurance, pay $10K out of pocket to rectify it, and rack up another $10-15K by living on credit for a year.
- BrandonM 15y agoPaying a student loan of $60K over 25 years at 3.5% interest is $300 per month. Paying the medical bills of $10K over 2 years at 0% interest is $415 per month. Paying the credit card bills of $15K over 5 years at 14% interest is $350 per month. Ugh... $1K in debt payment alone.