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Part of the problem with billing as a software engineer is that our work is easily offshored. You can't hire an offshore plumber for $5/hr and if you could, I'm
by logn 12y ago
Part of the problem with billing as a software engineer is that our work is easily offshored. You can't hire an offshore plumber for $5/hr and if you could, I'm sure plumbers would get a lot more people upset at them charging $100/hr.
Also, I don't think it's fair to plumbers, mechanics, electricians, etc. to say their jobs are a lot easier than programmers. It all depends on the project. Setting up a Wordpress site is probably comparable to installing a new exhaust. And the industrial electrician rewiring a factory is probably comparable to the software engineer setting up a new SaaS site.
- hippich 12y agoInstalling wordpress is comparable to installing exhaust to you (although I don't think you can charge even maid's rate for that.) but ask car mechanic to install wordpress and tell me what you hear in return.
- logn 12y agoI think that's over simplifying it. People specialize. Ask me to make a bagel from scratch and I doubt I could. But those cooks probably get minimum wage. This is all about competition from offshore work which drives programming rates down and makes customers unwilling to pay very much. The abundance of offshore Wordpress shops is why it's not very well paying work.