<p>When during an interview they ask you what salary to expect, what should one say? What do people base the number on? Do you give a number higher than you really desire?</p>
<p>Table 1. Earnings distribution by engineering specialty, May 2008
Specialty
Lowest 10%
Lowest 25%
Median
Highest 25%
Highest 10%
Aerospace engineers
$58,130
$72,390
$92,520
$114,530
$134,570
Agricultural engineers
43,150
55,430
68,730
86,400
108,470
Biomedical engineers
47,640
59,420
77,400
98,830
121,970
Chemical engineers
53,730
67,420
84,680
105,000
130,240
Civil engineers
48,140
58,960
74,600
94,470
115,630
Computer hardware engineers
59,170
76,250
97,400
122,750
148,590
Electrical engineers
52,990
64,910
82,160
102,520
125,810
Electronics engineers, except computer
55,330
68,400
86,370
106,870
129,920
Environmental engineers
45,310
56,980
74,020
94,280
115,430
Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
43,540
56,190
72,490
90,740
106,220
Industrial engineers
47,720
59,120
73,820
91,020
107,270
Marine engineers and naval architects
43,070
57,060
74,140
94,840
118,630
Materials engineers
51,420
63,830
81,820
102,040
124,470
Mechanical engineers
47,900
59,230
74,920
94,400
114,740
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
45,020
57,970
75,960
96,030
122,750
Nuclear engineers
68,300
82,540
97,080
115,170
136,880
Petroleum engineers
57,820
80,040
108,020
148,700</p>
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<p>alchemist - where did you get those numbers? They seem like all-engineering numbers, not new-graduate numbers.</p>
<p>boo - it depends a lot on your specialty and the type of industry you go into. Your school might have some information on this, my school (Penn State) offered the following averages for new bachelors graduates 2009-2010:</p>
<p>Aerospace Engineering (AERSP) $59,060
Architectural Engineering (A E) $55,740
Bioengineering (BIOE) $54,500
Biological Engineering (B E) $51,330
Chemical Engineering (CH E) $66,250
Civil Engineering (C E) $48,820
Computer Engineering (CMPEN) $56,670
Computer Science (CMPSC) $63,850
Electrical Engineering (E E) $59,330
Engineering Science (ESC) $56,000
Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering (I E) $57,390
Mechanical Engineering (M E) $59,880
Nuclear Engineering (NUCE) $62,500 </p>
<p>OVERALL AVERAGE ANNUAL STARTING SALARY $58,070 </p>
<p>How much should you ask for? Base it on your class standing and then give it your best guess on the demand for your specialty.</p>
<p>I got those numbers from BLS.</p>
<p>Here’s a better article that states engineering salaries for new graduates.
[Top</a> 10 Degrees in Demand 2010 - Majors Drawing Huge Starting Salaries | Darwin’s Finance](<a href=“http://www.darwinsfinance.com/top-10-college-degrees-2010-best-majors/]Top”>Top 10 Degrees in Demand 2011 - Majors Drawing Huge Starting Salaries)</p>
<p>Do not give a number too high because then they will think you won’t work as well with a lower starting salary and if your number is too low then the may think your standards and quality of work are low. But also give them a slightly higher but reasonable number to the average, showing you will work hard to earn the money but are not too greedy.</p>
<p>The Penn state numbers are probably different then the numbers from a different state like Florida.
EX:</p>
<p>Starting salary for new grads in Alaska is usually about 15 thousand more than new grads from Texas because of the difference in cost of living.</p>
<p>I based my number on the salaries that my friends got who had received job offers in the previous year for similar positions in the same city. From there, I adjusted slightly based on my qualifications, the economy of the industry, inflation, etc.</p>
<p>So for those who have been through this, once you give a certain number, do the companies when making an offer usually give you what you asked for or lower?</p>
<p>And if you have multiple offers, what’s the right way to leverage the situation?</p>
<p>I know of several companies that give salaries that are non-negotiable, so don’t be surprised if the number you give them up-front is useless.</p>
<p>
Are you talking about “negotiation”, or how to deal with it?
The latter would be take the one that you like, and can benefit you in the future. Don’t turn down others via the phone. You might see them again in the future. Walk into the office and kindly turn down the offer 
Sometime you may be surprise they raise the offer!!! </p>
<p>For negotiation… unless you are valuable to them, or you are like the top choice in the entire field, then you have the right to negotiate, otherwise you absolutely don’t want to tell people you have multiple offers.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech</p>
<p>[2010</a> Career & Salary Survey (Spring)](<a href=“Georgia Tech | External Redirect Landing Page”>Georgia Tech | External Redirect Landing Page)</p>
<p>I got a slightly lower salary than what I had asked for, but it was made up for in a signing bonus that I wasn’t expecting.</p>