<p>I was wondering if I could get others info on what typical starting salaries they've heard of for bachelor engineers and also the highest starting salaries they've heard of. I'll start. I think typical is around $65,000 from companies like Conoco Phillips. I've heard of qualcomm paying $78,000 to start.</p>
<p>Depending on the field you enter.
$65000? no, definitely not for most fields.
[url=<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm]Engineers[/url”>http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm]Engineers[/url</a>]</p>
<p>It’s typically around $50,000 or a bit above, for fields that are overpopulated.
bls data is a good estimation. But we should be more conservative for people who only had bachelor degree.</p>
<p>^The link you provided showed every single major listed as above 50K. Every single one of them. ALL.</p>
<p>MechE which was in the middle had a starting salary of nearly 59K.</p>
<p>@ Qwerty,
Yes. But if you look at lowest 10%, most of them are below 50k</p>
<p>I am not saying that average engineers are below 60k or 70k. I don’t want to argue that. We just know engineering salary is pretty damn good.</p>
<p>But the poster asks the starting salary with a BS/BE degree, I said it would more or less be around 50k or a bit above.</p>
<p>When you put that in context, it’s pretty true.
I have some old data.
[nsf.gov</a> - SRS Recent Engineering and Computer Science Graduates Continue to Earn the Highest Salaries - US National Science Foundation (NSF)](<a href=“http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06303/]nsf.gov”>http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06303/)
The first table is BS/BE degree highest, and follow by a second table with MS/ME the highest
[What</a> is an Engineering Degree Worth](<a href=“http://www.doe.mtu.edu/news/degree_worth.html]What”>Engineering Salary Statistics | Michigan Technological University)
Michigan tech’s data also reflect lower starting salary in recent years.</p>
<p>Again, put the data in context
"bls data is a good estimation. But we should be more conservative for people who only had bachelor degree. "
We have to be conservative. </p>
<p>bls ’ statistics do not indicate the difference b/w BS/BE highest and MS/ME highest
also, years of experiences also count.</p>
<p>Petroleum Engineers who work for Exxon at Alaska’s north slope have an annual entry level salary of approximately $100,000 USD as of 2009.</p>
<p>Source: Alaska Labor Stats
[Workforce</a> Info, Economic Information](<a href=“http://laborstats.alaska.gov/cgi/databrowsing/occExplorerQSDetails.asp?menuChoice=occExplorer&geogArea=0201000000&soccode=172171]Workforce”>http://laborstats.alaska.gov/cgi/databrowsing/occExplorerQSDetails.asp?menuChoice=occExplorer&geogArea=0201000000&soccode=172171)</p>
<p>Also, Never go into engineering unless you truly have a passion for that career. Becoming an Enginner because it has a good salary is not a good idea.</p>
<p>“Also, Never go into engineering unless you truly have a passion for that career. Becoming an Enginner because it has a good salary is not a good idea.”</p>
<p>Not to push this off topic, but doing something you don’t like for 70K/year is better than doing something you don’t like for 40K/year.</p>
<p>Depends on the company. Microsofties start at $85k + perks. I’m so jealous.</p>
<p>I have often heard that engineers start high but top out early. Also must consider geographical region; $60k in Louisiana are better than $80k in NY, in general.</p>
<p>1) Who cares if you make $100,000 a year if you have to work at the North Slope? Haha. Nasty place. It isn’t even the beautiful part of Alaska.</p>
<p>2) The average starting salary is just shy of $60k for all majors. That is a pretty useless state though. That BLS link will give you plenty of info that is more useful.</p>
<p>3) Starting at $65k at ConocoPhillips is pretty low. I know more than one person who go a job there and started closer to $75k or $80k.</p>
<p>@ boneh3ad
I think North Pole is better than North Slope :)</p>
<p>The Russian, USA and China are fighting over the North Pole to drill the new oil site there.
I think to be fair, Petroleum is so damn high is probably because #1 the industry itself makes so damn much money. I think this is the only damn reason.</p>
<p>@ Qwerty key</p>
<p>What’s the point of making that extra 30,000 USD if you are unhappy and dislike your job? Now if making that extra 30,000 helps you to support your family and that brings you comfort & happiness then that is a different story and is worth it.</p>
<p>@ bonehead</p>
<p>That’s why Petro. Engineers have shifts of 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off. In that free time you could be spending your time relaxing on the beach. Also, there are alot of people who enjoy the thrill and challenge of working in tough conditions hundreds of miles away from the nearest city.</p>
<p>Many software companies such as Microsoft pay their software engineers high salary. But cost of living can be very high also. Usually there are many perks, the best being stock options.</p>
<p>Qwerty, you should probably just find something you like doing then.</p>
<p>I am a co-op with another Big Oil co, my hourly wage is based off $67k annual salary. The absolute minimum salary for someone in the pay grade of a newly hired engineer at the company is $66k. But from what I hear, most people are hired in around $75k. That can easily become $80-85k after bonuses, etc.</p>
<p>I think alchemist007 is in it for a big disappointment because he doesn’t have an in depth idea about petroleum engineering . </p>
<p>Did you talk to petroleum alumni network at your university? My suggestion is you may want to talk to them.</p>
<p>Even I only made 70k or less as a Petroleum Engineer I would still want to pursue the field. I just find the topics in it incredibly interesting. I also like traveling and working with people from different cultures. I know I am going to have to devote most of my time to studying. I know it is going to be a rough job. But that is what I want. I want to have a tough job. I want to be able to know that I can do anything I put my mind to! I have talked to a Petro Engineer allumni. My uncle is a petro engineer in India.</p>
<p>Also if there is any information you believe I am
lacking then I don’t mind if you give me some advice.</p>
<p>“Qwerty, you should probably just find something you like doing then.”</p>
<p>I feel like it probably doesn’t exist… Obviously fewer hours and less stress are going to be pluses, but other than that I don’t think I’ll see enough of a difference.</p>
<p>@jwxie that data is from 2002 or 2003. the average starting salary for my school was close to $67,000 in 2009. I just wanted to get a feel for how much top companies pay to start.</p>