How Much Money do Programmers Really Make?

bigman2003 asks: "ADTmag.com recently released a list of average salaries for IT workers. Usually when I see these lists, I find out that I am grossly below the average salary. But this time I was very surprised to see that I am actually above the average! This is partly because of a recent raise, but it is also because the numbers quoted in this survey are lower than what I've seen the past from other surveys. This report quotes about $56,000 for the average application developer. I am a web developer (sure, laugh all you want) and I wanted to know specifically: How much are other web developers were making? And- How many hours a week does it take you to make it?"

well

[Anonymous Coward]

I really wouldn't be surprised if it varies considerably. $56000 sounds high dollar to me but I live in the South where there is no money anyway...

Re:how much am I payed?

[pilgrim23]

You mean they PAY for this? I thought the only renumeration was /. mod points....

Bah

[groman]

Well, let's separate developers from code monkeys. Now, code monkeys average about $45K. Developers average about $75K. Sure, I pulled that out of my ass, but it's a big ass, what else do you want me to do with it?

Re:I can never figure out what mine should be

[Baddas]

Whatever you can squeeze out of them!

Remember, you've got the keys to the castle!

Threaten to lock them out if they deny your raises and benefits (Free beer!)

(+1, Funny, mods!)

Re:National surveys are meaningless

[Infonaut]

But my salary goes to 11!

Re:how much am I payed?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not to be harsh, but learning to spell words like "paid" correctly could probably increase your chances of getting a raise.

Sure, everyone knows what you mean, but in this world you can't just be competent, you have to be seen to be competent.

Simple formula

[Average_Joe_Sixpack]

If you quit and are begged/pleaded with to return and are offered a raise then you were being under-paid.

If you quit and leave with a pat on the back then you were being over-paid.

(... bottom line you are just a serf that will live a boring-unimportant-debt-filled life and most likely will welcome death after 30)

Re:Simple formula

[Coop_DH]

there are many who welcome it already

Re:how much am I payed?

[Afrosheen]

don't be harsh, everynoe nose that programers are teh worst spelars, evar. how do you thnki bugs hapen by acident LOL

Re:Not sure, but I bet I make less than you

[Anonymous Coward]

Give us a call when you turn 18 :>

You must do a lotta coke, pal...

[PCM2]

...cuz you're making triple what I make and I live in San Francisco. A 30-year mortgage payment on a $600K house at 8% interest is what -- $4,200? Where's the other $137,000 a year going?

Re:I can never figure out what mine should be

[sysadmn]

After two to three years making it so complex only you understand it, you can pretty much name your price!

Re:Short answer

[aklix]

I think the or more is what your $158K falls under...

Me? I make a whole $0 a year, $0 an hour, $0 a month. Every payday I look forward to a $0 check. Luckily, social engineering is good for other things than getting passwords.

Re:Simple formula

[xdroop]

and most likely will welcome death after 30

Absolutely, I would have welcomed death after 30. But you know that after I moved out of my mom's basement, here in the real world things are much better.

Go on, try it.

Life sucks. Get a helmet.

Re:What does this accomplish?

[TykeClone]

...I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me!

Re:Simple formula

[kesuki]

i think you mean after 13. ;) or in the case of some of us after 9. but i'm all for a rebellion of us serfs seing as how i'm revolting anyways. ;)

Re:EA starting salary for software engineer

[Fulcrum of Evil]

From what I hear from people who've accepted jobs as software engineers at EA here in Vancouver,

You had me at EA. Seriously, EA does that everywhere.

Re:how much am I payed?

[Anonymous Coward]

You misspelled acquaintances. You dumbass!

Re:Software Developer

[Concerned Onlooker]

I have worked in terrible jobs for poor salary but I have spent 12 years climbing.

I expect you're about ready to make a go at the Matterhorn by now, eh?

Re:Short answer

[WebMasterP]

Social engineering? Is that what you guys are calling living in your parents basement now days?

Re:Engineer

[NitsujTPU]

I'm the CEO of a B2B middleware provider that's about to IPO. I pull down $6,000,000,000 a year, and that's before you count my side job selling ice cubes to eskimos.

I get to spend most of my work day (30-40 mins on average) coding in f*ckf*ck. During that time, I write natural language systems that are being deployed on Mars rovers. These are secret Mars rovers that we're using to help interpret Martian languages.

All of this can hardly keep my, only moderately sized, mansion in Luxembourg afloat.

Re:Engineer

[NitsujTPU]

Also, by afloat, I mean atop clouds. You see, it's a flying mansion, that floats in the clouds. Unfortunately, this means that I have to keep clouds in the air. Weather manipulation can be quite pricey.

Re:how much am I payed?

[Anonymous Coward]

How much are other web developers were making?

I think I have read other documentation that the submitter has written!

No, your English proves (OT, sorry)

[panurge]

what P J O'Rourke said about Germans, that they are just like Americans only they speak better English.

$6.50/hr for SQL/MYSQL DB Developer

[walterbyrd]

Here is the ad:
http://denver.craigslist.org/eng/89900924.html [craigslist.org]

Don't everybody apply at once.

(Obligatory quote)

[EternityInterface]

and most likely will welcome death after 30

"Every takeoff and landing, when the plane banked too much to 1 side, I prayed for a crash. That moment cures my insomnia with narcolepsy when we might die helpless and packed human tobacco in the fuselage. [...] Life insurance pays off triple if you die on a business trip. I prayed for wind shear effect. I prayed for pelicans sucked into the turbines and loose bolts and ice on the wings. On takeoff, as the plane pushed down the runway and the flaps tilted up, with our seats in their full upright position and our tray tables stowed and all personal carry-on baggage in the overhead compartment, as the end of the runway ran up to meet us with our smoking materials extinguished, I prayed for a crash"

Re:Not That Easy

[skiman1979]

Too bad you got the quote wrong. ;-)

Tom ... "Look, I already told you! I deal with the goddamn customers so the engineers don't have to! I have people skills! I am good at dealing with people! Can't you understand that? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!"

Standardized titles?

[Just Some Guy]

Where can you look to get a list of standardized job titles and descriptions? I don't know whether I'm a senior programmer, a junior systems architect, or just "guy in dark room with computer". I tried a (cursory) search at the ACM's web site, but didn't turn anything up.