$20/hour can mean a lot of different things. If it is a unionized government job with benefits in a low cost of living area-it wouldn't be too bad. I can easily see how that wouldn't go far in New York City or Silicon Valley-even for a single guy.
The national average for all "white-collar/technical" professions is $27.15/hour ($56k). However, in most metro areas, it is around $30 ($62k). Out of college, you should expect about 15% less than average or between $48k and $52k with some prior experience--although many, many people will be more than happy to offer you $26.5k. The point is, you should be able to hit the mean within three years. Don't let ANYONE tell you otherwise. If you are offered less than 15% below the aggregate mean (that is, everyon
Out of college, you should expect about 15% less than average....
Why? The average age for white collar professionals is something like 44 (it is over 50 for mainframe I.T. workers, IIRC -- good field to go into) which implies around 20 years of work experience (though not necessarily in current job function). With zero experience (the OP did not mention CO-OP or internship), $25-30K is probably not unreasonable depending on the local job market (cost of living around here is fairly low, so you might adjust upward a little if you're in a more expensive/higher paying area).
I don't know a good rate... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I don't know a good rate... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I don't know a good rate... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I don't know a good rate... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I don't know a good rate... (Score:1)
Why? The average age for white collar professionals is something like 44 (it is over 50 for mainframe I.T. workers, IIRC -- good field to go into) which implies around 20 years of work experience (though not necessarily in current job function). With zero experience (the OP did not mention CO-OP or internship), $25-30K is probably not unreasonable depending on the local job market (cost of living around here is fairly low, so you might adjust upward a little if you're in a more expensive/higher paying area).