Is Programming a Lucrative Profession?

itwbennett writes "A pamphlet distributed by blogger Cameron Laird's local high school proclaimed that 'Computer Science BS graduates can expect an annual salary from $54,000-$74,000. Starting salaries for MS and PhD graduates can be to up to $100,000' and 'employment of computer scientists is expected to grow by 24 percent from 2010 to 2018.' The pamphlet lists The US Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as a reference, so how wrong can it be? 'This is so wrong, I don't know where to start,' says Laird. 'There are a lot of ways to look at the figures, but only the most skewed ones come up with starting salaries approaching $60,000 annually, and I see plenty of programmers in the US working for less,' says Laird. At issue, though, isn't so much inaccurate salary information as what is happening to programming as a career: 'Professionalization of programmers nowadays strikes chords more like those familiar to auto mechanics or nurses than the knowledge workers we once thought we were,' writes Laird, 'we're expected to pay for our own tools, we're increasingly bound by legal entanglements, H1B accumulates degrading tales, and hyperspecialization dominates hiring decisions.'"

Comments

Salaries aren't just HANDED to you...

[LS1 Brains]

I've worked for several types of firms, and each has their own salary schedules and what not -- but the money ultimately comes based on two things:

1. How good you are
2. How well you negotiate

If you can't negotiate, your salary will always be low. I believe this is also the reason for the stereotype of women being paid less than men. I've seen it time and time again, the gals just won't fight as hard nor demand the top dollar from their bosses. The same is true with younger folks. I was no different, and I was severely underpaid for many years.

Re:Not if you have a magic time machine...

[defaria]

By 1989 I was making over $60k year. That's 20 years ago! If you can't make over $60K year today with decent programming skills then either you are not very good or not very aggressive and should consider a different career.

Re:grad vs masters vs phd the myth.

[BitZtream]

You realize all it takes to get a PhD is to know the right people and to be someones bitch for a few years, right? PhD's are basically career college students who couldn't actually get a job when they got out so they do everything they can to stay in. Some get out, get a job and go back to do their PhD because they can't handle working in the real world.

Don't act like PhDs mean shit, I know a PhD student in ENGLISH with who doesn't know the difference between things like 'cause' and 'prevent'.

The idea that a PhD means something was lost, probably before I was born, now its just something you pay for by doing the research work for someone else and only getting partial credit (if you're lucky)