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If Tech Is So Important, Why Are IT Wages Flat?
dcblogs writes "Despite the fact that technology plays an increasingly important role in the economy, IT wages remain persistently flat. This may be tech's inconvenient truth. In 2000, the average hourly wage was $37.27 in computer and math occupations for workers with at least a bachelor's degree. In 2011, it was $39.24, adjusted for inflation, according to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute. That translates to an average wage increase of less than a half percent a year. In real terms, IT wages overall have gone up by $1.97 an hour in just over 10 years, according to the EPI. Data from professional staffing firm Yoh shows wages in decline. In its latest measure for week 12 of 2012, the hourly wages were $31.45 and in 2010, for the same week, at $31.78. The worker who earned $31.78 in 2010 would need to make $33.71 today to stay even with inflation. Wages vary by skill and this data is broad. The unemployment rate for tech has been in the 3-4% range, but EPI says full employment has been historically around 2%."
$40/hour for writing code? Seriously? Jesus. I'd do real work for that much. Unpleasant shit work. Cleaning monkey cages. Cleaning the inside of nuclear reactors. Now I think I understand why prices in the US are so absurdly high. You guys can afford to pay them. I make $10-$12/hour and that's when I'm lucky. My friend only makes $7.xx/hour.
I would *definitely* write code for $10/hour. Maybe even $8. I wouldn't need $40. Writing code is easy and frankly kind of fun. I do it for free all the time and greatly enjoy it. It isn't 'rocket science'. It's mostly basic logic. Especially nowadays when you aren't even expected to know assembly language or heavily optimize anything. Just write clear, well organized, easy to understand code and to hell with the number of cycles it takes to execute. Of course plumbers don't deserve to make $125/hour and electricians don't deserve to make $75/hour either but they do. At least in states with licensing requirements.
Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave.
where i live in NY 1500 a month gets you aa 3K SQ ft house and 5 acres of land, and its only an hour commute from NYC
fuck san fran is what im saying
have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same