I have no clue as to what he does honestly, AggieOil. (He was a UT grad if that makes any difference). I can find out what he does and let you know though. As far as attrition rate, this is what he always told me, As I said, I am not a petro, and know very little about it, but this is from what he has shared with me over the years.

BTW, Do you happen to work for Hess?

I really don't think I could go back through all the math anymore though. I hated it the first time, and only did it all because my wife at the time wanted me to. Now I will have two sets of bad memories associated with working the maths.

if you're a stud and can deal with people, you can make 150k easy

"Recent information suggests that Engineering students are currently the highest paid graduates finishing a four year curriculum."

Pretty funny rca! Four years.... That's a good one... I don't know very many people that were on the 4 year plan... Then again, I might have only hung out with my fellow dumb engineers.

If you want that kind of salary advancement in engineering, you need to plan for job hops. Most large companies these days give pittances for raises.... so you're left to get the big raises by interviewing and getting a better offer.

But, no, I am an EE since '90 and I am no where near 200K.

i did four but wish i did the 5 year plan. more cheap beer and good times would have been had.

AggieOil

Turns out bro is working contract for two companies and total, he is making about 145K between the two gigs. However, he is contract and so that sucks with no benefits. Thanks bro for making me look like a deek. Anyways, he said he is in directional drilling and his class's average pay out of school was around 85K with one guy getting 110K and the lowest around 75K. Thanks for clearing it up and I apologize for the confusion.

Did the 5 plan yr. It was perfect. Not short, not too long.

Hate my job though...

Not sure if engr was for me...and the realization of it is kinda scary.

I graduated in August... I started working right after.... I'm loving my job... I'm a design engineer for a drill bit company, ReedHycalog.

Engineers will typically make more coming out of school in the Oil & Gas industry. But they don't have to go work for the Chevrons and BPs of the world.

There are many service companies that support Oil & Gas that money can be made, without jumping Companies.

I am class of '93, have only changed companies once (excluding mergers) and I went over $220K last year.

I don't know who you are talking to. Most engineers take at least 10 years or more to hit 100K. A lot of it has to do with the availability of engineers that can do the job you do.

For instance good analog designers make top dollar, while engineers that do test and characterization work take a lot longer for their pay to reach top dollar.

I read somewhere that of all the freshman engineers at A&M, about 15% end up with an engineering degree.

geogaggie, i like you. Way to be a man, and own up to not being right.

I was mainly misinformed. my brother is now a deek in my book.

It seemed to me, that it was even less at Tech, while I was there.

Hey man, I agree, no one on message boards ever says they were wrong about something. Props.

maybe if they own the firm and all their clients pay up when billed.
we have waaaaay to much unpaid billing!

A P.E. is someone who signs something that no one else wants to sign.

My husband is a PE. When he graduated in 92 he was happy to just get a job (many layoffs at the time). His starting pay was 35K. My how times have changed!

I got a job making $32K right out school

im not a PE, but I am an engineer with a masters in engineering, got a job starting in the mid 60s with a bonus, but then i also got a 350 a week per diem to live where they put me (in abilene), so i am making more of in the mid 80s

High demand and/or highly specialized/skilled engineers can make 150+ with about 10 years experience. It does take some time to make the mistakes necessary to become experienced and therefore more valuable. Usually the more you make the more hours you are putting in so you better enjoy it.

As the old saying goes "Money isn't everything" so you really should have some fullfillment out of your work regardless of your pay.

I had Dr. Piper in the early nineties and thought he was great.

Damn I missed a good thread. Yep, PETE's roll in the dough. Life is good, now pump more gas and pay for my bonus.

I got my first degree from A&M in Ag. Systems and now getting a Mech. Engineering degree from a UT Branch school in south Texas. I'm also working for a private Civil firm and have about 2 years of Civil experience.

I plan on staying down here and probably working at a Maquilladora - I hear the pay is pretty damn good.

Any Ags work in or for a Maquilla? I'm kind of curious about the pay considering I'll have 2 bachelors.

BIL is a Chem E with 8 years experience and an MBA from UT. he rolls in about 150K a year doing energy finance.

Engineers make $50K to $90K right out of school.

First job right out of school - $32,508/yr


I'm doing a little better now that I've been doing this for 16 years, though...

It did require a few job jumps, too...

i know what engineers make in the nuclear industry and just 4 yrs ago it was the highest paying out of school (more then DOW). But recent market changes (nuclear is slow to react to it) have let all other industries (except civil - i think they still work for free) catch up past nuclear.

Starting now: 60-65k in texas
5-10 yrs exp: 75-85k
10-15 yrs exp: 90-100k
18+ exp: 100-110k (top out)
all get 12-18% bonus
supervisors: 100-110k, get 25% bonus

In the past year many of my nuclear friends have left the nuclear industry and have gone to DOW (I have gone to NASA)

Dow pay scale now:
8-10 yrs exp: 100k
12-15 yrs exp: 115k

NASA contractor:
5-8 exp: 70-80k

Of course pay in the Northeast or Florida or California has to be adjusted for regional cost of living, but this adjustment does not compare to Texas (one of the best places to live for cost of living compared to salary)

Nuclear industry is losing qualified engineers to other industries and they have an average age of 50+. They will have to increase pay to keep their new hires (and they have been the last 2 yrs). Other engineering industries also have an old average workforce age, so pay out of school will increase.



[This message has been edited by nukeaggie2000 (edited 1/30/2008 6:04p).]

This last year, petroleum engineers grad. from A&M started averaging about 80-85K
the highest I heard about was 90-somthingK

Aerospace wages have shot up tremendously in the last few years as well due to the (seemingly) world-wide shortage, especially concerning experienced folks.

Contract rates for 5+ years of experience are $60-$90/hr + 1.5x for OT, various bonuses, etc. all over the country. Specialty skills like DERs (essentially a PE for planes) easily get $100+/hr.

Starting pay for new college grads is mid-50K range right now in Kansas. Most are working a few years and then going contracting and doubling their salary.

civil & industrial engineers =/= engineers

nm

[This message has been edited by Bockaneer (edited 1/30/2008 9:46p).]

It would take you 15 years just to catch up....

I am a directional driller and my peers with the Exp are putting up numbers in the 250-275 range...they just never see home...

Become a medical device sales rep and you get to have a life too!

You need breastes for that.