Individual Income Poll

[rd_aaron]

Originally Posted by kirant

Where do you work? I'm 19, an engineering intern at AHS and make ~33k on flat 40 hour weeks. Doubt I'll tie you upon graduation (to be fair, being in the public medical indstury probably doesn't help), so I'm trying to figure out what industry you work in.


While we we entering our degree selection, the engineering department tried to woo us in with stories of the average salary being 60k for a fresh grad EIT. I think it's bull, but that's what apparantly exists out there

I graduated in 2010 and started at over $60k as an EIT working for a utility.

[rd_aaron]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I know someone that just got offered that at that big company that will be in the new Bow Tower. Hasn't even graduated yet.

But I assume hs is graduating in spring of next year? I had my offer in Nov of 2009 but I didn't start til June of 2010.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I doubt he'll be contacting me.

Actually 7/10 are coming your way. I do want a referral fee though!

[calumniate]

Hmm should I just post my resume here? Working in education has it's upsides, and obvious downsides

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by kirant

While we we entering our degree selection, the engineering department tried to woo us in with stories of the average salary being 60k for a fresh grad EIT. I think it's bull, but that's what apparantly exists out there

60k sounds about right. Range I've heard is, besides the unusal case fo a 33k or a 98k, the majority fall into the 49k-77k... seems to be a good expectation EIT range.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Finner

I'm actually surprised as well about the amount over 100k. The company i work for is probably one of the 10 largest companies in Canada and employs over 80000 people, yet in our "job zone" alberta, in order to be over 100k you'd have to the either 1 or 2 promotion steps from a VP position.

Take it from me. Those giant companies pay absolute crap. If you haven't worked anywhere else, I highly suggest it. I did a stint at IBM. Wow was that depressing.

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Side question, if its outside of Canada, do you rent?

Not sure if I know what you're aiming at?

I own my home (a small condo), but actually agonized over whether to buy it or not. The amount spent on mortgage interest really hurts the ability to retire early....you just gotta hope for property appreciation.

[llama64]

Out of curiosity, how long did it take some of you 100k+ people to break that barrier?

I'm five years into my discipline (software development) and I still haven't broken 60k. Granted I avoid the oil industry like the plague (hated my time in it), so maybe I'm handicapping myself in this city?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo

Not sure if I know what you're aiming at?

I own my home (a small condo), but actually agonized over whether to buy it or not. The amount spent on mortgage interest really hurts the ability to retire early....you just gotta hope for property appreciation.

Sorry, my bad - rent MOTORCYCLE... not rent a home. haha

I'd be interested in hearing any recommendations of anything memorable. (still a motorcycle noob, but I'm taking my bike out as often as possible to try and get better... breaking 120km/hr still seems fast to me)

[Phanuthier]

actually..nm

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by rd_aaron

But I assume hs is graduating in spring of next year? I had my offer in Nov of 2009 but I didn't start til June of 2010.

Yup.

[Scoopdogg]

Originally Posted by llama64

Out of curiosity, how long did it take some of you 100k+ people to break that barrier?

I'm five years into my discipline (software development) and I still haven't broken 60k. Granted I avoid the oil industry like the plague (hated my time in it), so maybe I'm handicapping myself in this city?

I'm a software developer as well and by the time I was 5 years into it, I was making 80k per year. Now I'm well over 100k at 9 years. I have moved around alot so that helped with the salary increases and I'm now working for one of the larger O and G players in town.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Hmm should I just post my resume here? Working in education has it's upsides, and obvious downsides

Please don't be educating others in English.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

Tell me about these bedrooms.

haven't seen it yet but i can describe to you the 2 bedroom 400 square foot place she had before... hahahhaa. double bed almost touching wall to closet in one. the other bedroom had a bunk bed. The kitchen was so small you couldn't fit 3 people in there. hmmm the bathroom was bigger than the kitchen i think. haha

I can't believe i stayed there for 3 weeks the last time i was in HK! I was soo pissed off at my wife for not letting us stay at a hotel. We slept on the floor of the living room which was not even the size of a queen bed.

Oh and she sold this place for $680kUS... hahahahahahahah. Jackie Chan was one of the developers for this building.

When i first got married i almost considered moving back there, since we both have our hk citizenship still. After that one visit it was NOPE! NEVER AGAIN will i live there. If you can find a place to stay cheap you can make some pretty big money there. 10% income tax rate, no capital gains and no sales tax.

I don't regret staying in Calgary at all. in fact i can't see myself living anywhere else in the world. Awesome place.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by llama64

Out of curiosity, how long did it take some of you 100k+ people to break that barrier?

I'm five years into my discipline (software development) and I still haven't broken 60k. Granted I avoid the oil industry like the plague (hated my time in it), so maybe I'm handicapping myself in this city?

I graduated from MRC in December 2004, and started articling at a CA firm in Edmonton in January 2005 with a salary of 34,000. I moved back to Calgary in August 2005 with the same firm.

This is my first year over 100,000, but I was over 90,000 in 2009 and 2010.

I passed the UFE in 2008 and received my CA designation in January 2009.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I'm fairly sure the sole reason I'm not in the 90k range is because of CalgaryPuck.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by SeeBass

I really have to wonder if this is the most frugal group I have ever come across or just a bunch of liars.

If I was guessing from all of the posts I have read the average income would be more realistic between $45K-$60K

You seem to think that a good income means you should spend money unnecessarily and without consideration for the value that you are getting for that money.

[Knalus]

I'm not telling what I made this year - partly cause of certain circumstances I don't even know.

BUT, I used to work as a well site geologist, and I work with many of them now. I regularly sign invoices for these guys for 3 weeks of work at about $20,000. Granted they are staying on the rig during the time they are at work, and work 12 hr shifts, but the life isn't horrible, especially for the pay.

This is the kind of job that guys get if they haven't been able to get a job in the office and still want to work in geology.

I heard mining geologists aren't paid nearly anything, though. I hear only like 50k a year for working in a mining camp.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Rathji

But well over 50% of there parents would.

I have no idea. That may be correct (if you used their).

My point was that if you take a poll of income of similar people, you will likely get similar results. Students usually make less than $100,000. Judges usually make more than $100,000. If you go to a place with many educated professionals, you will likely see people making more than $100,000.

[Azure]

I'm 23, and can be included in the over $100,000 group.

I work 8-10 hours a day Monday-Friday, and 9-3 on Saturday. Physical work, although not backbreaking(anymore). Around 50-54 hours per week is what I came up with over a period of one month.

People will say that is a huge workload, but I find you can get used to anything, and at this point if I would work 40 hours per week it would feel like I'm not doing anything.

And I don't live in Alberta anymore. If I did I could probably make another $50,000/year more.