Does automotive industry tend to pay lower than

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PandaBear

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"tech", as in semiconductor, networking, telecom, "computer" industries?

The reason I ask is that I'm currently looking to switch jobs, and while many companies, especially the startups in automotive industry, respond to my resume submission very quickly, they tends to get shocked by how much people are paid in places where I came from.

At first I though maybe I've already reached the peak of my career, but then I looked at my former coworkers' pay 10 years ago and they were even higher than what I'm making right now in companies that does hard drives, flash, networking gears, etc. If I were to enter the automotive industry I would have to take a pay cut from what I was making 6 years ago for the same kind of work (embedded system software).

Makes me wonder whether it is just the industry, the "start up" equity / option for making it big thing, or am I already peaked out in my pay career.
 
Have you considered Tesla? Or perhaps one of the tech giants working in the automotive field like Google or Apple?
 
Hi tech total compensation package is much higher than Automotive, especially in Silicon Valley.

A 10-15 years experience in the high demand field can make more than $150-180k a year, managers and directors of an auto company may earn about $80-100k or a little more.
 
I guess I should have been clearer in my previous statement. What I refer to as "tech" is actually more of a "software engineering" work, not technician.

Due to the on going discussion with potential employer and professionalism I'm not going to name the companies I was talking to, but what I can say is there are at least 2 that have locations in the silicon valley out of around 10 out there (some didn't advertise because they are not looking for investment, some are even stealth startup funded by foreign companies).
 
The technology industry gets paid much higher in general than the automotive industry.

I recently got laid off from the State, but I was a desktop support technician who did basic IT functions such as imaging computers, break/fix, inventory, and managing the help desk for two departments. I made $25/hour which I thought was pretty good. Others in my department performing similar functions were paid even higher since they had been there for a few years. We had programmers making $100-120k.

It also varies who you work for. My previous job was considered entry level, but I made more working for the state. Now it is hard to find anything willing to pay over $12 an hour and not require travel in my own vehicle in the corporate world.
 
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Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Hi tech total compensation package is much higher than Automotive, especially in Silicon Valley.

A 10-15 years experience in the high demand field can make more than $150-180k a year, managers and directors of an auto company may earn about $80-100k or a little more.


That exactly what I noticed. I was wondering whether it was my imagination or some company specific situation.
 
Silcon Valley pay is probably the highest in the country on average. Move to Seattle and do the same job and take a 10% pay cut, and they are still right up there. Pay scales vary a lot around the country. I always laugh when I read that school teachers are undercompensated, which is true nationally but not here in New York. The average high school teacher where I live is making around $80k and up.
 
Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Silcon Valley pay is probably the highest in the country on average. Move to Seattle and do the same job and take a 10% pay cut, and they are still right up there. Pay scales vary a lot around the country. I always laugh when I read that school teachers are undercompensated, which is true nationally but not here in New York. The average high school teacher where I live is making around $80k and up.

Yeah, their pay is higher than in So Cal, and So Cal pay is higher than Phoenix, Dallas ... for similar jobs.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Hi tech total compensation package is much higher than Automotive, especially in Silicon Valley.

A 10-15 years experience in the high demand field can make more than $150-180k a year, managers and directors of an auto company may earn about $80-100k or a little more.


A regular line supervisor for GM makes 65-70k base before overtime
A Senior level supervisor makes avg 88k + overtime
A superintendent makes 125k+
An area manager is 200k avg


I have attempted to change jobs a couple of times and after excellent interviews was told I make too much and they cannot even match my pay. In addition - some smaller companies plant manager roles make less than a regular line supervisor.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
I guess I should have been clearer in my previous statement. What I refer to as "tech" is actually more of a "software engineering" work, not technician.

Due to the on going discussion with potential employer and professionalism I'm not going to name the companies I was talking to, but what I can say is there are at least 2 that have locations in the silicon valley out of around 10 out there (some didn't advertise because they are not looking for investment, some are even stealth startup funded by foreign companies).


Im sure Tesla can use your skills and knowledge.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
I am sure the tech worker is higher skilled than an auto tech.

It is more like different skill sets than 1 skill is higher than the other.
Designing a 2-3 Giga Hertz processor(timing is very critical, not too fast and not too slow for millions(may be billions) data paths) requires different skill than designing a high performance car.

It's just that not many have the skills needed in high tech field, and revenue in the field is very high so companies are paying more to hire/retain the critical skilled employees.

Similar software used in computer is now used in auto industry, that skill has similar pay regardless where you work.
 
Someone I know just defended their dissertation. They had multiple offers across the country, at big name companies to do R&D. GM started out more than $5k below the company he went with (defense), but brought it up to very close in negotiations. All were a hair under $100k starting salary and a signing bonus.

So yes, they will pay a bit less. He is going to an I expensive area of CA, but going to MI for a hair less money would have gone a lot further, IMO.
 
I suspect it's more the geographic cost of living as the lions share of the difference before the industry.

You need to adjust for that first , especially coming from Silicon valley.

It works in reverse. There are plenty of software engineers from the rest of the country, who are shocked and in glee at their salary in their offer to work in SF and they think it's a nobrainer to go.
Then later they realize later how much that money is just eaten up by the cost of living and paying rent for a studio apartment and parking space.
 
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Yeah, but you have to also look at career prospects and opportunities at ___ company. Sometimes people take the best paying job offer a 2 years hating their job and feel like its a dead end.
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Yeah, but you have to also look at career prospects and opportunities at ___ company. Sometimes people take the best paying job offer a 2 years hating their job and feel like its a dead end.


Yes, think long term instead of taking the highest offer. The person could be miserable at the higher paying job and burn out. Life doesn't last forever.
 
The extra bonus of high tech jobs is stock option as a signing bonus, especially start up companies.

You can earn millions within few years with stock options. Many made millions in the late 90's before "Dotcom" busted.

The very high salary in Silicon Valley is partially because of extremely high cost of living, especially housing cost. A family income of $150k is having a hard time live there, because a reasonable 3 bedrooms house about 1500 sf in a good area costs more than $700-800. Same house in Palo Alto or Cupertino is more than $1M. Same house in Dallas is probably no more than $200-250k.
 
Coming from the tech industry, I can say in my experience that it is rather posh. I think a large part of it is how the money making mechanism is largely tied to sharp minds who can do their work in virtual environments.

Go to something like trucking or manufacturing and the money making mechanism is hard assets.
 
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