Is it fair? (salary fairness as an architect)

[Edy Yu]

I am being interviewed by a company in Indianapolis as a Sr. Architect of J2EE technology. The possible offer is around 100K. Is is fair for this type of position in Indianapolis?
Thanks in advance.

[Mark Herschberg]

Yes, it's fair. No, it's low. It's on the high side.
The answer is: it depends. It certainly sounds ballpark to me. Are you a "senior architect" with 5 years experience, 2 with J2EE, or are you a senior architect with 15 years experience, and 6 years in Java. Have you worked as an architect before? Do you experience is the application domain industry?
Are you local to Indianapolis and glad to get a senior position in the area (I imagine there aren't too many positions like this there), or are you seeing having to move there as a negative?
Do you have a BS? and MS? PhD relevant to the work? (some would add certifications to this list, but I wouldn't) Any other accredations or major accomplishments?

--Mark
[ October 15, 2002: Message edited by: Mark Herschberg ]

[Edy Yu]

Thanks Mark.
Here is my answer to your questions.
Are you a "senior architect" with 5 years experience, 2 with J2EE, or are you a senior architect with 15 years experience, and 6 years in Java.
I fit the first descirption. 5 year Java + 3 year J2EE
Have you worked as an architect before?
Yes. Right now.
Do you experience is the application domain industry?
Yes. I worked for a local consulting firm and Oracle Corp as an e-business consultant focusing on J2EE. Right now I am working for a information service giant as a tech lead on Java/XML related technology.
Are you local to Indianapolis and glad to get a senior position in the area (I imagine there aren't too many positions like this there), or are you seeing having to move there as a negative?
I am glad to to move to Indy.
Do you have a BS? and MS? PhD relevant to the work? (some would add certifications to this list, but I wouldn't)
I got a MS from a national-known univerisity in mid-west.
Any other accredations or major accomplishments?
Overall 6+ years of working experience on software developement. 2 publications recently on JavaPro Magazine.
[ October 15, 2002: Message edited by: Edy Yu ]

[Ernest Lee]

6+ yrs of experience and you get a 100k job, sounds really good to me. I have 5+, but only getting one-third of what u made....

[Rufus BugleWeed]

but only getting one-third of what u made....

Any chance you'd be a H1-B holder?
I would not underestimate the technical acumen of Indy. If only they could image Hoosier is an insult in 49 other states.

[Ernest Lee]

nope... i'm a canadian citizen working in canada.... what should be the reasonable rate for me?

[Mark Herschberg]

Edy, it sounds reasonable to me. Those were more questions for you to keep in mind. Right now, a strong developer with 5 years experience can get $100k, but only the top 10% or so.
--Mark

[Rick Hightower]

Fair....

I heard once... it is not what you are worth, but what you can negotiate.
I don't know what they meant by that.... I can't negotiate anything.
$100K sounds fair to me...
Could you imagine making $100K doing Java 5 years ago?

[Thomas Fly]

Originally posted by Rick Hightower:
I heard once... it is not what you are worth, but what you can negotiate.

I've got a nephew, mid-20s grad of the U. of Georgia making $100k (with outrageous perks) doing SQL stuff for Ephiphany.
I'm considering starting a recruiter outfit "of the developers, for the developers, and by developers" that would help people get what they're worth. SQL, HTML, GUI, JAVA (sic), J2EE, EJB, JDBC, RMI, JSP, JNDI, JMS, XML, and UML are nothing but something out of a can of Campbell's alphabet soup to the usual recruitment firm, so how can they possibly properly represent you?
[ October 16, 2002: Message edited by: Thomas Fly ]

[Mark Herschberg]

Originally posted by Rick Hightower:

I heard once... it is not what you are worth, but what you can negotiate.

It's a trite statement, and slightly accurate. more accurately, the company should be able to accurately access your skils, and determine how much value you will bring to the company. They should then pay you some amount based on that value.

Originally posted by Thomas Fly:

I've got a nephew, mid-20s grad of the U. of Georgia making $100k (with outrageous perks) doing SQL stuff for Ephiphany.

Just because some company is stupid, doesn't mean you should expect another to be. This isn't a comment about your nephew, but rather the idea expressed in your statement. He may very well be worth $100K. It's just that many companies don't accurtaely value employees. I rarely base my value on free market (meaning I was happy to work at average to below average salary for the last few years, and now I expect to make above average).
Here's a thought to ponder, it's been proven that there is a factor of 10 difference between the best and worst programmers. How come we don't see a factor of 10 difference in salaries?

--Mark

[Thomas Fly]

Originally posted by Mark Herschberg:
Just because some company is stupid, doesn't mean you should expect another to be.

I wonder what Epiphany pays their lawyers (probably around $600 an hour)... and whether their CEO is raking in $millions for his/her rare ability to drive a company into bankruptcy within a few years?

[Paul Stevens]

Edy,
I am from the area and that is a fair amount. The cost of living is generally lower in this part of the country as well.

[Amrutha Nath]

In a financial firm in NE, architect are beng paid $150/hr. Accidently came across the billing statements.

[Ray James]

My short answer is, OF COURSE!!! How much do you expect to make? It seems to me that many with far more experience are making much less than this, especially in these rough economic times. To me, beyond 100k you shouldn't preoccupy yourself too much w/ money and start looking more at the work environment and your day-to-day.
Ray