Chicago Java Developer Salary

[Han You]

Hi all, I've started to look for a new job recently, and I'm just wondering how much I should be looking for/expecting. I've worked in Java for a total of 3 years, (1.5 in a US company and 1.5 in South Korea). I have experience with most of the commonly used apis/frameworks/technologies that people used when developing web applications (i.e. struts, ibatis, tags of all sorts, sql and pl/sql, etc.).

I've also had 6 months worth of C/C++ at a South Korean company, but I don't think that will really count as much.

And incase you didn't see the title, this is for a developer role in the Chicagoland area.

[Eric Pascarello]

http://promotions.monster.com/salary/?WT_srch=1

Eric

[Han You]

Thanks for the link. I checked it out, but seems like they give only a preview of what my salary should be, but nothing really specific to the Chicagoland area unless I pay $45.00.

[Ed Tse]

I believe you can get $50k at the suburbs. Chicago would pay around $10k more I believe. Jobs that requires J2EE or financial firms tended to pay more.
[ February 21, 2006: Message edited by: Edward Tse ]

[Han You]

Originally posted by Edward Tse:
I believe you can get $50k at the suburbs. Chicago would pay around $10k more I believe. Jobs that requires J2EE or financial firms tended to pay more.

[ February 21, 2006: Message edited by: Edward Tse ]

This is what confuses me. When you look up average salaries for Java programmers and such, you see stuff like 70,000 as median. Are those numbers bloated? Or am I just living in a city that doesn't pay as much?

[Ed Tse]

Well, those report never mention what are the select groups of individuals. Are they mixed with contractors which should get higher pay than permanent employee? Do they include bonuses? Bottom line is, I don't trust those sites as I don't earn what they claim I should be earning. I might be underpaid, but so are many people I know. I also know some people who earn $70+K in chicago, so it varies.

[Han You]

Yeah, I don't trust those sites much either.

[Daniel Gee]

The figures shown below are for long-term Federal Government contract (one to two years) positions in the D.C. area:

75-100K/year for mid level developers with 3-7 years experience. 100K-130K/year for 8+ years experience. Minimum requirement for higher level is Bachelors + 11 years experience or Masters + 8.