Seattle Area with one year: You were pre-med so I assume a degree? That can influence some firms, especially at the low end of experience. (I don't have a degree, but some places are annoying in that way. I guess it shows you can stick through to get a degree.)You're probably making in the low money end, but there are other benefits that may be included. Health Insurance, Stock (wee! stock eq stress), bonuses, etc...
My current job is as a contractor, but my contracting firm pays a salary (I still get OT), pays for my Health Ins, training, and public transportation pass. My actual salary didn't change much from my last job, but I had quite a bit taken out each month for most of the above. I'm currently in Portland, Or which has a similar market to Seattle last I checked so that's why I'm guessing low. If it was SF, that's poverty wages. ;)

On contracting vs. permament employee. If you can do it, contracting can be better. Once you establish yourself, you have a lot more freedom. Though if you're a private contractor you need to be more organized than if you just go through a contracting firm. My experience is that the contracting firm gets a healthy cut. You might be making $35, but you're firm is charging at least $45 with $70 not being unlikely. And if you're private, you can easily buy computer equipment as a tax writeoff. Another reason to be organized. A friend of mine who writes custom software (Perl, C, and systems work) charges around $150/hr + expenses. Lives in Bay Area, works all over.

To answer your questions: Not too bad, and once you show value you can get some drastic jumps in salary. I've gone in and negotiated bad on salaries and wound up getting 25% to 40% pay increases. (8 - 15K) Better to have a firm idea when going in. I have a minimum requirement now, but I pad that up to give them something to cut. Works a lot better.

In reply to Re: Programming for *wince* a living by lemming
in thread Programming for *wince* a living by meonkeys

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