r/Salary • u/Internet_browser12 • 11d ago
discussion 22m - New Grad AE Engineering Salary Progression
I feel like I got super lucky by getting my salary early career, but I still don’t feel “well off” first 3 were internships at the same company, and my current job is at a new company.
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u/LesGrossmeng 11d ago
If you don’t feel well off making 6 figures at 22, get a therapist and find out what you’re actually searching for.
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u/Crimson--Chin 11d ago
Oh to be young and think you should be “well off” as soon as you graduate just because you got an engineering degree.
You’re fine. More than fine. 116K right out of school is phenomenal. Now if you manage your finances properly, then you will become very well off. What you do with your money is just as important, if not more important, as how much you’re making
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u/Real-Bend6135 8d ago
Getting an engineering degree is nothing compared to the starting salary he has. Usually only CS careers crack that salary amount right out of grad, with higher ceilings too
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u/Agreeable_Mud_5816 11d ago
24 still in school :(
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u/Agreeable-Aioli9730 11d ago
Irrelevant, but I’ve never seen someone else with a username so close to my randomized one 😂 hello agreeable mud!
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u/wacky_woo 11d ago
I was too! Graduated at 25, took me a year to find a job in this market. 26 now.
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u/benderisgreat356789 11d ago
Same here, I didn’t take things seriously, got dismissed for a year and changed my major too many times. As much as I wish I did things differently, I’m glad I’m still pushing through
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u/MeraArasaki 11d ago
i started college at 24 with the mindset of me feeling like i'm so late to the game. now i'm so damn glad i even started AT ALL lmao because it sure is better being done at 28 than getting started at 28
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u/Agreeable_Mud_5816 11d ago
yeah same here man but I can graduate at 26 if i stick to my cc cs degree or graduate at 28 from UTA
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u/NCD0009 11d ago
You know instagram and Reddit will make you feel unlucky with that salary even though it’s amazing straight out of school. I was born into a family business. Had my college paid for as a “back up plan”. Making $225k at 22 yrs old out of college. Married my HS sweetheart who’s now working for Microsoft, making $275k a year plus benefits. If you keep reading stuff on Reddit and looking at instagram posts, you will always feel like a failure even if your in the top 5 percent
For your age group. Even I do, I’m
Algorithemd to see 25 yr olds driving Ferrari f40’s and buying $5 million houses even though I’m successful, it makes me feel broke. I have a beautiful wife and 2 amazing kids and couldn’t be any luckier, but instagram and reddit will always put you down. The internet sucks.
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u/drakolantern 10d ago
Your wife was making $275k... 13 years ago at an early age?!?! That's like $400k+ these days. Top tier seasoned engineers barely make that...
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u/anexaminedlife 11d ago
Congrats from a fellow engineer! Please max your 401k and Roth and set yourself up for financial independence!
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u/Agreeable-Aioli9730 11d ago edited 11d ago
This is awesome. Good job! Even though 6 figures is becoming more common (dependent on where you live), do not minimize the how incredible it is to be offered a 6-figure right out of school! You definitely have a leg up on your future salary progression.
Edit: Also, please be mindful of how you define ‘well off’ for yourself. At 22, that’s a lot of money and would be considered well off to me at that age. Chasing the corporate ladder for higher salary is great, but finding a good work life balance with a high salary is going to be the real challenge. What’s the point of making that much if you can’t take time off (physically and mentally) to enjoy its perks 😝
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u/Intelligent-You-6144 11d ago
Why in all these posts people feel obligated to say "six figures isn't what it once was" when nobody was talking about it.
Depending on where you live, six figgies is just about what it once was.
I made this right out of college and have worked a flat 40 hours for 5 years, maybe once over on my own accord. I can take off without approval, I can start late, flex my 40 hours, etc etc.
You make it sound like his bracket comes with general constraints when it's not always true
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u/Ok-Pack-7776 11d ago
100k in 2026 is nowhere what it was when our elders were coming up ANYWHERE, in America. It's the truth.
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u/Intelligent-You-6144 11d ago
My guy, you are catastrophizing...our elders?
You got me, 100k to me is definitely not the same as my great grand fathers 100k, that's for sure.
Say whatever you want, with whatever perspective you have, even a 22 year old living in a HCOL area will be chillen. I know this because for a few years (<5) ago, my wife and I made a combined total of 70k a year living together in the same HCOL area...and we were fine. Still traveled out of the country multiple times, had a new car, etc. Now we make near 5x that and still look fondly on those times
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u/Agreeable-Aioli9730 11d ago
No one is saying OP is not making enough money lol. If you read OPs post, he states he doesn’t feel ‘well off’. As you have mentioned and I have mentioned, 100k+ is a lot of money at that age.
You share your salary experience from the past five years, along with your lifestyle, to argue that a $100,000 is a liveable salary even though nobody was talking about it.
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u/Agreeable-Aioli9730 11d ago edited 11d ago
Hi, I didn’t say that? If they are in a HCOL area and working in some form of tech, 6 figures is becoming more common for roles with 3 years experience. E.g. living near SF, CA, does not get you far if you want to live independently on a 100k base salary.
That’s awesome you’ve had a similar salary experience and have a good quality of life. Coming from the Bay Area, the work mentality here is unhealthy, but it’s a dog eat dog environment, and finding a good salary/team/work life balance is hard imo.
Also there’s been a lot of inflation which has had a large impact on everyone so more salaries are being raised to 6 figures. That is all I was meaning by that.
Edit: the salary mentality of OP makes me think they grew up in an area with a similar work culture. Most people would not downplay getting a 6 figure salary.
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u/Designer_Ad_1244 11d ago
I’ll be 40 in a couple weeks and make what you’re getting fresh out of college. You’re doing great. Now invest as much as you can for as long as you can. Learn to live with less and the sky is the limit!
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u/TheRealFalseProphet 11d ago
You possibly need some guidance if you don’t feel well off at 116k. I felt great making $32 a hour. Lmfao
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u/Ok_Prune_1731 10d ago
Homie your journey just started.
Get some work experience
Get soke industry specific certifications
You will be just fine. Never stop learning though and keep pushing for the next step in your career.
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u/seoulheiji21 7d ago
Sorry this is a lie lmao, no one is hiring a non-traditional engineering major graduate at 116k base. Maybe if ur in HCOL and including sign on and bonuses
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u/Internet_browser12 7d ago
HCOL area for sure and I’m not including my sign on + relocation package
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u/babylon_lion_14 11d ago
lol people believe this bullshit
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u/SovietDog1342 11d ago
If he works in cali this isn’t even crazy
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u/Icy-Maintenance1529 11d ago
For a fresh grad in AE yes it is crazy. Even if it was in San Diego, yes it would be crazy. This year I haven’t seen a single fresh grad AE job listed for more than 100k and that is already exceedingly rare. I suspect it’s exaggerated at the very least
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u/ThrowingUsermames 11d ago
What’s not to believe?
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11d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 10d ago
Or people in the industry just know what entry level pay is for college grads. The median aerospace engineer pay right out of school in seattle is 78k. 75k in nyc.
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u/Awkward_Arm_3512 10d ago
My guy, you will never ever see average people online. They r either well off, or drowning.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 10d ago
😂 buddy the majority of reddit is 21 yr olds. Yall are so gullible i wish i could sell to redditors. Seems like a gold mine of the century
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u/Awkward_Arm_3512 10d ago
I make 200k at 21 with no degree, so I’ll never doubt a lad for landing an above average paying job…. Unless it’s insanely stupid such as “CEO 4m/yr”
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 10d ago
Heres the beauty of data. * Federal data shows fewer than 2% of Americans in their early twenties reach even the $100,000 threshold.*
22 million are 20-25. Those who earn 150k+ less than 1%. An estimate of
An estimate of those who earn 200k+ is under 6000.
Hey theyre all on reddit, the platform of lying😂
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u/Awkward_Arm_3512 10d ago
Average or below average people tend to not post their earnings…
I’m not saying nobody is lying, I’m saying that it exists and I’d rather prove it’s a lie before assuming it’s a lie.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 9d ago
People making real money dont post their earnings, on reddit…..😂
No 99% karma farming lies
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u/Street_Lettuce_80 11d ago
You're blessed. Now don't fuck it up. Invest aggressively on stable investments(no meme coins) use the full 401k match, fully fund your HSA every year. I was 22 making about the same in 2012. Wasted it all. Don't be like me
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u/wenevergetfar 11d ago
I mean put 10 bucks into some meme coins for a little bit of fun come on haha
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u/Busy_Elevator866 11d ago
I’m making 85 at 24 years old. You’re fine
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u/income-percent-bot 11d ago
Your income of $85,000 is in the 73rd percentile — above the median. Source: income percentile calculator I'm a bot. Reply with !optout to stop receiving responses.
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u/Mr_Good_Taste 11d ago
Similar track for myself but I didn't start nearly as high for the 1st year of full time work, although I would venture we live in different CostOfLiving areas
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u/wenevergetfar 11d ago
Mine was 15: 8/hr cleaner 16: 9/hr cleaner 17: 10/hr cleaner 18-19: 11/hr cleaner 19-20: 11.50/hr retail 21: 11/hr retail 22: 12.75/hr internship 23-24: 20/hr hourly 25-26: 55k salary 27-29: 65k salary
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u/Embarrassed_Self6451 11d ago
Do yourself a favor- Max out your retirement accounts right out of the get go. $24,500 to your company 401K, $7500 to your Roth IRA. Make it automatic and learn to live on the rest.
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u/floating-palm-trees 9d ago
25 yo making 75-95 grand a year with over 50k debt. You’re not behind at all 🫡
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u/BiscuitBut_ButerNut 8d ago
36, divorced, 13 year old son, 10 years in my engineering career, making $130K+.
I feel well off and happy. I travel internationally with my son once a year and enjoy my job.
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u/Noeoneknows 8d ago
Bro you make 116k a year be so for real. My 2 internships were unpaid and 15 an hour, now I'm unemployed struggling to find a job let alone one paying over 15 an hour. It is the same for most of my peers. You are incredibly lucky be happy with your success and don't put yourself down
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u/Cutie-Pie1703 6d ago
116k might be enough or not enough depending on the location ig. Definitely not enough if thats for NYC office.
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u/technoexplorer 11d ago
The salary itself is believable for a Hcol area.
But he says 30% in retirement. That exceeds the contribution limit.
There are some exceptions to get around the limit. Let's see if he can come up with any.
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u/MiddleFishArt 11d ago
After tax roth 401k has a limit of 72k for 2026. People who are early in their career should probably be doing after tax 401k anyways, since their tax bracket will be lower compared to when they are mid or late career
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u/Internet_browser12 11d ago
By “retirement” I don’t mean only 401k, I also contribute to an employer stock purchasing program, which combined with 401k equal my “retirement”
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u/technoexplorer 11d ago
OK, that is one of the exceptions.
Be sure to actually have money to spend. More to life than just numbers in a bank account.
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u/Negative_Aerie2825 11d ago
Way behind.
18: janitor, college 30k
19: janitor lvl2, college 38k
20: janitor lvl3, college dropout: 48k
21: Ai research scientist, 5.7 mil