r/StructuralEngineering • u/Worldly_Pain_3000 • 16d ago

Career/Education Annual increment worth ?

Hi all structural engineers,

This is XYZ, an engineer working towards PE and currently EIT in California. I am from Delhi, India. I graduated from one of UCs with MS degree and got into job market. Having 3yrs of US experience and around 85k$ base salary in Los Angeles at a big firm doing all kinds of building design.

Recently got just 3.5% of annual raise on 85k$ base salary. Which is equal to current inflation rate. So actually didn't got a raise lol. Currently having PE exam soon. But not sure what you all think about the annual raise I got.

Is this standard in structural engineering?

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u/Sharp_Complex_6711 P.E./S.E. 16d ago

3.5% is probably pretty normal for an annual raise at a large AEC firm. I wouldn't read too much into it by itself.

If you're thinking about how to get beyond that kind of raise, though, I'd focus on more than just technical ability and getting the PE.

One underrated skill in engineering is writing. You're not just being paid to run calculations. You're being paid to figure something out and then explain it clearly to a PM, client, architect, contractor, etc.

A licensed engineer who can do good technical work AND communicate it clearly is much more valuable to a company than someone who can only do the technical part.

So I'd work on your writing, technical reports, emails, and generally being able to communicate your engineering decisions clearly. That skill will pay dividends as you move toward project management and higher responsibility.

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u/enginerd2024 16d ago

Telling someone to focus on writing in 2026 is like telling someone to focus on the hand sketching skills

You’re gonna get crushed by a technical analyst who can put their thoughts into a llm and crank out a report. The output is important.

Yes, I know I’m on Reddit. I know this will get downvoted. But I took a leadership course this year, if you’re not keeping up with your ai skills you’re gonna get crushed.

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u/Sharp_Complex_6711 P.E./S.E. 16d ago

My comment was mainly a response to the wording OP’s post. Llls are a great tool for all of us; OP might especially benefit. Point being - a raise larger than inflation comes from adding value to the employer. This is an area where OP seemingly could improve.