Ask HN: Junior Software Engineer Salary [London]

#1

Post by waltercfilho » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 1:21 PM UTC

Hello,

I am 22 studying CS and will (hopefully) graduate in Jun/Jul 2014 in the UK.

I have received a job offer, and am about to sign a contract for a graduate opportunity starting in Sept. 2014 in London.

The salary is meant to be £25,500.00 p.a. before tax. After including bonuses and allowances it can total at around £34,000.00. Which would mean that I'd be "taking home" around £1,600.00 p.c.m.

Question is: Is this a decent opportunity, salary wise? Or as far as salaries go, is this the low end?

Your answers would help me a lot, specially on whether to keep looking for something or to settle for this.

Thank you.

Re: Ask HN: Junior Software Engineer Salary [London]

#2

Post by niteshade » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 1:26 PM UTC

Erm, I get £23k a year before tax, and I make about £1600/month. I think you've got a sweet deal.

You could get a really shit job that pays fuck-all (around 16k), or on the other end of the spectrum, learn Ruby/Python and get a developer role for around £30k.

Re: Ask HN: Junior Software Engineer Salary [London]

#3

Post by anothermouse » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 1:35 PM UTC

That will be what you earn at your first job.

Don't tell the people hiring you of course, but if you leave after 12-24 months with some good experience, you'll get a big bump. If you skillset pays 60K with experience, you'll get there or beyond by your second or third job.

Just be sure that it is in an area you're interested in, and you'll do fine. Just beware that working on (VBA/testing/C++) often leads to more (VBA/testing/C++), and of those c++ pays the most.

Re: Ask HN: Junior Software Engineer Salary [London]

#4

Post by NickPollard » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 1:51 PM UTC

For a first job, that's fine, and if it's a job you think you'd enjoy I'd suggest you go for it.

As anothermouse says, after you've been there 1-2 years and have both experience and the CV to prove it, you'll likely be able to earn quite a bit more, but I wouldn't advise spending lots of time now trying to find a higher salary straight out of Uni.

Re: Ask HN: Junior Software Engineer Salary [London]

#5

Post by obayesshelton » Tue, Jun 25, 2013, 1:53 PM UTC

Just a thing to remember don't ever depend on your bonus.

I also work in London as a Engineer and it isn't always about the salary it is the exposure to what you will be working on and the company. You could be working on and writing the best code of your life but if your next employer hasn't heard of your current company or cannot research them it might as well be pointless. So remember github and blog to make you look good.

Oh and attend meetup groups.

Get in the fast flow (network).