

Ask HN: Younger/less experienced person here. Should I ask for a raise? - throwaway8155

I am a first year college student who has been programming since I was 11, and I am fairly skilled in web engineering with PHP, Python (Flask) and Ruby (on Rails) as well as web design with HTML/CSS/JS. I have been working for a year and a half for a startup company on the East Coast, doing all of the "work" except for a database API. That is to say, I have been writing the majority of the code and designing all the assets for a 2-3 KLOC app. Soon, I will be creating prototypes of an iOS app for the product.<p>Up until this point, my pay has been set at around $15 an hour. I know I am just a freshman with only a year of professional experience, but I am also aware that I have a lot of skill and contribute value on many fronts. I was wondering if you guys had any ideas about salaries for younger people who may not have been in the workforce very long. Thanks so much for your help.
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mgse
From what I've seen at IBM/HP, interns/coops usually get paid somewhere around
$20 to $25. A bit lower if a freshman, higher if grad student. And last I
heard, the MECOP program at Oregon State sets a floor of $15 an hour for
interns and it sounds like the vast majority, if not all companies, pay more
than that.

So while not an apples to apples comparison, I'd say at $15/hour you're low
assuming no equity. That said, unless you need the money to survive, I would
view the job as a springboard to your future goals.

So if you're learning a lot and enjoy what you're doing, I'd recommend
sticking around. Maybe you can make a play for some equity? On the other hand,
if you don't feel like your skills/resume are developing, consider looking for
an upgrade (pay and personal development).

On the last point, I've been out of college for almost 10 years now and I
still pick up quite a bit from my coworkers. It sounds like you're developing
on an island which is both good and bad. You learn a lot, but you also miss
out on the expertise of others. Something else to consider.

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niteshade
Definitely go ahead and ask for a raise. You've been working for a year and
from your post, have big responsibilities. Hesitation is a bitch.

