I think replying to this either way will make me look arrogant or dumb. I think I am more worth in the industry, I've secured an internship that pays triple. I thank you for the input for the other thing though - I've taken your idea and talked to management about at least hiring more people seeing how they won't budge on a raise. (but are willing to hire more people?)
I'm not sure if this is the case, but OP may not be aware that some employers offer part-time remote internships, or the employer who OP interned for at triple his current pay may not have offered them.
OP, if you read this and this is the case, I went through a similar experience. My first internship was for a Silicon Valley company over the summer, and then I went on to work as a System Administrator for a college when I got back to school at ~33% of what I made over the summer. However, for my next internship, I worked for a different company and when I went back to school we agreed that I would work part-time remotely. I still made the same per hour as when I was working 40 hour weeks, I just worked fewer hours. I had a bunch of friends who did the same thing - interned for a company for a semester and then returned to school and worked for them part-time for a lot more than they would have made if they'd worked for the school.
Hiring a more experienced person to help you sounds like a great idea, actually. Your pay is not be based entirely on actual merit, but must also take risk into account. Once you've demonstrated the value, then you have the power to command more pay. In my experience though, you get the big raises when you switch jobs.
I think you are right, but I did not reply because HN blocks constant replies to posts for new account. I do acknowledge very privileged to be in this position, and I am actually fine with the pay for now. The reason why I asked this question was because someone told me I was being exploited for my labour, I soon realized that it seems like I was. I wanted to see if I could do anything about it seeing how there will be a point where a student who actually needs a job like this would become overworked by the weird requirements of the build.
> someone told me I was being exploited for my labour
Some people believe the employer-employee relationship is intrinsically exploitative, so that's not saying much.
I don't think you're being exploited although you are probably being mismanaged. I'd just take the job for what it is. You gain experience, you work your 18 hours a week until the deadline, and if you aren't done in that time, it's not your problem.
It isn't directly related to my graduation (I never needed to work to gradaute) more like I took a job at the school, like a librarian, but instead a developer.
You aren't allowed to work more than 18 hours, the university won't let me. They just expect it to be done, else I'm fired and get a bad reputation at the school and future hiring.
Can I ask how could I get about changing this situation? I go to the school that is employing me, I feel like any complaint will just impede my graduation or education. thank you :)
If you think you are worth more, find another job to pay more. Either use as leverage or take the other job.
For what's it's worth, I think I made like $12 in college updating crappy php college websites. It was fine, gave me some resume material. Gotta start somewhere.
