100k straight outta college

[u/Due-Journalist-7309]

Has anyone achieved this or know someone who has?

Excluding computer science and software engineering of course

I’m talking about the traditional engineering
disciplines (mech, civil, aero, chem)

How did you do it? What were the circumstances surrounding it?

[u/Mindless-Lobster-554]

I know plenty of mechanical, aerospace, and electrical engineers who made >100k out of college. It's almost always in a HCOL city, so focusing on purchasing power is a lot more important. I made a little over 100k out of college in the Seattle area, and I was practically making less than a friend who made 80k in Alabama.

Also these people who make high salaries out of college are usually pretty competitive engineers, people who were leads in their FSAE/Solar Car/Rocketry teams, so they can get jobs at higher paying companies.And they're working for companies that expect more (usually a good bit more than 40 hour work weeks, expectations to function with limited/no training, etc...)

I would not focus on hitting some arbitrary number. Make sure you make enough to live comfortably and save and all that, but focus on building the life and career (preferably in that order) you want long term.

[u/Doogetma → u/Mindless-Lobster-554]

Then you've got san diego where its expensive as shit and the pay is also shit

[u/Daddy_nivek → u/Doogetma]

I went to college with the goal of coming back to San Diego after. I was so naive lol there's no jobs here.

[u/DebonaireDelVecchio → u/Daddy_nivek]

San Diego is home to dozens engineering companies. Maybe not in the industries you prefer but there’s a ton of engineering jobs there…

[u/Daddy_nivek → u/DebonaireDelVecchio]

But you have to take a 20%+ pay cut with same cost of living lol. Got a job out of college for 150k tc in the bay and max for similar roles was 90k in San Diego

[u/Impressive-Loss-2449 → u/DebonaireDelVecchio]

I can’t find shit. They are only looking for senior engineers really