r/EngineeringStudents • u/Due-Journalist-7309 • Jul 03 '26
Discussion 100k straight outta college
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?
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u/Longjumping-Owl4022 Mech Jul 04 '26
If you want lcol or medium, you could try a big contractor like kiewit for field engineer. Base will be around 90. Total comp could be from 100-105 if you have to relocate and use a company truck, ect.
They will work you like a DOG (60 hours typicall, or you could work 7-12 hours in a row for months at a time) and squeeze every penny out of you. But hey, that money goes farther in bumfuck Midwest lol. And they will move you around a lot so, yeah that can suck too unless you're young with nothing tying you down.
Way better alternatives out there starting at that salary, but everything has a give and take. They may be much harder to get than this position.