$25-an-hour Jobs

www.careerbuilder.com ^ | October 2007 | Mary Lorenz

[Maelstorm]

$25-an-hour Jobs

By Mary Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com writer

If you get paid a salary, you probably don't give much thought to what you make on an hourly basis. Either the thought is too depressing ("That's all I make per hour?"), produces too much guilt ("That's how much the company spends every time I take a 'little' break to watch YouTube videos?"), or simply doesn't occur to you.  That said, $25 an hour may not sound like much, until you realize that the median household salary is $46,326 according to the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau, and that breaks down to about $22.27 per hour for a 40-hour work week. 

 

So who's making more than the average American at $25 an hour?

 

1. Market analyst -- $27.18/hour
Market analysts work in government agencies, consulting firms, financial institutions or marketing research firms, where they research and predict the sales potential of a particular product or service. A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for many jobs; however, a master's degree in a field such as business administration, marketing, statistics or communications will provide more opportunities.
Average annual salary: $56,541*

 

2. Chemist -- $25.16/hour
Chemists search for and use knowledge about chemicals to discover and develop new and improved products, processes to save energy and reduce pollution, and advances in fields like medicine and agriculture. A bachelor's degree in chemistry or a related discipline is the minimum educational requirement; however, many research jobs require a master's degree or doctorate.
Average annual salary: $52,333

 

3. Civil engineer -- $25.29/hour
Civil engineers plan, design and oversee engineering for building projects like airports, bridges, buildings and irrigation systems.  They often need a degree in civil engineering or certification as a registered civil engineer.
Average annual salary: $52,605
 
4. Social worker -- $25.06/hour
Social workers work for places like community centers, hospitals and penal institutions, where they develop programs to help individuals and groups enhance their personal relationships and social development.  Social workers receive accreditation through a four-year college degree program in social work and on-the-job experience.
Average annual salary: $52,119

 

5. Human resources generalist -- $26.90/hour
Human resources generalists work to improve working conditions within an establishment by identifying, evaluating and resolving problems in employee relations and work performance. A combination of directly related training and experience is typically required for carrying out the responsibilities for this job.
Average annual salary: $55,959

 

6. Architect -- $26.41/hour
Architects apply their knowledge of design to plan and supervise the construction of building projects according to their clients' needs and financial resources.  Architects need a degree from an approved school of architecture.
Average annual salary: $55,060 

 

7. Speech pathologist -- $25.05/hour
Speech pathologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of speech and language disorders and study the science of human communication. Practice requires a four-year degree in the field of health sciences.
Average annual salary: $52,105

 

8. Budget analyst -- $26.71/hour
Budget analysts review financial plans and help institutions prepare budgets, improve efficiency and lower costs. Budget analysts typically have at least a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, public administration, economics, statistics, political science or sociology.
Average annual salary: $55,579

 

9. Detective -- $27.02/hour
Detectives carry out investigations to prevent crimes or solve criminal cases.  Detectives are appointed based on their eligibility under civil service regulations, their performance in competitive written exams and their previous education and experience. 
Average annual salary: $56,197

 

10. Physical therapist -- $25.68/hour
Physical therapists plan and administer medically prescribed treatment for patients suffering from injuries or certain diseases to restore function, relieve pain and prevent disability. A combination of training and experience is typically required to practice, as well as compliance with state licensing requirements. 
Average annual salary: $53,410

[Myrddin]

Forgive me of my ignorance, but, what is 5ESS ?

It is the last generation of class 5 end office telephone company switches. ESS means Electronic Switching System. It was AT&T's last product. Northern Telecom makes a competing product with a similar feature set. What passes for a "technician" is someone familiar with the diagnostic menus for the switch. Run the diagnostic, identify the part that has failed, grab a replacement from the cabinet...along with an anti-static wrist strap. Set the modules out of service, swap the boards, re-test to ensure the replace solved the problem. Place the modules back in service.

It's so easy a trained monkey can do it. I know because I played the "trained monkey" while doing strike security in the Southern California desert in 1989. The pay is good because it's a protected CWA union job.

[Myrddin]

Or Computer Science and EE’s.

I'm competent on both accounts. That's good for about $76/hour gross. A very comfortable living in Pocatello, ID.

[Finny]

The wage term of $22 per hour is padded and misleading. It is probably the equivalent of $35 an hour for a self-employed person. Three things immediately come to mind:

The self-employed person has to match his own social security contributions -- i.e., a company-employed worker has half as much social security witheld as the self-employed. In essence, whatever hourly wage the company is paying that person is that dollar figure plus the amount of SS contributed.

Then there's sick time and vacation. Depending on the job, that $22 per hour figure may very well include paid sick days and paid holidays. The self-employed person doesn't get paid when he doesn't work.

THEN there's health insurance. The self-employed person has to pay an outrageous amount of money per month and, if I'm correct, in some states cannot pay for it with pre-tax dollars. He's still paying the same co-pay, but has to shell out considerably more for the privelege, where someone employed at a company gets a much better "deal" on insurance.

Maybe this stuff is factored into figuring the "real" wage being paid ... but I doubt it.

[mamelukesabre]

Everybody knows we don’t wear shoes in TN
~~~~~~~~

That was funny. You just wrap tobacco leaves around your feet and drink whiskey if you get cold, right?

[Cogadh na Sith]

I know many would disagree but I think it is stupid to spend 400,000 on education when you are only expecting a 100,000 return the first year let alone a paltry 50,000k return.

Masters degree = $125,000
First year's pay = $50,000

Dodging the Vietnam draft? Priceless.....

That's why there is such an over emphasis on higher education: we have a huge overabundance of older phd and MS degree types who just stayed in to dodge the draft.

The market for higher ed is simply returning to normal.

[Myrddin]

I lived in Rolling Valley from 1966 to 1968. I attended West Springfield Elementary school for the balance of 5th grade. Rolling Valley Elementary School opened up in time for me to attend 6th grade there. The first half of 7th grade was spent at Washington Irving Intermediate. Our house was at 8315 Greeley Blvd (intersection of Rivington Rd and Greeley Blvd). It was a nice neighboorhood in 1966. I've been back to visit the neighborhood a couple times since leaving in 1968. One of my old neighbors still lives there. The wooded areas that surrounded my old neighborhood are full of houses...except for the area around Pohick Creek. Even that has changed significantly since I was a kid.

[eyedigress]

A EE that knows various launguages is invaluable. We need 2 right now that can progam a specific Test Exec, and I know they will start at 65,000 to 70. (And that’s in TN, a very inexpensive place to live)

[Finny]

What I’m trying to say (and badly) is NOT that the poor self-employed person has it bad — but that the person who works for a big company at $22 an hour is getting paid probably $35 an hour in “real” dollars. Or look at it this way: if it was just you cut loose to earn your own hourly wage, you’d have to charge $35 an hour to come out on the same plateu (matched social security, paid time off, insurance and retirement benefits) as a company guy whose salary breaks down to $22 an hour.

[patton]

$76/HR in ID is HUGH. Series, even.

[Myrddin]

I also go home at the end of the day and leave work at work.

I work from my home. I can't leave work at work. I'm always there. My colleagues on the east coast are also workaholics. I get calls at 9:30 PM MDT from them. It's 11:30 EDT and they are working in the integration lab. There is no escape. The zero commute is nice. I can start my day without my blood pressure being raised by jackasses on the roads. The respite is limited...the phone will ring and jackasses will be on the other end. It's still better than spending an hour in traffic.

[vidbizz]

These are the salaries if you work FOR someone.
I worked for a company for 15 years. Then I quit & started to do work for myself...got a couple a clients, etc.
Now 12 years after quitting, I make 3 times more than I ever could have working for the other company.
Sure it’s alot of headaches, but worth it.

[Dinsdale]

At least $35. On a salary you get paid for sitting at your desk freeping or spacing out in meetings (and no doubt complaining about unpaid overtime).

When you bill your time out you had better maintain a good level of productivity. 40 billable hours can be a very long week.

A good general rule when going independent. Take you annual salary in k$ make, it your hourly rate in $. Firing you former PHB is just a bonus.

[Dinsdale]

Phone calls from jackasses are billable.

That knowledge is the only thing that makes me answer the phone some days.

[eyedigress]

And go to the Microchip conference every year.

[Finny]

... or spacing out in meetings ...

Gosh. I always forget that horrible part of being employed white-collar in a company. Meetings ... when empowered lops have a captured audience while they "soar on the updraft of their own rhetoric." Meanwhile, you're sitting there thinking of all the deadlines you've got to meet and all the little tasks you could have completed while this guy was prattling on about "corporate culture."

[vidbizz]

If I have a jacka$$ client, I pad the project invoice.
I figure it as a “grief” line item.

[Dinsdale]

And go to the Microchip conference every year.

At least travel to the town the Microchip conference is in and staying at a nearby hotel.

IIRC actually attending the conference is optional and should in no case interfere with running up the expense account carousing with your coworkers. Good times...

[Oatka]

I don't even own 6 pairs of shoes.

When I was a kid, I got ONE pair that was a couple of sizes too large so "I would grow into them". After a while the feet would start to cramp (shoes were resoled time and again) and I'd get the next pair. When I graduated grade school, all the other kids got new shoes, mom shined mine and said "That will have to do - they LOOK new".

My parents sacrificed a lot. My kids can't believe it (that was in the 50s). You can bet I have more than one non-oversized pair now, but my mind still boggles at kids and their $100 Nikes.

[Myrddin]

A EE that knows various launguages is invaluable.

I design hardware from scratch and write firmware/drivers as necessary. Assembly, C, C++ at that level. Larger applications allow other languages. Java, C# and Python are favorites. PERL as necessary. Ruby when permitted. I use mySQL for most database work. It hooks up nicely with C, C++ and Python. Apache is my web server of choice on Linux. IIS on Windows platforms. Altova's XMLSPY is a great tool for dealing with XML and ferreting out issues with XSLT substitutions. Embedded PHP is also a satisfactory approach if you aren't shuffling XML between platforms.

My boss just sent me a little e-mail exchange from a company developing a new display. It uses 1W LEDs to achieve a daylight readable display. The software developer for the project is "crapping out" in the words of the concerned manufacturer. They need a someone competent in PIC microcontroller programming to solve their problems. Fancy that. I have everything necessary on my desk. Compilers, manuals and FLASH programmer. Send me the schematics, interface protocols and a due date.

[eyedigress]

I have 2 pair of shoes. My Winter pair and my Summer pair. (ahh! I digress, my Sunday “go to meeting” pair). :^)