Ask HN: Is this the right paid?

Please don't take offense to this, but if "Is this the right paid?" is representative of your English fluency level, then that could be a significant factor limiting your salary potential. As an employer, I understand that not everyone speaks English as a first language, but you'd also have to understand that your lack of English skills limits your ability to communicate effectively. This reduces your efficiency when working in groups. Even worse, it reduces the efficiency of everyone in the group who must communicate with you.

I can't say what's normal in Houston, as I've only lived and worked in Los Angeles. Out here a developer with Java or .NET experience like you describe would easily start at $85k base at the companies I've worked for over the last 4 years. There would also be signing and annual bonuses and if you're good, significant raises each year.<p><i>Am I starting to wonder if I get ripped off for staying here and not asking for a big raise</i><p>I have always been baffled by this one. Usually at big companies there is a rule set by corporate that raises can only be 3-5% max in most cases. So even if you're good, the max you can expect on top of $70k is $3500 for your loyalty. If instead you had jumped to another company, you could have boosted your salary to $80 or $85k. And after you left, they would likely pay your replacement the same amount. So why don't companies just offer their loyal employees the higher salary (even if it exceeds the 3-5% threshold)?<p>The answer is, they do, but only if you threaten to leave. That's what I've done every year for the last 5 years. I never stop the job search, even once I land the job, and when I find a better job offer at the 1 year mark, I bring it to my current employer. Sometimes they offer to match the salary or offer better benefits, and I stay, other times I go with the other job that pays more or offers better benefits (sometimes the new job matches the counteroffer from my current employer).<p>In this way, I have increased my salary by an average of 19% per year since 2005, gone from no bonus to a very generous bonus package, increased vacation to 3 weeks, and negotiated telecommuting every Friday.

I've been an employer in the Austin area both at startups and a very big company. My gut tells me you're right at (or slightly below) the median range and probably right where you should be. Without knowing details, and assuming you're 7 years into your career.<p>Things you can do to improve your salary:<p>1. Get a new job.<p>2. Improve your written communication skills.<p>Regardless, the cost of living in Houston is below average for large metro areas so you're not doing too bad, IMO. To be frank, however, you're not on a "superstar" path here--if you stay where you're at you will never increase your salary to the top end of the accepted range for your experience level.

You're not saying how much "most of your life" is - are you 20? 60? How much experience do you have with the technologies you're working with (and other related tech)? How much outside tech stuff do you do?<p>I don't know Houston specifically, but that doesn't sound <i>too</i> out of place for a server side java dev with 4 years of experience in the midwest.<p>A couple things bother me - 2 raises in 4 years. Also, dual Java and .Net work. As much as I'm a 'play in all camps' advocate, you may never get truly deep skills to justify higher pay (in future jobs) if you're doing jumping between tech.<p>Overall, it's not the worst pay I've ever heard of for someone with multiple years of experience in Java and .Net.<p>Indeed shows:<p><a href="http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=.net&#38;l1=houston&#38;tm=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=.net&#38;l1=houston&#38;tm=1</a> = $85k <a href="http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=java&#38;l1=houston&#38;tm=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=java&#38;l1=houston&#38;tm=1</a> = $91k<p>Obviously just a rough ballpark, but you're near average it seems.

I'm guessing that your written communication ability may be hurting you, career-wise and (thus) salary-wise.<p>This stuff matters, even for geeks: communication is one of the big differences between being a cypher and a superstar.

I'm in Houston and know about the pay here (as both a programmer and a hiring manager). I'd say you're comfortably paid but on the low end. It depends on what industry you are in as well. For example, in the medical industry that would be about right, but finances and energy can do better. Walk in and ask for a 15K raise. If they don't give it to you, you can get at least 10K more on the market right now.

If people were getting the deserved salary for their job/skills then we would all be multi-millionaires.