Where the Highest Paying Tech Jobs Are 574
prostoalex writes "Where would you look for a high-paying tech job? If your answer is Silicon Valley or Research Triangle, Forbes magazine suggests some other destinations. When you take the cost of living and consider the net pay adjusted for that cost, places like Montgomery, Ala., Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Fort Smith, Ark. suddenly seem quite attractive."
Outsourcing (Score:5, Interesting)
Collateral Damage (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I live in Fort Collins (Score:4, Interesting)
Seriously, the problem with these communities is one of the major reasons the cost of living is so low is because the vast majority of jobs there pay very little. Sure, there might be some relatively high-paying tech jobs, but the problem is there are only 5 tech jobs in the whole city.
Re:I live in Fort Collins (Score:3, Interesting)
Or 'Best public schools in America'? (Score:3, Interesting)
Apropros a previous poster who wanted to dis 'Bama & Idaho, how many correspond with the best public schools in America [msn.com]?
Flyover country seems to be mighty well represented on some of these lists...
Re:cost of living. (Score:5, Interesting)
It's possible to have a very high standard of living for less money in these countries. And if your material needs are not great, you can live incredibly cheaply, save up a bunch of money and retire early.
The other thing is that, depending on how you work it, you might not be taking a cut in pay at all. All many of us need is to be at the one end of a wire. These countries have internet infrastructure, at least in the bigger towns and cities. Last time I was in Mexico, I met two people that were living there and making a living this way. One was a daytrader (remember those?) and the other had a web development company he had basically started in the U.S. When he moved to Mexico, his clients hardly noticed. He's making even more money now because he's found a lot of local talented designers and coders that work for lower pay, but he's still getting paid the same. And because he pays at the upper end of the prevailing local wage, his workers love him.
Moreover, he told me that because he lives in Mexico, he's much less likely to have to go to a day long meeting to discuss what exact shade of green should be used to maximize the branding of a particular website. Clients are less likely to fly him in to discuss trivial shit. Or they fly out to him because it's an excuse to visit Mexico.
Anyway, if you can work at the end of a wire, seriously consider some of the developing nations. I can't guarantee that you'll prosper, but I can guarantee you'll have a very interesting time.
Re:My views on Idaho Falls and Alabama in general (Score:5, Interesting)
Huntsville can be an odd place sometimes; mixing rocket scientists and rednecks has interesting results.
How about Iraq? (Score:2, Interesting)
According to a reliable friend of mine, the starting salary for IT jobs in Iraq is around $100,000 a year. He says you don't really need much training, you just need to be good with computers and willing to take risks. Of course, working in Iraq is pretty certain to end up more unpleasant than working in Idaho or Arkansas.
Re:cost of living. (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:I live in Fort Collins (Score:3, Interesting)
I live in Ft. Collins also. Try HP, Poudre Valley Hospital, Eastman Kodak, Anheuser-Busch, Agilent, Celestica and Colorado State University for starters. Within a half-hour drive or so your will find IBM, Ball Aerospace, NOAA, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Lockheed Martin, and the University of Colorado to name a few. All this is in a town within an hour or two of some of the best skiing, hiking, camping, climbing and biking in the country and a very affordable cost of living. Oh and did I mention there are several great microbreweries right in town
Seriously, the only people I hear rag on Ft. Collins are the ones that have lived there their whole lives and don't realize how good they have it.
Take it from some that lives in Montgomery... (Score:5, Interesting)
I've GOT to get out of this redneck filled, racist, little freaking town!
Re:What about... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:cost of living. (Score:1, Interesting)
-Corruption is HUGE. You have pay everyone off to just get basic services connected. It took him 1-2 years just to get an internet connection and when he did it was a 128k, then he had to keep rejustifying it. (A few years ago now). It took him a year just to get his licence, he got his here and hard the card before he left the premesis. His car was impounded at one point. When this happens it's a write-off, as the police strip it and sell it for parts. The general point here is that india is terribly, terribly inconvenient and frustrating. (Remember he was a complete native.)
-Cost of living is good? Sure. Try buying PC parts. He paid premium prices for budget parts. Over here he has gone dual core, dual proc, with SLI for what he says is a similar expenditure.
-You leave your earning behind. Ever think you could sell you Indian house, gather the proceeds and leave india? Think again. They will tie you up with paper work so it'll NEVER happen.
Apparently the only thing he will miss is the Mango's
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Huntsville, AL (Score:5, Interesting)
Go to Alberta (Score:5, Interesting)
McDonald's workers are getting $15/hour, signing bonuses and $100 extra pay if you show up for all your shifts that week.
Housing is a bit of a problem, there's a booming business finding old homes, ripping them off their foundation and dragging them to Calgary.
Calgary is sprawling outward at an incredible rate, it's bigger in area than NY city.
It's all from oil, tar sands that is, Canada exports oil since we make more than we use. The US gets about 10% of its oil from Canada and that will probably increase due to the US public's of growing concern about "foreign oil".
People are going there by the thousands every day, it's crazy!
Re:cost of living. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Collateral Damage (Score:1, Interesting)
So, how goes the computer animation business ? I heard you guys dried up when the Babylon 5 contract went away.
There are a bunch pretty damn smart people in San Antonio - hell, I'm one of 'em. You can find them in the small but growing collection of tech firms, in the DoD security establishment, and in some of the most technically talented IT shops in the country.
But the market isn't huge, and any firm that tries to build itself up in a hurry is going to run into problems. Especially if you don't know how to hire (like the other AC said). And it will be even worse if you're trying to do it on the cheap. That talent isn't going to leave their secure job for some carpetbagger that spends all their time whining.
Don't know where you found the sand - usually the humidty is the problem :-\
Telecommute (Score:3, Interesting)
And Seattle is the most overpriced city. (Score:3, Interesting)
Turns out Forbes is a rag. Seattle is cheaper than any other city I have ever lived in. Rent is cheaper. Wages are about the same. Gas is just as bad here as anywhere. Fruit is decent quality and only slightly worse than california prices. There's no state income tax.
Considering the rather 'innovative' reporting they've done on the SCO v. IBM matter as well, I really do wonder if there's a substantial difference in quality between New Scientist and Forbes.
I'm not saying THIS article is crap, but quality of life and cost of living can be very different matters and are not easy things to sum up. I'd advise that nobody use an article like this to make a life-altering decision.
Re:Cost of living in AL is CHEAP! (Score:1, Interesting)
How does all this work in the US? How much does the "$50k" translate to in terms of "this is how much I can spend for my bills/groceries/mortgage/etc, per month"?
Re:Huntsville, AL (Score:3, Interesting)
Even once you factor in the cost of vehicles, it's still cheaper where I live then in Silicon Valley. I use a tank of gas a week ($40) to get to work and errands. Insurance is $500/year. The vehicle itself is an old 97 Cavalier that I have probably $2500 in. Maintenance is $1000/year. Using a little common sense, you can combine trips so that you aren't wasting gas.
You comment about going out and discovering a world. How exactly does one do that when they are reliant on mass transportation to do it? Last I checked, most mass transit systems don't cover more then a relatively small geographical area.
Re:What Is "Cost Of Living"? (Score:3, Interesting)
If you're going to stay and ride the housing price wave, remember that prices can (and do) stagnate from time to time. Even while I was there, I saw some people's houses values stagnate, while others hit the lottery (one coworker bought a house in a neighborhood for $150k in January, and by May his development was considered "hip", and his next door neighbor sold a similar house in the low $400s). Think of it as investing in the stock market in the early 90s, and selling your portfolio and retiring in 2000. Everyone should do it because you can now live on the cash and not work again. Except, of course, that you happened to hit a nice ride, and everyone who jumped into the market in 2000 isn't quite so happy with the results. Housing prices are still speculative.
You're point that living in a high-dollar housing place will get you a nice sale and cash-out when you leave is true - that money does add up over time. Worse, if you live in a cheap, normal growth (which is about 6%/yr* before expenses, repairs, and taxes) and have to end up moving to the big cities, you're royally hosed. Houses really do drive the cost of living, but there is a certain investment quality to them, so its not all cost. The other big one is taxes. They can vary quite a bit, and are affected by RE price. I have a cousin who pays as much or more in taxes on her 5BR house in Jersey than I pay for the entire mortgage on my house in Virginia. That's money gone forever. And it's not necessarily proportional: I paid about $.20-$.23 per $100 of actual value in a rural county in VA, vs ~$2.40/$100 in Maryland.
Not saying that you aren't correct - your plan has merit if you can stand the atmosphere
*Data point: $130k house ~15m north of DC beltway in 1978 sold for $700k in 2003. Super hot area, McMansions galore, very desirable (large) lot with a horse barn, stone arena, fencing all put in since the original purchase. Realtor's "market value" was $540k (average from three good local agents), but the owners decided to advertise themselves instead. Increase over that 25 years: 7% per year actual, 6% by the "Realtors' Market Value" estimate. I think the realtors would have been on target if it hadn't been for the horse barn & amenities.
Birmingham, AL IT Guy Checking in (Score:2, Interesting)
Don't forget income taxes (Score:3, Interesting)
Too many people neglect to check salary offers against income taxes - you'd be shocked how much of a bite they take out.
Re:cost of living. (Score:4, Interesting)
I've been to Costa Rica, and your brother is full of crap.
Or else he just wants to keep you away and keep the girls to himself.
Re:I'm in Vietnam (Score:3, Interesting)
No if that's what you're into, Cambodia is the place to go except I don't know if prostitution is officially sanctioned (there is an active campaign against child prostitution thank god). Singapore(!) surprisingly has legal prostitution (probably to give gum chewing addicts something to do).
Re:cost of living. (Score:2, Interesting)