Do I get paid enough in Silicon Valley? No degree but…

[Fishermike88]

I currently work in San Jose at a NanoFab plant. I have a strong background in Computer repair and integration. I also have a strong background in high-vacuum semiconductor equipment repair. I am the equipment expert for 4 tool sets (roughly 40 vacuum process chambers). I have 6 years of experience in this industry. I have no degree but some college. I started on night-shift maintenance repairing sputter systems. Now, I train the maintenance techs and new engineers and perform advanced troubleshooting on RF, Plasma, High-Vacuum, PLC’s, Equipment computer systems, and manufacturing equipment networking. Essentially I am the equipment expert and equipment IT expert.
On top of all of this, I was noticed for my computer repair and networking skills and now I am now being asked to maintain all equipment computers and PLCs which can get quite busy. From data loss prevention/recovery to upgrading obsolete motherboards or PCI/ISA cards.Most of these systems are running on Windows XP or older. Luckily, my boss let me recruit a helper who has strong computer troubleshooting skills. I have trained him and he now handles most of the common IT needs. I still handle the higher level troubleshooting when he can not figure out a problem. I am unofficially his lead.

My title is Equipment engineering technician and I make $40/hr and work about 50-60 hrs a week. I can choose my hours and work as much OT as l like (I am the only income source, wife stays home with the babies). Am I getting paid to little? Are my unique set of skills useful at other companies that will pay more? Keep in mind, I have no engineering degree. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

 

[USAFRet]

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

and work about 50-60 hrs a week

Stop doing that, for starters. 60 hours/week is NOT sustainable.


Next...
get some more college or a degree in whatever field interests you.
Then, look to a different job.

Usually, the best way to get a raise is to change jobs.

 

[lvt]

You are likely to make over 100K a year, that's not bad, especially for your current situation.

I think what you really need is job security. Not everyone in SV is paid 7 figure salary.

 

[Fishermike88]

I Know it’s not sustainable but I have to make ends meet. The cost of living is insane where I live. I have 2 little ones and school is not an option.

Thank you for your service!

 

[USAFRet]

I Know it’s not sustainable but I have to make ends meet. The cost of living is insane where I live. I have 2 little ones and school is not an option.

Thank you for your service!

I completely understand.
You're running as fast as you can, just to maintain position.


However....

Not everywhere is Silicon Valley.
Where I live, $40/hour at 40 hours/week is totally livable. Oh, and theres a beach 20 minutes away...😉

 

[Fishermike88]

I completely understand.
You're running as fast as you can, just to maintain position.


However....

Not everywhere is Silicon Valley.
Where I live, $40/hour at 40 hours/week is totally livable. Oh, and theres a beach 20 minutes away...😉

Nice! I have been looking for jobs in Texas, Arizona and Nevada but too scared to pull the trigger 😬. I’d love to get out of this tiny condo and have a house with a yard for the kids.

 

[USAFRet]

Nice! I have been looking for jobs in Texas, Arizona and Nevada but too scared to pull the trigger 😬. I’d love to get out of this tiny condo and have a house with a yard for the kids.

I'm just saying...look outside of the Silicon Valley bubble.
That area is NOT normal.

Picking up and moving IS scary, though.

 

[Alabalcho]

There are fans in many places outside of SV - TX, AZ, NY, WA, OR. Check open positions, apply, and see what happens.

And dont limit your searches to fabs only - engineering support is another field, and USofA are full of tool makers, small and large.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

I will say I’m in the Midwest and I don’t make what you make. I’m a little under 20 per hour for Helpdesk essentially. However, my house payment is only 750 per month as well. Plus we are in a nice area with only about 10k people in town. Going to the store like Walmart only takes about 5 minutes to get across town. Quiet town that not a lot happens in. So yes I don’t make as much but don’t have nearly the fast pace or cost of living either. Houses for 2-3 bedrooms around here go for 120-160k for budget houses. Though sometimes you see ones that are foreclosures and probably need work for less.

 

[Bazzy 505]

working 60+ hours a week is fine when you're starting up in your 20s. But doing that long term is the surest way get yourself an early spot in a cemetery.
While lack of college degree isn't a straight up show stopper, it always puts you on the short end of rope when it comes to positions of seniority. By the time
you're in your 40's you'll still be competing for the same jobs with the 20 year olds who still can work 60+ hours and can afford to work much less than 40/hr.

I know it's hard with small kids and stay-in home wife to support. But i would strongly recommend, once your kids are old enough for kindergarden, to commit
20 of those 60 hours to studying and get an undergraduate degree before your brain is too crusty to cram for exams.

40/hr isn't half bad, but it always comes down to what your expectations are.

I used to work in a large city where i paid 2,5k/month for 300 square closet of an apartment without utilities and parking space, with 100 bucks worth of groceries fitting in a single pastic bag. When i got married and we moved to a much smaller community, my paycheck took a large dive, but i could suddenly afford to actually buy a house and and 100 bucks could reasonably fill 2 pastic bags. Sure the pace is slower, and maybe a little boring at times, knowing all your neighbours by name kinda annoying 😆, but with time i've learned to appreciate it and believe it or not the actual quality of my life has vastly improved since than.

 

[ohio_buckeye]

That's where I'm at. When I was in my 20's I was working by day, and by night was running a side gig. Now I'm 40 and enjoy a slower pace of life. Personally, I'd almost prefer to make a little less and manage my money than to chase my tail all the time. Sure I don't make 40 bucks an hour, but then again, I've got a nice house in a small community where people watch out for one another. One car is paid for, I think we have 9 payments left on the second one, so the 2 car payments will bascially equal my house payment, then I can keep knocking out credit card debt as well.

When you think about it that way, it's like giving yourself a raise as you are able to slow down and manage things. Plus you only have one life. Personally I can't see living in a city where I'm going to run run run. I work in a city, and drive an hour in. But over in the city, just going to the grocery store would be annoying with the traffic. So we prefer the slower pace in the town we live in. And if the car breaks down, my wife and I both work in the same place now, so we can put 1 car in the shop and drive the other and just keep on top of repairs.