So I am new here to the area (from sf bay area) and have no idea what graduating undergrads expect or usually get offered for salaries in the engineering/business in atlanta. My gf (computer science and business double major) recently got an offer from IBM gbs division in the mid 60k range and was wondering if in the atlanta area this is considered high, low, middle etc...

I go to tech and dont know much about this kind of stuff around here...figured I would ask people that have been around here longer for advice or any ideas

thanks in advance!

With only a Bachelors, I would say that mid-60's starting salary is excellent...even with the cost of living in Atlanta factored in.

That is a good starting salary for fresh from school. It must be a decent position with some growth. I have hired two types of undergraduates here in Atlanta. The type that I needed "to get a job done" I payed 40k-45k. The type "I needed to grow into a more important role" I payed 55k-60k. The difference was as much a reflection on the potential of the hire than what they brought to the table. No offense to all the undergraduates here, but other than potential most undergraduates don't bring much to the table. But clearly, potential is worth 15k to 20k. You've gotta demonstrate that in the interview process.

My first job paid 23k in 1991, but I was still in undergraduate school. They gave me a whopping 2k raise when I completed my degree.

The biggest question for an IBM job is "is this job contract related?". IBM does lots of BPO for large companies and these jobs are at risk if IBM loses the contract. EDS is loosing a whopper down at Bellsouth and there are going to be a lot of good people out of work through no fault of their own.

thanks for the input!

I dont think its contract related. I was unsure because I am from the sf bay area (as is she) and we are used to seeing our friends that go to microsoft/silicon valley make around 70-80k and was wondering if around mid 60s is equivalent for this area.

Mid 60's is very good around the Atlanta area.

I dont think its contract related. I was unsure because I am from the sf bay area (as is she) and we are used to seeing our friends that go to microsoft/silicon valley make around 70-80k and was wondering if around mid 60s is equivalent for this area.

While I will argue that the real cost of living in Atlanta is not significantly different than the bay area there is about a 20k differential in mid priced salaries. Purchasing housing is a whole 'nother story but if you are renting and you want to live in a fashionable area ATL is really not significantly different than a number of other major cities. I looked at CHI a few years ago and the real difference, setting housing aside, was about 5%. I know a number of people who have moved from ATL to LA/DC/SF and got a cost of living adjustment who later moved back to ATL with this adjustment intact and their standard of living made a significant increase.

But to go back to the issue, I paid $70k in San Jose for jobs that I hired at $50k here in Atlanta. I paid $60k for those same jobs in Northern NJ, $50k in Dallas, $45k in Minnetonka, $42k in Pittsburgh, $65k in Chicago and $80k in NY. Of course, there were plus or minus on the skillset of the individuals hired but that will give you a ballpark. If similar people with similar skills are getting $20k more in SF, her job is probably priced about right for ATL.

that was helpful, thanks

There are a zillion ways of calculating cost-of-living differences between cities, but I decided to run these numbers in several different calculation programs. If you are making $60,000 in Atlanta, you would have to make between $91,000 and $120,000 in San Francisco to have a similar standard of living. The RCPI in Atlanta is 169.7, San Francisco is 177.2 and the national average is 173.8. The average salary in Atlanta is $37,000, compared to $50,100 in San Francisco.

Our attorneys in San Francisco get paid much, much more than we do to compensate for the much higher cost-of-living out there.

In other words it sucks to live in Atlanta and go on vacation...:D