I have an interview tomorrow and was told to bring an expected compensation package. Entry level design engineer. Any advice?

That'* going to depend wholly on the median income in your area. Around here, that would start at about 35-40k a year, with full medical/dental and retirement. Alot depends on the size of the company, too. Can you give us an idea on the company'* relation on the stock market, and the number of employees?

It would be better if they had a portable type of pension.
2-3 wks of vacation to start.
Remember to always start work near the end of the month because you are not covered by benefits until after you complete the month ie. if you start on Nov.5, you will not begin coverage until Dec.1 but if you start on Nov.30 you will begin coverage Dec.1.

We pay our Engineering students $3200 a month and starting design engineers make about $4000 a month......Canadian.
You should be able to double that in 5 years if "you have the knack".

I want to be an engineer.

Graduate from high school with +80% average.......some universities cut off is much higher.
Then cut yourself off from social life for 4 years of post secondary sweat.
.....Oh yea and you have to be able to drink 40 beers and not give a damn about any damn man who don't give a damn about you......

That'* exatcly what i would like to do. Designing cars and stuff like that. But i still have a while. I'm still a sophmore in middle school, but i am taking the appropriate classes.

Not all companies are like that! Most Fortune 500s in the US will provide coverage from day one.

As far as compensation goes it really depends on your area. An engineer in booming market will expect to make more than someone in a small town.

Engineers are awesome, except the nuclear ones. The uranium gets to their head, and makes them dumb [my dad is a nuclear engineer]. I'm planning on being an Electrical Engineer, and donating my time to my fav linux distro at the time. The market for engineers is HUGE, there are so many kinds that there will always be an opening.


-justin

Thanks for the advice, guys. My interviewer rescheduled at the last moment, so I have more time. Other similar positions I've been up for paid substantially more than 40, think 60. It'* a consulting firm that has permanent departments for large scale off-road equipment manufacturers.

From what I know, they treat their employees well, and their benifits package is pretty good, including 3 weeks paid vacation to start.

I'm crossing my fingers.

damn, good luck with that.
I'm junior year of mechanical engineering.