Comments on: Spokane Salaries: Why so low? http://scottwilburn.com/2008/07/16/spokane-salaries-why-so-low/ PHP/MySQL programmer in the Pacific Northwest Tue, 19 May 2009 10:01:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Harry http://scottwilburn.com/2008/07/16/spokane-salaries-why-so-low/comment-page-1/#comment-17808 Harry Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:46:10 +0000 http://www.scottwilburn.com/2008/07/16/spokane-salaries-why-so-low/#comment-17808 You could have a chicken and the egg problem. I'm a Sr Web Developer who is originally from Spokane but now resides in Seattle. Last time I was in Spokaloo visiting family I decided to check out the local job boards and was very saddened by the lack of decent jobs. So perhaps the web devs in Spokane are willing to work for peanuts because it's so hard to find a gig. Until their are more jobs, you might not get better salaries. I pretty much came to the conclusion that if life ever forced me back to Spokane I would have to find a remote job working for a company outside of Spokane or change careers. Its kinda funny, on the team of 4 that I work on currently, 2 of us are Spokane transplants who left for the big city so we could find rewarding jobs that paid a living wage. You could have a chicken and the egg problem.

I’m a Sr Web Developer who is originally from Spokane but now resides in Seattle. Last time I was in Spokaloo visiting family I decided to check out the local job boards and was very saddened by the lack of decent jobs. So perhaps the web devs in Spokane are willing to work for peanuts because it’s so hard to find a gig. Until their are more jobs, you might not get better salaries.

I pretty much came to the conclusion that if life ever forced me back to Spokane I would have to find a remote job working for a company outside of Spokane or change careers.

Its kinda funny, on the team of 4 that I work on currently, 2 of us are Spokane transplants who left for the big city so we could find rewarding jobs that paid a living wage.

]]> By: Jim Grapes http://scottwilburn.com/2008/07/16/spokane-salaries-why-so-low/comment-page-1/#comment-17802 Jim Grapes Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:27:41 +0000 http://www.scottwilburn.com/2008/07/16/spokane-salaries-why-so-low/#comment-17802 I see that many professions earn lower salaries in Spokane. One reason employers feel OK paying lower salaries is one of the main attractions that Spokane possesses: lower cost of housing. According to the Washington Center for Real Estate research, Spokane has a current Housing Affordabilty Index (HAI) of 129.3, King County's HAI is only 76.6. This is a difference of over 50 points. Many people feel that when housing costs are factored in they keep much more of the pay for themselves. Here is a link to a <a href="http://www.lilaccityrealestate.com/files/documents/Snapshot_08Q1.pdf" rel="nofollow">chart of all Washington State county HAI's.</a> Sorry, I don't have data for other states. I see that many professions earn lower salaries in Spokane. One reason employers feel OK paying lower salaries is one of the main attractions that Spokane possesses: lower cost of housing. According to the Washington Center for Real Estate research, Spokane has a current Housing Affordabilty Index (HAI) of 129.3, King County’s HAI is only 76.6. This is a difference of over 50 points. Many people feel that when housing costs are factored in they keep much more of the pay for themselves. Here is a link to a chart of all Washington State county HAI’s. Sorry, I don’t have data for other states.

]]>