average salary in calgary?

[stevescivic]

what is the average salary of a post secondary graduate in calgary? what salary is considered fairly reasonable in this city?

I've always wondered this but I don't seem to see much about this topic (or maybe I just didn't look hard enough).

Feedback?
Thanks

[bluetek]

I'd rather a guess for the majority of new grads it be around $40-50k starting.

[JordanAndrew]

Yeah I remember I had to write a report for school about this and it's around $44-$50K with a 4.5% average increase every year.

[stevescivic]

thanks for the reply

hmm 40-50k seems okay but I'm always hearing from oil and gas guys that they're easily making 100k / year working in their offices.

I'm not sure if 40-50 k is considered a good salary by today's standards esp. when I'm hearing oil and gas guys telling me that they purchased all these toys and houses with their huge salaries. The only thing that would suck with oil and gas is that often the guys making the huge coin are the ones that are on the rigs where they work so much that they never see their families.

Not sure how to pose this question I guess.... I'm tired and frustrated that things are getting so expensive everywhere.

[bluetek]

^^Ya no doubt. I got a friend who is working with a large O&G company in Calgary. He says he's making reallly good money, but he cant wait till he gets outta there. He hates it!! The work isnt very appealing, and everyone in the office isnt very nice. ect. ect. Anyway take it for whats it worth, but thats one opinion.

[mo_money2supe]

Try this link: http://forums.beyond.ca/st/157522/whats-your-salary/

Beyond may not be the best sample population, but at least it's a good start for determining the general new graduate starting salary.

[JordanAndrew]

There is, without a doubt, a lot of money behind oil and gas. You gotta ask yourself this question though, would you rather work in a good paying job and feel shitty and miserable the whole time you're doing it? Or would you rather get a job that you will truly enjoy but make less money?

In the end, it's not always about the money. You can have all the toys, cars, huge houses in the world and not be happy. Just my 2 cents.

What you can always do though is work in the oil and gas for a little bit, say 3-5 years, save most of that money and get out. Then you can pursue your real career that you want to be. It will take a lot of commitment getting out though because the money is really good but if you pull it off, it's a win win situation for you.

[Xtrema]

depends on if youu have co-op experience and what field you work in.

most would start in 44-50, big o&g can be $5k more than average. a bit more still if you have experience already. This is pre bonus/pension.

If you're willing to work in ft mac, it's easy to have $60K+ start for noobs.

[BigMass]

experience is everything, sure, in 5-10 years you can be making 100,000 but not starting straight out of school with no experience. No way, no how. $45-50 is about right

[R-Audi]

I have been in O&G for three years.. the only people I have heard of getting anywhere near the 100k mark right out of school were heavily recruited engineers, and Investment Banking Analysts. (And others in similiar occupation) Keep in mind with the IB route, you are working 80-100hrs a week. Divide that by 100k and then see how good it looks...
I'd say 40-50 sound right.

[Crymson]

Oil and Gas company employees, with technical university degrees (Engineers, Geologists, Geophysicists, Petrophysicsts, Resevior Engineers etc.) can start at about 50-60 right now and be at 100k within 5-6 years. That's base salary, expect another 10-20% in the form of bonuses and options.


http://www.mergisgroup.ca/

Has a bunch of engineering and geoscience postings, with salary ranges.

[leec001]

What about those in banking and financing industry?
Is there no other industries in Calgary?

[krisopotamus]

To whom said ppl in O&G dont see their families....umm working for an oil company in calgary is the same as any other company...mon-fri 8 hours a day.

I work at CNRL, a buddy of mine is done his degree soon and is going to work in the O&G instustry starting at 65k/year. He only did one workterm in O&G. I will have 4 workterms in it under my belt when I am done so I am expecting at least 65k starting.

Right now I'm making about 43k on workterms, in my 3rd year of school. Generally about a $2.50/hr raise between each 4 month workterm.

[Euro_Trash]

Do most people in the O&G field hate their jobs? I love working with O&G, and I am very happy that I chose this route for my engineering, I wouldn't go back and change it thats for sure.
Average salary last year for new-grad engineers working in O&G was 62,000... at least at my school. And I know this number goes up a fair bit every year

[Crymson]

I love working oil and gas, it's very satisfying work, very interesting, there is a high level of personal responsiblity, and a high level of personal reward.

Sometimes, you get a bit saddened when you think "that well that our team drilled -- would allow us all to retire in mansions if we even got a fraction of it's eventual payout" -- but that's the trade-off with going with an established company because you also never have to think "if THIS well doesn't work, our company goes bust".

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by Crymson
I love working oil and gas, it's very satisfying work, very interesting, there is a high level of personal responsiblity, and a high level of personal reward.

Sometimes, you get a bit saddened when you think "that well that our team drilled -- would allow us all to retire in mansions if we even got a fraction of it's eventual payout" -- but that's the trade-off with going with an established company because you also never have to think "if THIS well doesn't work, our company goes bust".

Hehe yeah I have often thought about how nice it would be to get like a 1% cut of any profits you make for the company....

[R-Audi]

Originally posted by krisopotamus
To whom said ppl in O&G dont see their families....umm working for an oil company in calgary is the same as any other company...mon-fri 8 hours a day.

This would be more in the O&G investment side... It is VERY common to work 80-100hrs/week with the IB/Finance side. There is currently a job posting on the UofC site from Tristone that this would apply. (But would would make ~100-150 depending on experience/school)

I personally am M-F, 7-4 but in Gas trading, so no need to work long hours if the market isn't open!

[89coupe]

The finance side of Oil & Gas for new grads is not very rewarding. ie. Accounting, Analysts, Auditers etc. Longer hours, less pay. The average salary is around $40-50K if you have less then 5 years experience.

There will always be exceptions of course.

Once you have obtained a designation and 5 or more years experience you will start to see some real money. The only fall back for the finance side is tons of hours and high stress levels.

The exploration side of Oil & Gas is much more rewarding. ie. Geologists, Geophysics, Engineers, Land. Pay levels are a little higher for new grads $50-60K range but your work load is way less and the hours are normal.

Plus the exploration side of Oil & Gas has way more perks, more lunches, more invites, more fun.

Every Oil & Gas company I have worked for in the past 15 years the Accounting side always gets the shitty end of the stick. Either side can get you that $100K salary once you gain the experience, but the Exploration side IMO is way more rewarding.

As for field positions in the Oil & Gas, yeh you can make some very good coin, but the lifestyle stinks.

The biggest money to be made in this town for young highly motivated people is investment banking. Takes the right people to know but if you can get in, do it. I know guys in their 20's making $150K plus a year. I know guys in their 30's making over a half million a year. The only problem is half of them are coke addicts with STD's from banging too many hoes...LOL

[krisopotamus]

Originally posted by R-Audi



This would be more in the O&G investment side... It is VERY common to work 80-100hrs/week with the IB/Finance side. There is currently a job posting on the UofC site from Tristone that this would apply. (But would would make ~100-150 depending on experience/school)

I personally am M-F, 7-4 but in Gas trading, so no need to work long hours if the market isn't open!

No, it would be the engineering side of O&G.

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by krisopotamus


No, it would be the engineering side of O&G.

While CNR works pretty steady, normal days I do know drilling and completion engineers that work 6 days a week with AT LEAST 10 hour days. Plus when they get home they have to have their cell ready for calls 24/7