Entry level pay after Navy

[Jimi]

Seth,
We made Chief together, went through initiations together, and I consider you a friend.  I've been stalking this website for over 6 months and have only posted twice for a reason.  These guys are very helpful with specific questions but when you get into vague topics such as pay you'll receive the full spectrum of opinions.  Interview and see what's out there before you make a decision.  Be a good nuke and weigh your options.  The guys who try to convince you of the benefits of Navy retirement never factor in quality of life and time with your wife.   I'm a 7 year Chief ET/EWS/EOOW with a degree and they would probably try and convince me to stay in for the cash alone.>>Screw that.  Stay in because you love the job and take pride in it every day.  Otherwise, interview, find the job that will make you and the wife happy and comfortable, and embrace the fact that you served well for a long time and made the right choice.  Remeber this is just another maneuvering shoot the sh#$ and you'll make up your own mind.  Semantics.

Jimi

[DDMurray]

subnukederek:  I appreciate your recruiting efforts!  I definitely am prepared to stay in if need be, but I don't love it anymore and am ready for a change.  I WILL stay if I feel that I need to, but I do not forsee that as a problem.

As far as my other comments have gone, I stick by my actions.  I'm not here to piss people off, but I have an agenda:  I am networking and I need information. 

number41,
I'm not a recruiter.  I was trying to share with you my experiences in making this life-changing decision.  I have never loved it as you say.  I took an oath and made a commitment to give it my best shot.  My family and I have made sacrifices based on that commitment, but I don't expect anyone to give me anything.  There are less and less experienced people who are willing to make the commitment required to lead our sailors, so your experience will be missed.  My guess is you feel like you're in a thankless position that requires long, tedious working hours with extended family separations and your bosses don't appreciate, let alone recognize, the effort you put in on a day-to-day basis.   Welcome to the club.   Not every command (CO, XO, ENG, EDMC) is like that.  I'm sure you'll find a job that will pay you more than the navy would and you will get to spend more time with your family.  Thanks for keeping the plant safe.

Derek Murray
emcsmurray@hotmail.com

[xobxdoc]

  The guys who try to convince you of the benefits of Navy retirement never factor in quality of life and time with your wife.   

Quality of life is number 1.
41, It sounds like money is your motivating factor here. There's nothing wrong with that. You seem to be in your comfort zone and are afraid to make the leap. We all went through that one way or another. You have proven with your credentials that you have what it takes to be successful outside the Navy. Don't narrow your focus to instant SRO. If you can get it, great! If not, Engineering or Plant Operations would be a great place to start. I have seen several guys with similar resumes as yours breeze through NLO quals. They usually go to license class on there first try if they are not total douche bags. A real SRO license is not far beyond that. You will not find specifics on salaries in this forum. Like others have said, get some interviews.
The most important benefit I have is going home every day. That doesn't seem like much, but like the 20th century poet James Hatfield said, "Nothing else matters". I got be 3rd base coach on my son's baseball team this year and witnessed his first homerun. It didn't dawn on me until he rounded second. Watching this little 8 year old with a bobblehead head helmet with an ear to ear grin and there I was waving him home. I almost lost it.  I will never forget that image and I can't imagine missing moments like that being away on deployment.

[Roll Tide]

Jimi and #41:
I sent you a PM with specific information I have on the subject.

[Neutron234]

In the end, it makes no difference how many dollars one takes home.  What matters is the quality of the life that one lives.

I couldn't agree with you more. That has to be the best quote I've seen on these message boards and is the best advice you can give to people deciding whether or not to get out of the Navy.

[jowlman]

As Troy has said, you have to look at the cost of living in the areas you are considering. You don't have to do all the leg work though. There are relocation wizard online that you can plug in one areas pay and it will tell you what you have to make in another area to be comparible.

[shayne]

I try to always remember that salaries outside of the Navy are usually based on a 40 hour week.  I don't remember any 40 hour weeks in the Navy.  So I was willing to make as much money as I was making in the Navy, but only working a 40 hour week and much better quality of life...

[JsonD13]

Hey I made about that much my first year out.......but I did the extra two years.


Jason

[bradley535]

   The 80K+ scenario is not indicative of everyone's just-got-out experience. What you should expect is going to be on keel with how you handled your Navy time. If you were a hard charger with more than average intelligence then, sure, you may end up with one of the higher paying jobs (80-100K starting). If, however, you skated through your six-and-out Navy job as a slacker that did just enough to get by, expect job availabilities to reflect your efforts.

   Also, keep in mind that the previous posts are from 3 years ago. Times have changed a bit since then. Across the board pay raises due to inflation, fatigue rules requiring greater manning efforts, and retirements have altered the pay and qualification requirements of certain positions.

   The question of "What can I expect for pay once I get out of the Navy?" is far too broad a question to really answer. It all depends on various factors including but not limited to:
   1. What job are qualified for.
   2. What work you are willing to do.
   3. What kind of picture your Evals and Letters of Recommendation paint of you.
   4. How well you present yourself in an interview.
   5. Where you are willing to work.

   Are those 80-100K jobs out there for entry level? Yes, but you had better be ready to work if you want to keep it. Just because you have been through the Navy pipeline, does not guarantee success in the commercial world. Remember how hard you worked going through that Navy pipeline, and reapply that level of effort. I have seen more than one trainee drop from the program because they thought that their Navy training would give them a coasting pass through the license program.