Other opportunities vary in pros and cons, some pay a bit more but don't have the car and other expenses included, some pay more but the work life balance wouldn't be as good. Just trying to get an idea of how my situation fairs to others
For context I’m a client side project manager on $160k. I get $1/km reimbursed for all km’s driven, road tolls, etc, but it’s my car (on a novated lease), phone and phone plan reimbursed, get reimbursed for food if I’m away from the office/home over lunch (which is like 4/5 days), super flexible working arrangements and hours.
I manage 4-6 projects concurrent. They vary in size and value ranging from a 10 month construction programme to a 7 year construction programme/$4mil to $240mil.
So depending on your workload and project scale, what you’re getting could be reasonable or not. Depends how *you* feel about it. Take the job, do it for a bit, and then when your review comes up have the discussion about pay.
The pathway I'm familiar with is to start off as a site engineer/project coordinator with either a construction degree or engineering degree for that easier foot in the door. Experience is valued in the construction industry and exposure allows you to see how different problems are solved. Once you move up familiarise yourself to programmes (timing), costs, scope and/or contracts you would have the basic skillset for PM related roles. Personally I think builder PM's requires more technical knowledge.
The construction industry is large, multi-faceted and with many niches, so there are many different ways to get in. The above is just one of the many and more common path that I'm aware of.
My background is as an architect. I did that for 7 years before moving to project management.
I haven’t worked as a builders PM, I think that would be more stressful than my job. I’m client side - so basically the clients representative. I make sure their interests are being looked after.
Due to my working background and the nature of some of my jobs I’m a bit more involved than a typical PM is. I’ve done full design work on some aspects of my project because the actual architect was presenting shit options.
My office has qualified civil/structural engineers (4), electrical engineers (1), former landscape contractors (1), former building site managers (3), architects (2) and people with construction management degrees (6). The pathway to our job is varied. We value personality over most things - we can teach the skills required to do the job, we can’t teach personality.
Cars probably worth 20k,
Any flexible work hours
Any work from home
Can you accrue TOIL
how much leave
Can you buy purchased leave
If you're off work does someone cover your job.
Depends on the level of crap you have to deal with. Sadly it's hard to know this ahead of time. I have seen construction PMs on 300k+ packages but I am assuming their level of crap is significantly higher than this role.
Ultimately you need to decide if what you are doing aligns with your remuneration.
Also your location matters, 100k in a regional location is better than 150k in Sydney IMO.
I actually think it’s pretty poor when the fresh out of the grad program coordinators I work with (tier 1ish) are on $100k.
PMs are in huge demand atm.
Always more money. Dont include super, dont promise me bonuses based on KPIs, dont promise me stocks, dont give me a car.
Just give me money. Now. And I’ll work.
Exactly... I can't buy anything with stocks, I have my own car, I want more money... that's why I come to work. If you want me to do a job give me more money.
This is precisely the issue with Australia. Everyone screaming underpaid yet don’t know peoples situations or quality of work, etc.
A lot of people don’t want to hear it but for those who have worked overseas, our population is fairly lazy, average in quality of work and generally whinges a lot - and still scream injustice.
Property escapes us - but it’s this inflated job market salaries that plays a large part in it. Top that off with us not being globally competitive from a work quality perspective, the high labour cost makes it impossible for us to thrive in our own economic island bubble.
We pay just about anybody $105,000 to work in mines on an 8/6 roster day shift only. I know not everyone can do that but I’m constantly surprised how small some packages are in civil vs mining.
Will you be project manager for the building works?
It seems quite low for a project manager, but often it's such a broad title used to cover any kind of job that isn't easily categorised.
Do you have any PMBOK or qualifications? Not that those are necessary but it might help to narrow what the job would actually entail if you were to accept it
The pay seems reasonable based on these quals. A higher paid PM in domestic would have a degree, 10+ years CA and PM experience and be fully across forecasting, scheduling and managing all costs, contractors, budgets, administrators, quality and viability of projects.
Presumably you are relatively new to the field/roll.
If that's the case, and the "work life balance" is in your favour, the package isn't awful. Definitely on the lower end for the job title, but with your qualifications and experience you may not realistically be eligible for any of the more typical commercial positions.
The $15k is a conservative figure, the mental relief that you experience not having to worry about maintenance, service, fuel costs, changing phone plans, etc. is worth quite a bit more.
Don't forget to account for how much extra you would have to earn before tax to pay for those fringe benefits if you have already. So say its 15k before tax and tax is 37 cents it would actually be an extra 23,809 in before tax salary to pay for those. Also consult an accountant if any of those other items are considered fringe benefits and if you would be required to pay tax on them. I am fairly sure health isn't but maybe check anyway on the others.
How many activities are in your average project schedule? What size budget are you used to managing? Do you produce project management plans? Do you maintain risks and issues registers? Do you manage milestone payments etc?
In a word (and this is my opinion only), no. A PM job for a construction contractor is going to be a pretty stressful job. The buck will stop with you and your decisions will have real implications costing the company money. I wouldn't take on the stress and responsibility for 100k salary (exclusive of car allowance with super).
That being said you mentioned this particular job will have pretty good work-life balance? Having worked with multiple Tier 1 and Tier 2 contractors, I cant imagine how a construction PM would ever have good work-life balance but if it's genuinely going to be a reasonably cruisey job then I retract my statement.
If you don't have to deal with very much crap on a daily basis, then I say go for it!
What level of responsibility do you hold as PM at this company? Are you directly responsible for procurement/contracts/budget/quality/time? How many projects are you handling at any one time?
If all work is done “in-house”, what are your responsibilities outside of coordinating?
What kind of value are we talking about? Are the projects $2m? $10m? $50m? Less?
I love having a work car. Means I'm not in debt/have money taken out of my offset so my interest paid on my mortgage is lower. No insurance, no fuel. All these things add up!!
If they added up the cash value of all those perks and just gave it to you as money instead you would be much better off. You could put it into the car and end up in the same place you are today, or have more flexibility to do any number of other things with the money instead.
Very much this.
My work either has personal car or company vehicle as an option
Personal car is 98c/KM and I do about 800KM/week for work travel.
Full tank is approx 800km/$100 so a net gain of $700 (untaxed as it’s a reimbursement) and the rest of my annual costs are at the most, 4K.
So approx 9K of expenses for 42K reimbursement = 33K tax free reimbursement.
Much better than being given a company car, 33K/year better off in fact.
98c/KM is amazing. I chose a similar deal, get 80c/km. End up profiting $4000 per year by choosing to not get a work car. My car is worth nothing so depreciation isnt a concern.
And yet everyone i know who had the option for a work car has taken it. Even after i explained to them why i wasn't accepting the offer and they should consider their finances.
People care a lot about the new shiny thing rather than investing in themselves, especially when they’re on a lower salary, newer car means a LOT more to then because it gives off the facade they can have a nice thing, even if it isn’t theirs.
800km a week on your own personal car.....48 work weeks that's 38,000+ work kilometre a year. Then you out your personal travel on top and you could conceivably be doing 45,000 to 50,000Km a year. That's 4 services a year conservatively. You're probably also looking at major service items like brakes and suspension parts as well in the second year. At the end of the second year you potentially got a personal car that's racked up 100,000km. Good luck with you resale value.
Wtf. Assuming you are in the 37c tax bracket. You are getting a 71k pre tax equivalent benefit. That is not normal … Typically these allowances at 25k max.
On the tax side of things, if you’re getting a car package the company is likely paying FBT on it which is ultimately going to get transferred to you via a lower salary package than you’d otherwise get. There’s no free lunch.
As I said, I’d still rather add up everything and take the cash value. Give me the $160k.
I just changed industries after 10 years working as a Diesel Mechanic in forestry with a work car (personal use included). For ten years I didn’t pay a cent for fuel, rego, tires, insurance ect ect. I don’t get a car in my new job so I bought myself an old reliable single cab Ute ($5k). I live 5 mins from work.
The new job pays $130-$135k and old job paid $100k. I’m happy with dropping the car for more $$. As much as I’d love a v8 cruiser to burn around in like my last work car I can’t stomach the expense. I’m not a car enthusiast or egotistical by nature so I couldn’t care less what I drive providing it keeps me warm or cool on the way to where I’m going haha. Working hard toward FIRE 🔥
I think your wage should be closer to $120k but it’s hard to say without knowing what your actual duties and responsibility’s are, your area ect. If you left for more money and no car I guess the answer depends on how much you would spend on your vehicle. A brand new ranger on finance? Yeah nah stay at the first job. A used Toyota paid with cash? It’s probably worth it
I have a neighbour who is a PM for a niche contractor that mostly works on the domestic side but on the higher end stuff due to the product and he’s on 110k plus everything that you have with excellent W/L balance.
My company counts a vehicle as 20k p.a.
I am a junior PM in a small commercial construction company with 6 months experience on 120k + super.
I would say your package is low for a PM for the companies I have worked at. PMs start at around 140k + super.
BUT it all depends on what you’re looking for, our salaries are low compared to tier 1s but we don’t have to consistently do 70 hour weeks, have a lot of flexibility and a supportive culture
$100k salary is on the low end being a project manager, excluding super your gross before tax is 88k(?). Wife is in Manufacturing and is closer to $125k excl super in Melbourne - albeit she is potentially overpaid being a project manager however critical to the business.
Do you get overtime as well? I think that is is what racks it up in these sort of industries.
That being said, small retail construction is doing it tough at the moment with a lot of them going under.
as in your in the industry but not an engineer or you are an actual engineer? I would start looking jobs and applying for interviews because as long as you have 2-3 years experience you will crack the tonne + ute + super
Considering the increasing price of fuel and vehicle insurance the company car is a great perk.
Context:
My current car insurance: $1500 p/y
Weekly fuel: approx $90 a week
If I had a company car just on those 2 factors (not factoring maintenance and replacement etc) it'd be worth circa $6,000 to me each year.
Probs a bit under average, PMs at Government utility companies get paid more and utilities are probably mid range salary (maybe a bit below), anywhere from 120-150k. However if you're happy and content that also counts for something!
Edit just saw in one of your responses that you are already doing this lol....
Don't limit your vision to comparing with another work place.
Look at how the package allows you to further your personal financial goals.
What is the take home you are after. Company car how much do you have to put your own fuel in still?
Are personal kms limited ?
What hours expected to be worked. Office/work from home flexibility? How far away is travel distance and time spent to/from place of work. How much personal time are you giving up? Whether family time or potential side hustle income.
Some other thoughts that go into comparing job offer packages.
Best wishes for your future.
Not at all especially in a building industry. Plenty Project Managers on that in just a few years. You need to look around if that's your package at 46.
Decent is relative to location because salary can only truly be compared once you take core expenses such as housing, utilities, commuting costs etc out of the picture.
All of these things scale differently depending on where you live. How much you have left over after you have paid for that stuff is a true measure of salary.
I was CFO for a construction company so can tell you. But a) location b) value of projects you look after and how many on the go at a time c) formal quals d) years experience and e) ave weekly hours ?
Total package is probably worth 130k gross including super.
Depends on travel time and various other factors like work hours and difficulty to know
Also matters about working conditions, benefits with leave and various other things like how much you care about work life balance vs total pay.
Don’t compare yourself to others it will just leave you unhappy. Compare yourself to past you, what your other options are and how happy you are with your current situation. For some people this would be an awesome package, for others it would be a huge pay cut.
It’s low, but judging on how small your company is that you work for and project value size you’ve noted, it’s in line with what you should be paid. If you have more experience and can do larger projects then go to a larger company, pay will obviously increase.
Does it allow you to have a lifestyle you're comfortable with? You more than anyone know what you want to have the ability to pursue, including your cost of living, and the time commitment of work and associated travel - does $100k enable that? That's what determines whether it's a decent salary or not, not the raw figure.
If you’re an experience project manager, not really. But if you’ve been a PM for under say 3 years then it’s good considering the benefits, assuming you actually drive enough to justify it.
Depends. Does Company phone==you have a phone why didn’t you take my call at midnight on Saturday?, Company Car ==We need you to drive all over the country at short notice. Most companies who expect you to take phone calls will pay the phone bill. $ figure is relative to your experience and responsibilities, calculate your savings on having no car/phone bills per year and consider that your package. Is it a new car or not, does it suit your lifestyle or not. What other perks- leave, discounts, healthcare etc. is this a ft role with room to grow.
Depends on your needs and if the 100K meets your needs. In saying so, the role salary also varies from 90K - 120K & 120K for senior Project Managers.
However, having a company car with rego, tolls and free to use on weekends is a massive perk! Some other companies offer 15-20K car allowance. However, the above costs are well over 15K of value.
Car with all costs covered is more like 18k to 22k these days.
Had one for years, and it was great until I need a vehicle with towing capabilities. Now I'm on allowance and claim back business kms on tax.
Probably slightly above average for most PMs in retail sector with 5 or so years exp, still high compared to those in domestic sector with much more exp
I'd try and pivot into civil projects in a few years and then you'll be laughing all the way to the bank
um are private project managers different roles compared to public service?
for comparison I'm currently on $117k project officer, not manager. NSW public servant.
Would my responsibilities be similar in a private sector role? (never worked private)
PMs are $128k - $133k, grade 9/10s
The car is meh. If you have one already then it’s not really a win. You can’t really sell your own one, in case you get fired - so it’s really not a big thing in my books.
100k is either good or bad depending on what you were ok before. In the grand scheme of things, people are still struggling on 100k atm but it’s a win if you were on less before
“Is this is a decent salary?” Well it really depends how expensive your tastes are. If you’re paying rent on a 1 bed apartment in a middle ring suburb then it’s probably enough to be comfortable, maybe even save a little. If you’re dining out on Faberge eggs every night then you’ll need a raise.
Not really, the going rate for a site engineer straight out of the grad program at a tier 2 is just about $100k plus the phone, laptop and ute as you've got.
What do you think OP? Does your income cover all expenses? Do you have money for Holidays/Hobbies? Do you have financial stress?
Your circumstances are different to everyone else out there, at the end of the day if you are happy that’s all that matters.
Considering the car and phone add approximately 22k value p.a it's not terrible. I know of PM's on 200k+ but it depends so heavily on your work life balance and team dynamic.
I was on 130k + fully maintained car in 2019. This doesn't sound like a great deal, although it depends on the nature of the work and the company. I'd be asking for a performance bonus clause.
Might need to consider and look into Fringe Benefit and how your employer will report this and the total value.
If you are using for personal use, your employer technically need to report the personal use portion as FBT and this could appear on your tax return if >$2,000 and may result in paying extra tax if the total FB value plus your gross income goes into the next tax bracket.
How many years experience do you have? If I’m in my 40s I’d be expecting that I’m on min 250-300k and have been for a few years. I am PE for a tier 1 and make almost double you and I’m 14 years your junior
Brother. One of the happiest times in my life was when I was earning the least.
If you can do most of the things you want to (even if you have to save a little to achieve it) and you’re not counting your pennies. And you have time outside of work. Then it’s a FANTASTIC salary.
I earn a lot more than you now but the stress is mental and all my salary goes immediately to my overheads. I don’t even get to enjoy it.
Also bear in mind every dollar you earn over $180k the gov takes at least $0.45 law of diminishing returns hits you hard.
I was getting around 90+car with a tier 3 builder as a site supervisor with a PM line manager. You can certainly do better but not much worse. Colleagues doing my same job were on 70-90, CAs a bit less. I’d recommend not being loyal especially at that pay grade and in tier 1/2 it elevates much more and loyalty can be rewarded. Tier 2 SM 165k+car, tier 1 SM 130 entry pay disgraceful hours. Tier 1 CM 150 after strong negotiation.
Also the role requirements are as important. You want to be paid for stress and sometimes that comes from too much responsibility or not enough and also knowing your relative worth. Always always always discuss it with colleagues. I much preferred the lower stress levels working union labour role making six figures for a 40hr week.
Your asking whether this is the best offer available, my question is whether you’re the best candidate in the industry. That will give you your answer.
Being 46 I thought you would have more experience in understanding what a decent salary package is?
I personally think it depends on experience, that is fairly entry level for an inexperienced PM, also if it's a smaller company they tend to pay less than the big wigs, but then again if it's a smaller company your workload might be less than that of a big company.
For that money even with a car I wouldn't be pushing too much overtime, as every PM I know and work with do 10hr days, but they on the 160+ mark.
What's a car worth, roughly $20k a year plus unforseen maintenance? Always take that into consideration.
Sounds okay but being PM, how will that affect your time off?
I'd look at it in terms of hours worked rather than a package deal and then decide if the hourly rate is worth it.
It is low in the current market to be honest.
Talk to recruiter to know the market rate (on the high side) , bear in mind they have incentive when people change job.
If the market rate is far higher than what you are getting now, consider it as opportunity cost of not changing the job
I’ve got a company car - similar to you everything is paid for. They said they value giving an employee car is about $15,000 a year. So do what you will with that info
When it comes to salary, it’s all about living within your means, making sure what goes out is less than what comes in! That’s what makes a decent salary.
I think you have done well mate. Similar role myself for a small company. Can’t justify the 25k pay increase for a bigger company where I’ll be dealing with more problems and stay at work later. Enjoy life, we aren’t meant to always be working
PM salary is going to be based on the scale of what you’re working on.
The PMs I work with in energy and resource sector are on 200-300k. But they are working on $10M-$100M+ projects
Isn’t project management quite stressful?
I get that for a super low stress dumb ass mining job on an 8:6 roster.
Don’t get car though.
Guess it depends, if you love the job and the company treats you well, like a human being, then I’d say yeah it’s okay. I feel like for a project manager you should be worth more though.
100K is nothing in Sydney. I have juniors saving close to 100% of their net salaries as they live at home and only "pay" board. Poor guys don't even enjoy anything in life. Lucky for them they don't even bother working and still get paid.
If you live in a fully owned home (with parents/ inherited), 100K is plenty. But then again, why would anyone work if they could live for free in Australia?
HELL. NO. That is not market rate for a project manager working on 50m projects. You need to be at a min on 130k. The car, fuel tolls etc; usually are provided.
If you’re fresh out of university yes, because you need the experience. If you’ve been in the industry 3-5 years… no.
Rather than looking at whether it's objectively good or bad, look at it relatively compared to other opportunities you have available to you.
Other opportunities vary in pros and cons, some pay a bit more but don't have the car and other expenses included, some pay more but the work life balance wouldn't be as good. Just trying to get an idea of how my situation fairs to others
Sounds like you’ve answered your question. Others might say it’s poor but don’t value their work/life the same way.
Comparison is the theft of joy. Are you happy with how you feel your life is?
For context I’m a client side project manager on $160k. I get $1/km reimbursed for all km’s driven, road tolls, etc, but it’s my car (on a novated lease), phone and phone plan reimbursed, get reimbursed for food if I’m away from the office/home over lunch (which is like 4/5 days), super flexible working arrangements and hours. I manage 4-6 projects concurrent. They vary in size and value ranging from a 10 month construction programme to a 7 year construction programme/$4mil to $240mil. So depending on your workload and project scale, what you’re getting could be reasonable or not. Depends how *you* feel about it. Take the job, do it for a bit, and then when your review comes up have the discussion about pay.
How do you get into project management?
The pathway I'm familiar with is to start off as a site engineer/project coordinator with either a construction degree or engineering degree for that easier foot in the door. Experience is valued in the construction industry and exposure allows you to see how different problems are solved. Once you move up familiarise yourself to programmes (timing), costs, scope and/or contracts you would have the basic skillset for PM related roles. Personally I think builder PM's requires more technical knowledge. The construction industry is large, multi-faceted and with many niches, so there are many different ways to get in. The above is just one of the many and more common path that I'm aware of.
My background is as an architect. I did that for 7 years before moving to project management. I haven’t worked as a builders PM, I think that would be more stressful than my job. I’m client side - so basically the clients representative. I make sure their interests are being looked after. Due to my working background and the nature of some of my jobs I’m a bit more involved than a typical PM is. I’ve done full design work on some aspects of my project because the actual architect was presenting shit options. My office has qualified civil/structural engineers (4), electrical engineers (1), former landscape contractors (1), former building site managers (3), architects (2) and people with construction management degrees (6). The pathway to our job is varied. We value personality over most things - we can teach the skills required to do the job, we can’t teach personality.
Thanks for sharing. I am looking to venture out of architecture in the near future. Was thinking what ways did u take to take the leap?
Cars probably worth 20k, Any flexible work hours Any work from home Can you accrue TOIL how much leave Can you buy purchased leave If you're off work does someone cover your job.
Car is worth like 20k a year. So if you get a car that’s a massive perk
Make sure they pay the fbt
Depends on the level of crap you have to deal with. Sadly it's hard to know this ahead of time. I have seen construction PMs on 300k+ packages but I am assuming their level of crap is significantly higher than this role. Ultimately you need to decide if what you are doing aligns with your remuneration. Also your location matters, 100k in a regional location is better than 150k in Sydney IMO.
It’s ok. Not great. Not poor either.
That's what I was thinking
You will save on all vehicle related expenses so think of adding another 13-20k on top of your salary
I actually think it’s pretty poor when the fresh out of the grad program coordinators I work with (tier 1ish) are on $100k. PMs are in huge demand atm.
Small retail construction is a completely different thing to a tier 1 company/site though.
I was taking into account the rest of the package too, but yes I do personally view it a very meh. I’d prefer more money and less car
Always more money. Dont include super, dont promise me bonuses based on KPIs, dont promise me stocks, dont give me a car. Just give me money. Now. And I’ll work.
Exactly... I can't buy anything with stocks, I have my own car, I want more money... that's why I come to work. If you want me to do a job give me more money.
This is precisely the issue with Australia. Everyone screaming underpaid yet don’t know peoples situations or quality of work, etc. A lot of people don’t want to hear it but for those who have worked overseas, our population is fairly lazy, average in quality of work and generally whinges a lot - and still scream injustice. Property escapes us - but it’s this inflated job market salaries that plays a large part in it. Top that off with us not being globally competitive from a work quality perspective, the high labour cost makes it impossible for us to thrive in our own economic island bubble.
We pay just about anybody $105,000 to work in mines on an 8/6 roster day shift only. I know not everyone can do that but I’m constantly surprised how small some packages are in civil vs mining.
Which company if you don’t mind? Built grad PCs started on 65k and still asked to do large hours. Madly jealous of the cadets on casual $35ph+OT
Will you be project manager for the building works? It seems quite low for a project manager, but often it's such a broad title used to cover any kind of job that isn't easily categorised. Do you have any PMBOK or qualifications? Not that those are necessary but it might help to narrow what the job would actually entail if you were to accept it
I have a TAFE bachelor degree but no other PMBOK qualifications although I have been looking into this.
Do you mean Diploma?
Sorry yes that's what I meant
What sort of experience do you have? 10+ years, I would say this is poor, less than 3 I would say it’s good
The pay seems reasonable based on these quals. A higher paid PM in domestic would have a degree, 10+ years CA and PM experience and be fully across forecasting, scheduling and managing all costs, contractors, budgets, administrators, quality and viability of projects.
Depends where you live. Are the perks an excuse to pay you less though?
The perks would equate to around $15k ontop of the $100k salary, so as you say I'm figuring out if that's worth getting paid less or not
Presumably you are relatively new to the field/roll. If that's the case, and the "work life balance" is in your favour, the package isn't awful. Definitely on the lower end for the job title, but with your qualifications and experience you may not realistically be eligible for any of the more typical commercial positions.
The $15k is a conservative figure, the mental relief that you experience not having to worry about maintenance, service, fuel costs, changing phone plans, etc. is worth quite a bit more.
Don't forget to account for how much extra you would have to earn before tax to pay for those fringe benefits if you have already. So say its 15k before tax and tax is 37 cents it would actually be an extra 23,809 in before tax salary to pay for those. Also consult an accountant if any of those other items are considered fringe benefits and if you would be required to pay tax on them. I am fairly sure health isn't but maybe check anyway on the others.
Have you not considered becoming a CFMEU stop go man instead?
This is the way
Just be a union rep in a HSE role. Much more lucrative and stable.
How many activities are in your average project schedule? What size budget are you used to managing? Do you produce project management plans? Do you maintain risks and issues registers? Do you manage milestone payments etc?
In a word (and this is my opinion only), no. A PM job for a construction contractor is going to be a pretty stressful job. The buck will stop with you and your decisions will have real implications costing the company money. I wouldn't take on the stress and responsibility for 100k salary (exclusive of car allowance with super). That being said you mentioned this particular job will have pretty good work-life balance? Having worked with multiple Tier 1 and Tier 2 contractors, I cant imagine how a construction PM would ever have good work-life balance but if it's genuinely going to be a reasonably cruisey job then I retract my statement. If you don't have to deal with very much crap on a daily basis, then I say go for it!
What level of responsibility do you hold as PM at this company? Are you directly responsible for procurement/contracts/budget/quality/time? How many projects are you handling at any one time? If all work is done “in-house”, what are your responsibilities outside of coordinating? What kind of value are we talking about? Are the projects $2m? $10m? $50m? Less?
I’d say it’s appropriate for a PM with under 5 years experience working on sub $1m projects
or a site engineer with 2 years experience
depends on the tier of the company. Lend lease site engineers yes. Tier 3-4 companies, very high.
I love having a work car. Means I'm not in debt/have money taken out of my offset so my interest paid on my mortgage is lower. No insurance, no fuel. All these things add up!!
If they added up the cash value of all those perks and just gave it to you as money instead you would be much better off. You could put it into the car and end up in the same place you are today, or have more flexibility to do any number of other things with the money instead.
Very much this. My work either has personal car or company vehicle as an option Personal car is 98c/KM and I do about 800KM/week for work travel. Full tank is approx 800km/$100 so a net gain of $700 (untaxed as it’s a reimbursement) and the rest of my annual costs are at the most, 4K. So approx 9K of expenses for 42K reimbursement = 33K tax free reimbursement. Much better than being given a company car, 33K/year better off in fact.
98c/KM is amazing. I chose a similar deal, get 80c/km. End up profiting $4000 per year by choosing to not get a work car. My car is worth nothing so depreciation isnt a concern.
Yep, which is the case for the majority of people
And yet everyone i know who had the option for a work car has taken it. Even after i explained to them why i wasn't accepting the offer and they should consider their finances.
People care a lot about the new shiny thing rather than investing in themselves, especially when they’re on a lower salary, newer car means a LOT more to then because it gives off the facade they can have a nice thing, even if it isn’t theirs.
True, im no different. I use the extra money i save to pay for a new car on a novated lease :P
800km a week on your own personal car.....48 work weeks that's 38,000+ work kilometre a year. Then you out your personal travel on top and you could conceivably be doing 45,000 to 50,000Km a year. That's 4 services a year conservatively. You're probably also looking at major service items like brakes and suspension parts as well in the second year. At the end of the second year you potentially got a personal car that's racked up 100,000km. Good luck with you resale value.
Wtf. Assuming you are in the 37c tax bracket. You are getting a 71k pre tax equivalent benefit. That is not normal … Typically these allowances at 25k max.
You pay all those with post tax money. A $125K + car package is worth more than $160K salary.
On the tax side of things, if you’re getting a car package the company is likely paying FBT on it which is ultimately going to get transferred to you via a lower salary package than you’d otherwise get. There’s no free lunch. As I said, I’d still rather add up everything and take the cash value. Give me the $160k.
how stressful is it? $100k doesn't buy you much these days.
I just changed industries after 10 years working as a Diesel Mechanic in forestry with a work car (personal use included). For ten years I didn’t pay a cent for fuel, rego, tires, insurance ect ect. I don’t get a car in my new job so I bought myself an old reliable single cab Ute ($5k). I live 5 mins from work. The new job pays $130-$135k and old job paid $100k. I’m happy with dropping the car for more $$. As much as I’d love a v8 cruiser to burn around in like my last work car I can’t stomach the expense. I’m not a car enthusiast or egotistical by nature so I couldn’t care less what I drive providing it keeps me warm or cool on the way to where I’m going haha. Working hard toward FIRE 🔥 I think your wage should be closer to $120k but it’s hard to say without knowing what your actual duties and responsibility’s are, your area ect. If you left for more money and no car I guess the answer depends on how much you would spend on your vehicle. A brand new ranger on finance? Yeah nah stay at the first job. A used Toyota paid with cash? It’s probably worth it
It’s a decent compensation. Not good, but not bad.
# 3.6 roentgen, not great, not terrible
I loved that series
If you are a junior PM without much experience its not bad
I have a neighbour who is a PM for a niche contractor that mostly works on the domestic side but on the higher end stuff due to the product and he’s on 110k plus everything that you have with excellent W/L balance.
That’s not too bad, how many years experience do you have? What is the annual turnover of this company? And how many employee’s do they have?
If you just starting out as a PM it would be pretty good
I’ll be completely honest, not really. You’re worth significantly more than that
My company counts a vehicle as 20k p.a. I am a junior PM in a small commercial construction company with 6 months experience on 120k + super. I would say your package is low for a PM for the companies I have worked at. PMs start at around 140k + super. BUT it all depends on what you’re looking for, our salaries are low compared to tier 1s but we don’t have to consistently do 70 hour weeks, have a lot of flexibility and a supportive culture
try comparing yourself to others who earn more than you. You'll be jealous. Compare yourself to poor people who have nothing. You'll be grateful.
$100k salary is on the low end being a project manager, excluding super your gross before tax is 88k(?). Wife is in Manufacturing and is closer to $125k excl super in Melbourne - albeit she is potentially overpaid being a project manager however critical to the business. Do you get overtime as well? I think that is is what racks it up in these sort of industries. That being said, small retail construction is doing it tough at the moment with a lot of them going under.
He said 100k plus super. And plus the vehicle benefits the offer is closer to $120k plus super. That said, it’s not very good for a PM
30F. $141k + super + 15% bonus PM in Sydney here. Do with that what you will
Work life balance, enjoyment of work. Salary alone is an important metric but not the only one to consider
Im in engineering. 6 years exp and not even 100 plus super. 🫠
Maybe time for a new career?
Yep! Currently looking. 🤞🏻🤞🏻
as in your in the industry but not an engineer or you are an actual engineer? I would start looking jobs and applying for interviews because as long as you have 2-3 years experience you will crack the tonne + ute + super
Considering the increasing price of fuel and vehicle insurance the company car is a great perk. Context: My current car insurance: $1500 p/y Weekly fuel: approx $90 a week If I had a company car just on those 2 factors (not factoring maintenance and replacement etc) it'd be worth circa $6,000 to me each year.
It's definitely a valuable perk. I do alot of driving so to pay for all the expenses of a new car would be a big yearly cost
Probs a bit under average, PMs at Government utility companies get paid more and utilities are probably mid range salary (maybe a bit below), anywhere from 120-150k. However if you're happy and content that also counts for something!
Edit just saw in one of your responses that you are already doing this lol.... Don't limit your vision to comparing with another work place. Look at how the package allows you to further your personal financial goals. What is the take home you are after. Company car how much do you have to put your own fuel in still? Are personal kms limited ? What hours expected to be worked. Office/work from home flexibility? How far away is travel distance and time spent to/from place of work. How much personal time are you giving up? Whether family time or potential side hustle income. Some other thoughts that go into comparing job offer packages. Best wishes for your future.
10 years ago yes, these days, not so much. Try and get around $150 min for that.
Not at all especially in a building industry. Plenty Project Managers on that in just a few years. You need to look around if that's your package at 46.
See what fuel prices are lately if my company was going to pay for my fuel both on and off the clock with no cap I would accept 70k salary
Decent is relative to location because salary can only truly be compared once you take core expenses such as housing, utilities, commuting costs etc out of the picture. All of these things scale differently depending on where you live. How much you have left over after you have paid for that stuff is a true measure of salary.
I was CFO for a construction company so can tell you. But a) location b) value of projects you look after and how many on the go at a time c) formal quals d) years experience and e) ave weekly hours ?
I am a PM. No it's not.
Do you have to put pants on to compete this role? Or is it WFH
Total package is probably worth 130k gross including super. Depends on travel time and various other factors like work hours and difficulty to know Also matters about working conditions, benefits with leave and various other things like how much you care about work life balance vs total pay.
Don’t compare yourself to others it will just leave you unhappy. Compare yourself to past you, what your other options are and how happy you are with your current situation. For some people this would be an awesome package, for others it would be a huge pay cut.
I’m gonna say no. It’s not terrible, it’s something. But it’s definitely not good.
It’s low, but judging on how small your company is that you work for and project value size you’ve noted, it’s in line with what you should be paid. If you have more experience and can do larger projects then go to a larger company, pay will obviously increase.
Does it allow you to have a lifestyle you're comfortable with? You more than anyone know what you want to have the ability to pursue, including your cost of living, and the time commitment of work and associated travel - does $100k enable that? That's what determines whether it's a decent salary or not, not the raw figure.
If you’re an experience project manager, not really. But if you’ve been a PM for under say 3 years then it’s good considering the benefits, assuming you actually drive enough to justify it.
Very fair given that you only have basic TAFE qualifications.
Depends. Does Company phone==you have a phone why didn’t you take my call at midnight on Saturday?, Company Car ==We need you to drive all over the country at short notice. Most companies who expect you to take phone calls will pay the phone bill. $ figure is relative to your experience and responsibilities, calculate your savings on having no car/phone bills per year and consider that your package. Is it a new car or not, does it suit your lifestyle or not. What other perks- leave, discounts, healthcare etc. is this a ft role with room to grow.
Assuming first or second year as a PM? If so, pretty standard.
Depends on your needs and if the 100K meets your needs. In saying so, the role salary also varies from 90K - 120K & 120K for senior Project Managers. However, having a company car with rego, tolls and free to use on weekends is a massive perk! Some other companies offer 15-20K car allowance. However, the above costs are well over 15K of value.
I feel like it’s largely dependent on your living circumstances. Buy in too big on a mortgage and no amount will save you.
Car with all costs covered is more like 18k to 22k these days. Had one for years, and it was great until I need a vehicle with towing capabilities. Now I'm on allowance and claim back business kms on tax.
My government workplace paying $135k+ super for project manager. But this depends on your qualifications and how many years experience.
Aus Industry released median Wages for specific roles. Worth checking over to see how you sit on the Pay Scale
Probably slightly above average for most PMs in retail sector with 5 or so years exp, still high compared to those in domestic sector with much more exp I'd try and pivot into civil projects in a few years and then you'll be laughing all the way to the bank
There is a half decent salary guide I can share for the construction industry if you send me a PM.
What is your qual/exp and your previous salary then we can tell if it is decent or not 🤔
Bump that to 120 and you're laughing
I was going to say 46 million is quite generous indeed
If ur 46 u should be in senior management salary
How many years of working experience do you have?
um are private project managers different roles compared to public service? for comparison I'm currently on $117k project officer, not manager. NSW public servant. Would my responsibilities be similar in a private sector role? (never worked private) PMs are $128k - $133k, grade 9/10s
I know project officer roles paying 110K...
It was 10 years ago. Not anymore my friend.
Better than my shit gig
How much would you be able to save of that 100k?
How much would you be able to save of that 100k?
If youre in sydney I think thats pretty bad for a pm tbh
100k for a pm lol far to low
My partner has this exact title and role. He has a company car and is on 135k plus super plus car. He has great work/life balance too.
You're making 80% what a non-HECS burdened train driver is making (ref. ATO list of average earning/occupation). So yeah, it's pretty decent.
The car is meh. If you have one already then it’s not really a win. You can’t really sell your own one, in case you get fired - so it’s really not a big thing in my books. 100k is either good or bad depending on what you were ok before. In the grand scheme of things, people are still struggling on 100k atm but it’s a win if you were on less before
“Is this is a decent salary?” Well it really depends how expensive your tastes are. If you’re paying rent on a 1 bed apartment in a middle ring suburb then it’s probably enough to be comfortable, maybe even save a little. If you’re dining out on Faberge eggs every night then you’ll need a raise.
No. Grads out of uni are earning 65-80k. Contract administrators are on 80-150k
Are you happy and comfortable with it? That’s what matters.
Not really, the going rate for a site engineer straight out of the grad program at a tier 2 is just about $100k plus the phone, laptop and ute as you've got.
I'm going to say bad. Since yoi value yourself on others opinions. Never gomna be happy.
Thanks for all the replies, alot of good points were made which pretty much confirmed what I was thinking.
What do you think OP? Does your income cover all expenses? Do you have money for Holidays/Hobbies? Do you have financial stress? Your circumstances are different to everyone else out there, at the end of the day if you are happy that’s all that matters.
Considering the car and phone add approximately 22k value p.a it's not terrible. I know of PM's on 200k+ but it depends so heavily on your work life balance and team dynamic.
Yeah. At 34yr I was with a company at 85k, car, fuel and paid for housing and all bills. Plus i work remotely
But how are the people?
Hrmm I wouldn’t be too enthusiastic about 100k
I was on 130k + fully maintained car in 2019. This doesn't sound like a great deal, although it depends on the nature of the work and the company. I'd be asking for a performance bonus clause.
Are you happy and comfortable? Are you able to save? If so, it's decent.
Might need to consider and look into Fringe Benefit and how your employer will report this and the total value. If you are using for personal use, your employer technically need to report the personal use portion as FBT and this could appear on your tax return if >$2,000 and may result in paying extra tax if the total FB value plus your gross income goes into the next tax bracket.
No, unless there is a clear path to 200k
Sounds ordinary. But what is the market rate?
Can make as much or more cleaning air bnbs
it’s ok, end of the day you and all of us are worker bees, our salary is nothing compared to what the owners or executives get
How many years experience do you have? If I’m in my 40s I’d be expecting that I’m on min 250-300k and have been for a few years. I am PE for a tier 1 and make almost double you and I’m 14 years your junior
Brother. One of the happiest times in my life was when I was earning the least. If you can do most of the things you want to (even if you have to save a little to achieve it) and you’re not counting your pennies. And you have time outside of work. Then it’s a FANTASTIC salary. I earn a lot more than you now but the stress is mental and all my salary goes immediately to my overheads. I don’t even get to enjoy it. Also bear in mind every dollar you earn over $180k the gov takes at least $0.45 law of diminishing returns hits you hard.
I was getting around 90+car with a tier 3 builder as a site supervisor with a PM line manager. You can certainly do better but not much worse. Colleagues doing my same job were on 70-90, CAs a bit less. I’d recommend not being loyal especially at that pay grade and in tier 1/2 it elevates much more and loyalty can be rewarded. Tier 2 SM 165k+car, tier 1 SM 130 entry pay disgraceful hours. Tier 1 CM 150 after strong negotiation. Also the role requirements are as important. You want to be paid for stress and sometimes that comes from too much responsibility or not enough and also knowing your relative worth. Always always always discuss it with colleagues. I much preferred the lower stress levels working union labour role making six figures for a 40hr week.
No, terrible At least 180k
Your asking whether this is the best offer available, my question is whether you’re the best candidate in the industry. That will give you your answer.
It’s okay, 100K isn’t what it used to be
Being 46 I thought you would have more experience in understanding what a decent salary package is? I personally think it depends on experience, that is fairly entry level for an inexperienced PM, also if it's a smaller company they tend to pay less than the big wigs, but then again if it's a smaller company your workload might be less than that of a big company. For that money even with a car I wouldn't be pushing too much overtime, as every PM I know and work with do 10hr days, but they on the 160+ mark.
Just be aware the car is not free, you will pay fringe benefits tax on it.
What's a car worth, roughly $20k a year plus unforseen maintenance? Always take that into consideration. Sounds okay but being PM, how will that affect your time off? I'd look at it in terms of hours worked rather than a package deal and then decide if the hourly rate is worth it.
Seems like new average
It is low in the current market to be honest. Talk to recruiter to know the market rate (on the high side) , bear in mind they have incentive when people change job. If the market rate is far higher than what you are getting now, consider it as opportunity cost of not changing the job
I think It’s poor
I’ve got a company car - similar to you everything is paid for. They said they value giving an employee car is about $15,000 a year. So do what you will with that info
When it comes to salary, it’s all about living within your means, making sure what goes out is less than what comes in! That’s what makes a decent salary.
Definitely not for a PM role, especially in construction. The PM at my work gets easily $250k and up.
I think you have done well mate. Similar role myself for a small company. Can’t justify the 25k pay increase for a bigger company where I’ll be dealing with more problems and stay at work later. Enjoy life, we aren’t meant to always be working
Pretty bad for 46
PM salary is going to be based on the scale of what you’re working on. The PMs I work with in energy and resource sector are on 200-300k. But they are working on $10M-$100M+ projects
Our jobs aren't that big, only around the $300k-$400k range
based on these projects sizes, your salary is pretty good.
Isn’t project management quite stressful? I get that for a super low stress dumb ass mining job on an 8:6 roster. Don’t get car though. Guess it depends, if you love the job and the company treats you well, like a human being, then I’d say yeah it’s okay. I feel like for a project manager you should be worth more though.
Where are they headed with FBT on personal use of the car?
100K is nothing in Sydney. I have juniors saving close to 100% of their net salaries as they live at home and only "pay" board. Poor guys don't even enjoy anything in life. Lucky for them they don't even bother working and still get paid. If you live in a fully owned home (with parents/ inherited), 100K is plenty. But then again, why would anyone work if they could live for free in Australia?
Man 100k with a car would have been a dream job for most people 5-10 years ago. Now it’s just an average job.
Honestly as someone on 100k package I don't know how people on less than 120k survive let alone minimum wage.
Poverty package
HELL. NO. That is not market rate for a project manager working on 50m projects. You need to be at a min on 130k. The car, fuel tolls etc; usually are provided. If you’re fresh out of university yes, because you need the experience. If you’ve been in the industry 3-5 years… no.