Budgeting for Webmaster, would like your opinions.

TheDefender

Let me get your input on somethings guys and gals... I am looking at hiring a webmaster to lead a design team to completely rebuild my company's internet site (which is currently hosted by a 3rd party vendor). I am just toooooooo busy to even think about doing it myself, because of my duties in my IT department as a whole. In addition to heading up the Intranet Design team, I am my company's CIO, and am compensated as such, so I can't compare it to my own salary. I realize the coding community has varying salary ranges, but if you were coming to me for a job as a Webmaster, what kind of salary would you be looking for? (Annually)

I am open to all suggestions, because I am currently budgeting. Keep in mind, the webmaster's duties go beyond just the coding. It goes into the focus groups, design, testing, implementation, leading the team, etc... If you could tell me where in the US you are, that would be helpful too. (I am in the Southeast US)

If you are in a foreign country, please convert your money to USD for me.

Thanks in advance.

No long dissertations about what you think a Webmaster is, does, etc. Just a round figure. And, yes, I am researching other sources too. I just figured I would come to you pros for input, since you work for the bucks I am talking about.

onion2k

I'd say it depends largely on the size of the team this individual will be leading. As a rough guide, I would want $70k + $10k per person reporting to me. So, for example, thats $110k to head a 4 person team..

I'm the UK though..

pohopo

Personally, I would say it would range between 70k-100k assuming you wanted a person that fully understands (and has practiced) full system development life cycles and has web development experience.

Depending on the size of the group or if the person is a top notch person it could go even higher.

I am also from LA.

TheDefender

I appreciate it. I am willing to pay what I need to, and this info you are giving me coincides with what I expect anyhow. I appreciate the feedback. (Incidentally, in the South East, we are looking about 25% lower than L.A. and probably the rest of the US and world for that matter.) But, having said that, I'm not going to sell the job short. I know you are paying for the expertise here...

stolzyboy

you are lucky to get 50K here where in ND...

TheDefender

That kind of surprises me. I'd imagine you'd have to pay a pretty penny to get people to even want to come to ND. Although, it's my understanding that most people in ND and SD are from there, and it's hard to recruit from outside of the state, so the location dictates the market...

weekender

Originally posted by stolzyboy
you are lucky to get 50K here where in ND...

hint to stolzy - next time it snows, go to the t-junction in fargo, and ten paces from it you'll find buried a box full of cash

i'd be looking for $70k plus (for the webmaster job, i'll take all of what's in the buried box)

Roger_Ramjet

Out of interest I just did a job search for the UK and the top end of the spectrum for webmaster/senior web developer is $55K (£30K). I'm pretty sure that for that money they will attract good quality applicants, especially if the company is outside London: for London add 25% just for the cost of living.

Have a look at the Indian software industry. The last time I was there the classified job ads were offering $2K (80,000 rupees) for a graduate software engineer with min 5 years industry experience. Believe me, in that economy 1,500 rupees a week is a good living: good home, servants, private school for the kids. That is the threat that the Indian software industry presents to us all. A few years ago I investigated it for a project I was developing (defunct). There are Indian software houses that will supply contract staff here in the UK for $2K a month - total. Since they changed the work visa laws here, you can recruit them yourself from India for very small money - transport and accomodation provided.