Hi,I have a question and was hoping you all could share your input. I am curious on whether I am underpaid, or if my current pay is justified but with a positive chance of being raised after I gain more experience. I'll try to be brief.... I'm an SAP Consultant with 5 years user-end experience. When I accepted my current consultant position with a mid-size SAP Consulting Firm 6 months ago, I did not have any prior Consulting or Implementation experience...only user-end experience but with a very strong technical and project-oriented background. I've also always been considered a very strong asset and I learn very quickly, never giving up and doing whatever I put my mind to (which is why my current firm probably came to me and offered me a position). I live and work in the USA....I do NOT have a college degree (only 12 credit hours)....I make 60K base (USD), 12K in bonus, and about an extra 8-10K in per-diems a year. Am I underpaid or does that sound about right? And also, what do you think my chances are of getting a significant pay raise after my first year (or first full successful project)? I know that I have already added great value at my current position and have received extremely positive feedback from our clients. I would not be afraid to ask for a significant raise to get me level with the other Consultants at the firm. Especially because I know after your first full project, you can basically go to any firm that you want if you're good at what you do. So, I know I could go to another firm in a few months time and make around 90 - 100K a year instead of 60K. I'm almost certain I'll get at least a 5% pay raise in April of 2007.... but if that's all, I still don't think I'll be making what I COULD be. Any thoughts or advice? I don't want to sell myself short but I also don't want to be greedy.Thanks in advance!

I tihnk the fact that you have no uni degree makes your salary package pretty strong. I suggest you do PT studies and you probably be able to get more money from them or someone else in the long run. I can't say I learned much from my uni studies (both undergrad and grad), but its like a passport to have to be a successful career professional. You don;t need that to start your own business, but if you are doing ocnsulting, thats a prereq really.

Thank you for the feedback hrmm! I agree, a degree is pretty much like a passport to more money. I'm probably one of the few consultants without one, but have made up for it in my work ethic and experience (up until now was primarily in industry and freelance web work).Anyone else have any input or suggestions?Thanks!

Heed hrmm's advice. Work ethic and experience are great until you get to those highly paid, highly competitive positions. At that point someone with a great work ethic, great experience AND a degree will most probably pip you to the post.It's not fair and often doesn't result in the best candidate getting the job but there will always be status attached to a degree and questions about why you don't have one.You're only five years in so the road is long, make the investment in a qualification now and you wil never regret it - the benefits will be huge in terms of security, progression and at some point soon...pay!!!