Occupational Outlook Handbook

[Mary C. Smith]

Hi Jeff,

I would counter that the intangible benefits to us of being in an academic
environment where people are excited about music and learning, can offset
the higher pay and relative isolation of total self-employment. I work 50%
at The University of Texas, and my pay is only slightly above 50% of that
median. I then have time to pursue a private clientele, raise my daughter,
have a life... I also get health and other forms of insurance, which, in
this day and age, are nothing to turn up one's nose at. I also get pro-rated
sick time, vacation time, and holidays.

I also feel it's important to be happy with my choices, so I overlook the
occasional hassle of working in academia, and try to find creative solutions
to the problems. It's important to save for the future, and I do, no matter
what. Everyone should have a financial plan in place, and there are plenty
of ways to develop one. I agree that we CAUT's live on a more limited income
than many, but we also enjoy a much higher standard of living than most
people in the world, and we get to work on objects that bring beauty, joy,
and art into people's lives! Are we lucky, or what? (I'm a hopeless optimist!)

Regards,
Mary

P.S. I have serious doubts about those who talk about $80K, or "6-figure"
salaries in this business. Tuning that many pianos would make anyone
completely crazy. Sales are one way to increase income, and so is working
long hours. But, what's the point if you have no life?


  My salary is above that median, but I would be hard pressed
>to live a basic lifestyle as a single person in this community -- much less
>a family, without the additional incomes our family brings in.  That's why
>I say that the OOH doesn't paint a very pretty picture, when Randy Potter's
>talking about $80K and up.
>
>After accepting this position at what I initially thought was a reasonable
>starting salary, I learned that one technician had turned it down unless it
>paid nearly double the salary I accepted, because he wouldn't leave his
>private clientele for less than that.
>
>Another issue is that many CAUTs accept positions for lower pay just for
>the benefits, but have already established local clientele from which to
>make up the difference.  That makes it extremely difficult for those of us
>who move in from other areas to be able to negotiate salaries which will
>support basic living costs.  I've found it extremely slow to build up a
>reasonable private clientele, averaging maybe one outside tuning a month,
>now into my 4th year here.  And face it, there's not much of a career
>ladder in this occupation.  CAUTs are working just to survive, and from
>paycheck to paycheck.  There's no financial security building going on
>here, no college savings for the kids, etc., like our parents were able to
>do for us with lower skilled occupations.  We're sacrificing our families's
>standards so that institutions can have a few tuned pianos around.  And for
>a profession so highly skilled and which so few enter into, there's
>something wrong with this picture.
>Jeff
>
>>
>>Mary-
>>
>>I found it!  <http://www.bls.gov/oco/>  gives the Occupational Outlook
>>Handbook, 2002-03 Edition.  The section that applies to us is Precision
>>Instrument and Equipment Repairers.  We then fall under the subcategory of
>>Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners.  (Yes, it's a federal government
>>publication.)
>>
>>It gives the median 2000 income for our subgroup as $15.10/hr, or $31.4K/yr.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----------------------------------
>>Lawrence Becker, RPT
>>Piano Technician
>>College-Conservatory of Music
>>University of Cincinnati
>>----------------------------------
>
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