Despite a few surprising peaks and troughs in the findings, several basic trends emerged. Those new to the industry earn less, but this flattens out over time. Fifteen years' experience is not compensated much more lavishly than seven. Even for newcomers to the field, the data are inconsistent. Some of our respondents earned as much in their first year as did those with 20 years of experience.
Specialized skill is more important than time on the job.