Whats considered a good wage for a person 5 years out of high school. Not in college? (1 Viewer)

[Mark Schermerhorn]

Jeff, what field are you in? I didn't see that stated anywhere. If it's the computer field, then all the people giving you a hard time are very unimpressive. It's one of those fields where IMO experience is often worth more than a degree (unless you're doing some serious computation work that requires advanced math knowledge, etc). In my field (EE) I don't think that's true, the knowledge required is just too broad to pick up on your own. Obviously that varies from field to field. For example the best artists in the world most likely don't have a studio arts degree, because it would be a waste of time when the skill comes naturally to them.

I can't tolerate people who get all uppity about their degrees. There are lots of people who are just insecure, so if they have a degree and you don't they'll get all over you about it. I see this a lot in the science field, especially when people have advanced degrees. I sware, all these people must have been told by their parents that they're no good and now this is the result: arrogant jerks who are really insecure. Yuck.

 

[LDfan]

My office-mate is 22 yrs old and is making 51k for the company we work for. He does all the PVCS and configuration stuff and he hasn't had a day of college yet.

Jeff

 

[LDfan]

Hi Dennis,

Interesting post. My friend works for PTO. You don't have to go to GW law school. You can go to any law school you want and they'll flip the bill. He's going to Catholic. They'll do this for any science or engineer major that works as a patent examiner. Or they'll pay for grad school if you want.

Jeff

 

[Steven K]

Geez, after seeing some of the salaries in this thread, I'm not going to complain about how much I make (although I always seem to anyways).

In Boston, a level 1 software engineer can expect to make between $45k and $60k a year. Of course, it's also horribly expensive to live up here.

I pay $1000 a month for a small, 500 sq foot apartment. Add on top of that: state income tax of 5%, sales tax of 5%, annual wheel tax on automobiles ($50 for every $1000 that the vehicle is appraised at), parking (can be up to $200 a month), and so on...

So, $45k-$60k a year doesn't go very far up here. I know some folks who make $10 an hour, and I don't know how they do it.

 

[Anthony_J]

I'll echo the sentiments of the board here. As long as you're comfortable with your life, that's all that matters.

Unfortunately, being comfortable usually requires a certain level of income to sustain that comfort. There's a trade-off, though. I think that the more you love the job, the less you need to get paid. You won't mind the monetary sacrifice so much because you've got other stuff going on.

On the other hand, if you hate your job, you'll find satisfaction elsewhere, and that'll usually cost you money.

I'm an accountant, I don't mind my job, but I don't love it. I got into the field because I'm almost guaranteed to find a job in the business world should I ever have to look again.

I have set a certain monetary goal for being in the field. I feel that by working a job that doesn't give me a ton of satisfaction, I should strive to make 3 times my age in salary (i.e., I'm currently 26 and making $82K, so I'm a little ahead of my goal). Thank heavens I've been successful so far, although the salary doesn't go as far as you might think with the cost of living what it is (I'm paying $1,130/mo for a 600 sq. ft. one-bed apartment in Lawrenceville, NJ and $4.50/pack of Marlboros).

As long as you can provide for you and your family at your desired level of comfort/luxury, you're making enough money. Desired level of comfort is different for everybody, though.

I have friends my age who teach and absolutely love it. They have no problems making $25-$30K. Personally, I couldn't live on that because I'm so used to spending according to a higher comfort level (which is ironically, directly correlated to my salary). My friends seem to be doing fine in achieving theirs, though.

 

[Jeff Rogers]

I sell appliances and electronics for Nebraska Furniture Mart. In case you're wondering. Maybe people just look down on salepeople in general

 

[Wayne A]

Hello All

I currently live in Des Moines,Ia and I live in a 3 bedroom house, $550.00 a month. I make about 23,000 a year in retail and my wife is a cosmotolgist she brings in about 28,000 a year. I have no college degree. She is 27 and Im 31.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

I pay $1000 a month for a small, 500 sq foot apartment. Add on top of that: state income tax of 5%, sales tax of 5%, annual wheel tax on automobiles ($50 for every $1000 that the vehicle is appraised at), parking (can be up to $200 a month), and so on...

Wow...it's amazing the differences in living costs in different areas of the country. I live in Fayetteville, AR, and currently pay $550 rent for a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath 2 story townhouse. And Fayetteville is expensive compared to the cities in the immediate area due to the University of Arkansas being located here. Around here you can buy nice 3 bed 2 bath homes for as low as $80K...which is exactly what I'm considering doing since my monthly payment wouldn't be much more than it is now (my roommate moved so I'm paying the rent alone right now).

Aaron

 

[DonRoeber]

I graduated in 96, went to college for a year, and dropped out. I do IT work, unix administration specifically (branching into network admining now too). I've switched jobs 5 times now, increasing my salary quite a bit each time. I got laid off in August, and am now working at a big univeristy in my area. I'm making less than I was in the business arena, but I'm MUCH happier. My girlfriend, who is a grad student, makes about $20k/year, and I make a bit more than 60k/year.

If I want to, the University will let me take classes and get my degree (or masters or phd) in anything I want. I'm thinking about taking some classes to see how I like it this coming summer. Not because I feel that I need a degree to better my career, but because I'm finding more things that I'd like to know more about (film, art history, literature, languages, etc...).

The most important thing that I've found is that salary or degrees or anything like that doesn't have to relate to hapiness at all. Enjoy your life, and don't worry about what other people think of it.

 

[Eddie Adams]

wow. it is interesting to see the different costs of living in different areas. i myself pay 1500.00 a month for a nice two bedroom apt in a good neighborhood in the sf bay area. I say nice cuz the last place i lived was a bad area crappy 2 bdrm apt for 800.00 I sometimes feel bad because I never got a degree.I'm 26 now. I slacked off at a jc for awhile after high school. i have a little basic electronics knowledge from a tech school, but didn't get a degree. I kinda lucked out though. I ended up in a cushy phone co. tech job. I sometimes feel like I could be doing more but with the economy the way it is I don't wanna leave. i have friends all around me gettin laid off left and right, but I feel pretty secure. plus I have a wife and two small daughters so I feel i should stay where I'm at. I'd like to be doin some cool stuff like IT or somethin. My job isn't rocket science but I made 60k last year. (thats with alot of overtime though) the wife makes about 25k but she'll be a registered nurse in a couple of years(hopefully makin more than me!) so like someone else said, if you make enough for yourself or your family to be comfortable youre ok. Don't trip on everyone else braggin about their degrees,that'll just bring you down. and if you get to do something you really like for a living youre even better off.

 

[Ryan Wright]

I don't know how much you were making that your salary doubled every 2 years, but don't expect that rate to keep going. When I first started a real job out of college I had huge raises every year for the first 3 years...after that it slowed down tremendously because I was making so much they couldn't afford to keep giving me 15%-20%+ raises.

I've been working much longer than 3 years. I know it won't continue forever - there is a threshold that will be hit eventually. But so far, the sky has been the limit. Bought my second home (not second as in I have two homes, but second as in I sold the first one) two years ago and make enough so my wife can stay home with our daughter. So, I'm happy.

Anyway, my point is, a degree is not critical for success. It's helpful and will get your foot in the door, but after that, it's all up to you - not your piece of paper. It also depends on where you work... most of the people I work with have PHDs. The company would not even consider me without a degree, except (a) I'm damn good at what I do, and (b) I knew someone well enough that they manipulated a few rules to get me in. Under these circumstances, it is required that I have a degree, or I can never expect to move anywhere. And a 4 year degree is only the tip of the iceberg with these people. After that I'll surely be moving on to my masters.

I worked for my last employer for 5 years, and degrees didn't mean a thing to them. So it really depends on where you want to work...

 

[Owen S]

Get real Jeff you sell appliances. If you can get on a degree path,do it. Forget the inner peace crap, my dad use to say it's just as easy to love a rich gal as a poor one. The point being why prove you can do it without a degree when in you're situation a degree is very attainable ie no wife or kids to eat up all your time. Good luck,by the way get the "Roth IRA" for your long term savings. Owen

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

Sounds like you're already working towards your degree.

Don't waste your time worrying about what other people think about you.

You're the only person you need to impress.

They don't live your life 24 hours a day, only you do.

No matter how much money you make, someone else will be out there making more and doing less work for it.

Don't be afraid to tell people to go f**k themselves when they're being rude. If it's a customer or your boss, keep your mouth shut unless you can afford to lose your job, and think of lines 2, 3 and 4 above.

 

[Jeff Rogers]

Get real Jeff you sell appliances. If you can get on a degree path,do it

Well, I'm trying, albeit one piece at a time. I cannot justify taking 6 classes at one time and stressing out my life like everyone I know. I'd rather pace it and make sure I do it good and to the best of my ability

 

[Owen S]

Jeff, I congratulate you on your efforts,you will be repaid in many ways for the rest of your life. Owen

 

[Jason Handy]

My goal in life is to always have a goal. The moment you become complacent with your situation is the moment you stop being successful.

I do not mean to sound overly philosophical, but I think the biggest motivation for success is to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Even if the light is so far away you can barely see it, it is still enough to make a person pursue it. Always have goals. Those goals could be professional, personal, or material - it doesn't matter.

Jeff, if you don't want to get a degree, then don't! I must ask you though: what are your goals in life? If you can't answer that question then wait to act until you do! We all need goals. I want children. I want to eventually run my own company that pre-wires homes for internet and multi-room stereo access. I want to have the most kick-ass home theater in the history of the world! All of these goals drive me to get up in the morning and go to the job that I enjoy but don't love.

Good luck with everything, I wish you the best.

Jason

 

[Jeff Rogers]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the kind words.
As for aspirations and goals. Well, the only goals I have right now are to rise in my job position, eventually finish school, and one day settle down with a ladyfriend/wife and make babies
I want to skydive too

 

[Steven K]

Of course, being happy is important. But remember... happiness doesn't pay your rent or mortgage. It doesn't keep food on the table, or electricity running through your house.

You need to make money... good money. Money doesn't buy or create happiness, but the lack of money will surely cause unhappiness and hard times.

 

[Jim__B]

I have a degree(98) and out of college made about 22K, currently I am up to 26K. I am currently in a position where I could do better but the atmosphere and my co-workers are great. This is the main reason I am not looking because I have had only 2 jobs before this and the working conditions where less than desireable, actauly one was hell. Plus where I live and with my degree I am kinda limited in job choices, maily state gov. jobs. On the other hand my wife graduated in Dec 2000 with a degree in nursing and made 44k in her first year.

For my 1st job out of college I had trouble getting an interview because they wanted experience over a degree, plus they figure with a degree you will not hang around as long.

I agree with the comment that is who you know.

Somtimes luck also plays a part.

 

[Jason Boucher]

I always heard $1000 for each year of your life. College grads should do better.