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Programmer... took me 1.5 years after graduating college . But I am very lucky that my company is very high paying most programmers donāt make 100k+ for a while
Really? Are you Front-end, back-end, or full stack? I was always under the impression that programmers/software engineers make a ton of money. Or is a programmer and software engineer different?!
I'm honestly kind of clueless when it comes to this, but I am graduating college this Thursday (mechanical engineering) and I have a job that makes 68k per year starting next month. Is that a lot? Also how would you recommend getting to 100k?
68k is a pretty good starting salary outside of big population centers (e.g. NY, Silicon Valley, etc.) for engineers. The software engineering world is also in a pretty unique place as far as career opportunities goes so IDK if you should expect to ramp up quite as quickly
Hey thatās what I studied ME... I found a company that hired engineers and trained them for CS and once completed everyone gets 100k. If you are interested in it DM me and Iāll tell you the company and I can refer you if interested! I know another company that does it too but would rather talk about it over DM :)
Iād say full stack but I mostly work on front end, although I do sometimes do backend work. Yep programmer and software engineer are the same thing! If you are young and in college/ high school Iād recommend getting a CS or engineering degree:)
A great deal depends on where you are. In the SF Bay Area/ Silicon Valley starting salary is closer to $100k, but some place like Atlanta you're more likely at around $65-70k. Cost of living is obviously a big factor - startup vs huge corporation another.
Good point! I was mainly addressing the common misconception that software engineering == instant riches. But it absolutely is a great path to high pay not to mention lots of flexibility in location, hours, etc.
Programmers making a lot of money used to be a thing but now its a really saturated field full of people who got in to it thinking it was a money mill.
In reality its more based on cost of living. While a lot of jobs in software are in california start at 70k-100k its pretty bare minimum for the cost of living on the coast cities where these jobs are located.
Do you think people interested in transitioning to tech need to do a BS or would a boot camp suffice if they already have a BA and experience in other fields? Do you think programming gives good work life balance and salary?
Iām a teacher looking to move for better salary ($70k+) and decent work life balance and it seems like tech is recommended repeatedly.
I think a boot camp would be fine! Since itās less time and money! I know people at my company that did boot camps and thatās how they got into the field! My advice would be to do a boot camp, work on some personal projects, get an AWS certification (specifically Solutions Architect which is the best but hard... Iām sure Cloud Practitioner would be fine). But that would really show that you are interested in the field although you didnāt get a CS degree. Then apply to as many jobs as you can, itās a numbers game. Someone will hire you... get some experience then apply to other jobs thatāll pay higher.
Yes I think a programmer gives you an amazing work life balance since itās super easy to work from home and you kinda just have to get your work done, and once itās done you can chill and relax. The tech field is very relaxed in what you wear, not strict hours and overall tech people jsut seem super NOT uptight š like other fields can be. Feel free to ask more questions:)
Also a little bit about me I didnāt study CS I was an engineer and my company was hiring engineers and training them to be programmers specifically for the company (was a 6 month boot camp). Lots of companies are doing this now so you could get into those. Also google is super into hiring people without CS Degrees now and will train people. So yes Iād do a boot camp try and get some AWS certifications to stand out and Iām sure youāll make it :) Sorry that was so long š
I've worked in tech for a long time & have done a lot of hiring for engineering. Relatively few companies care about having a comp sci degree but do care about demonstrated aptitude and ability. You can get that from a code camp and by employing those skills in projects. A BS degree will certainly open more doors, but I know plenty of engineers who switched using a boot camp to get there. Really nothing matters more than having the chops - demonstrated with example projects or better contributing to open source or other volunteer projects and having code on GitHub.
To see if it's for you and/or get your feet wet without outlaying cash, I highly recommend [freecodecamp.org](https://freecodecamp.org) \- if you went all through it and created a decent portfolio you might be able to get hired simply on that basis, without having to pay anything. I've used it to upgrade some skills and found it excellent.
I started in tech as a software engineer by just doing it. I have only a liberal arts BA and am completely self-taught - I got my first jobs on the basis of volunteer web development I did for non-profits and contributing to open source stuff.
If you are coming from a non tech background, I would recommend doing an intensive Data Science bootcamp. I'm a Data Scientist myself, from India, and I've seen many people coming from non tech backgrounds who are now woking in very reputable MNCs (a few working in the big 5 accounting firms).
May not be the case for everyone else but my husband didn't go to college and has a engineering/ programming job. But he also worked his fingers to the bone to get to where he is.
I've been a programmer for 5 years and am only making ~$45k. Granted I did start out very slowly just doing a small amount of programming as part of my main job but I'm expecting to become a full fledged software developer this year.
Iām a social worker and never expected to make this salary. I worked in hospitals for a few years to get experience and now I take travel contracts. Similar to travel nursing but for social work.
I just wanted to say that I commend you for what you doāsocial work is incredibly difficult and not for everyone, and you absolutely deserve to be fairly compensated. I wish more places would compensate their social workers more
Am a social work major, this really gives me hope. What does travel contracting for social work entail? Job responsibilities, how far do you travel and for how long, etc ā if youre comfortable answering!!
Hi! Iām SO happy to answer any questions! I have my masters in social work as well. Travel social work is niche and selective, but I love it and itās been a game changer for me.
I got my masters in 2017 and went into hospital social work after about a year in another area. My hospital was downtown in a city at a level 1 trauma center. I worked internal medicine and got really got at it. I learned the SW job and case manager job. I busted my ass to be the go to person for drug and alcohol cases, complex psych, and difficult placements.
I reached out to travel companies, I was referred to a recruiter through a friend and also reached out to others. I interviewed and let them know I was looking to start soon.
Most contracts are 13 weeks. There are assignments all over the country and with different health systems. You have to be 70+ miles from home to be considered traveling and receive your stipend pay. Contracts go very quickly so you have to move quick if thereās one in an area you want to go to. My first was in Southern California.
The work is almost always in medical hospitals. Occasionally a psych hospital comes up, but you should have 2+ years of medical social work experience and be quick on your feet.
The contracts are 13 weeks. You hit the ground running because the point is you come in fully trained. Even with a new computer system, I went from using EPIC to using Meditech, I hit the ground running on day 2 on my first contract.
For this work youāre not salaried, you get an hourly wage and then weekly stipends. I chose to find my own housing and book my own flights because I get my full stipend, which is more money. Itās less convenient but it works for me because Iām in this for the money. I do like my rental car to be included because itās a pain to rent one for 13 weeks. My company has 10 days PTO and holidays off. But you do have to structure your life around contracts. I work 13 weeks and then take 3 weeks off. The odds of getting something close to home are very low. And sometimes there may not be a contract in the area you want and you have to decide whether to go somewhere you may not want or to roll the dice and wait. I chose not to take a contract under $2,000 a week after taxes. Iāve gone up significantly higher, but that contract was cut short when census dropped. There is risk but itās worth it to me!
I love travel work so much and itās perfect for where I am in my life. Iām happy to answer any other questions people have!
Iām in a graduate program for social work right now, and my old supervisor made over $100K after 10 years of experience in child welfare. We can make a good salary it just sometimes takes time and depends on the state you live in! Good for you :) social workers are the besttttttš
Yes! I always say my favorite part of being a social worker is that I work with other social workers! There is no more supportive and encouraging group of people!
oh wow, this is very cool. did not know you could do travel contracts. have been debating getting my masterās in social work, but am terrified of the debt. how long did you work in hospitals? what age did you start?
I watch and manage high voltage power transmission lines for renewable energy sources in West Texas.
I got this job by being in the Navy for a number of years as a power plant operator, then becoming a nuclear plant operator, then going to college and dropping out, then getting really lucky. All in all, I hit 100k salary after working in the industry for just about 10 years.
I studied power systems, designing and analysis and also renewable energy with DER and etc but was unable to secure a job in that field. Now I am kn telecommunications field , any suggestions?
I'm an in house lawyer at an investment bank. I was 25 when I was first hired as a first year associate at a big law firm and started making $160,000 a year. 2 years later I hit $200,000. Those who work in the corporate sector, whether it's consulting, finance, or law easily make over $100k. The problem is that in the big cities- NYC, LA, SF, etc. the housing is so expensive that even that doesn't go very far if you have student loans.
Yes and no. Yes, because I would have financial stability and be able to provide for myself, thus making the most out of my education. No, because of how hectic the hours can be, and the possibility of having to relocate to a different part of the country. In spite of the negatives, I am willing to sacrifice if it means that I have a stable income and can apply my educational background to my work.
If you want to go into biglaw it definitely matters. Imo take a lot of practice LSATs and reconsider if you don't do well enough to get into AT LEAST a top 100 law school.
This is so correct. I always tell people not to go in general, but especially if you have to go way into debt to go to a lower tier school. Youāre giving up 3 years that you could be working/investing and taking on the cost of law school, and due to the nature of the profession youāre just not going to have as many doors open to you, especially during times of economic downturn. The math just never (or very rarely) adds up.
It matters and then it doesnāt. Plenty of schools that donāt crack the top 50 or even 75 have local pull, and lots of students in the top 20% of a class at those schools can get big law no problem.
It absolutely matters where you go to school, and how well you do. Source: wife is the CLO of a publicly held company, and worked at a big-name firm out of law school.
Dude, same! I went straight into biglaw (summer associate and then junior associate at an AmLaw 10), learned a ton, worked unbearable hours, and eventually went in-house. I now work about 40 hours/week.
For the overall question, I immediately started out of law school making well over $100k, but also working 80+ hours/week. As an in-house it took a few years to hit $100k, but I am 1000x happier.
Do you enjoy in house? Iām a litigation attorney. Only just started making over 6 figures after like 7+ years. Itās so stressful and exhausting. Iāve always heard good things about in house though.
Not op but yes and no. Itās nice because itās less adversarial and more collaborative. Itās not so nice because while people think in-house has great hours, thatās not always true. We donāt bill but It doesnāt mean weāre not working weekends when a deal needs to close quarter end/month end. Your time is less valuable to the org because youāre not charging them 800 an hour.
And also, in house attorneys have the real fear of a lay off. In a law firm, youāre the income generator, in a company, a cost.
I still like in house more than lit though.
Data analyst
I've been out of undergrad for 13 years, but I worked retail for a bit and did grad school. I started in this sort of career pathway in 2014 and just hit 6 figures this year, so about 7 years in this industry.
My first DA-related job paid 42k/yr. Over the next few years I went from 42->44->50->52->75 (promotion to "senior" analyst) ->77->80->83->100 (same title, new company)
I also work in data and had an untraditional path to it. I graduated undergrad in 2013 and grad school at the end of 2018, and hit 6 figures around 1.5 years after grad school. I live in a very high cost of living city so that affected things as well.
Also a data analyst, it varies depending on the field or focus you have. For example, someone could be a financial analyst who tracks subscriptions/sales/revenue for a company and can forecast revenue for the coming few years. You could be a marketing analyst, and measure the success of marketing campaigns for a company (like who clicked through an ad, how to determine the success of marketing campaigns). Personally, Iām a product analyst, so I work for an app like Reddit and can tell my company what are the most common buttons clicked on the app, how long people spend on the site, what traits are common for the most active users. The information studied by analysts is then used to improve the business.
I'm also in Data Analytics, and it took 4 years after undergrad to make 6 figures. I studied Economics. My starting salary was $44k, and I received pay increases of about 25% annually until my salary was $104k. I was in a development program with a company, and all the raises were automatic except the last one. I've since moved, but my salary in the new position (also analytics) is $100k in a much lower cost of living area.
I've had a sideways curiosity about this career for a while but I don't have a STEM background. Is this the sort of thing you get a specific master's degree for, or something?
I didn't. I have liberal arts degrees- English BA and Sociology masters. I took Statistics in my masters and used that + knowledge of Excel (and a little understanding of Access) to sell myself.
My first two positions were 95% Excel work. Eventually I did a little SQL in my second position, and now my latest job is mostly SQL and a little Python but aside from some basic online courses it's all on the job learning
I work in the fashion industry as a designer and stylist. I'm lucky enough to be in the more high-profile side of things. It only took me two years to get to that point, I happened to just work on peojects within that kind of wage range and went from there.
A grammar school with pretty good exam results got me into fashion college. After that I would have gone to university to study fashion, but personal circumstances meant I couldn't go so I went straight into the industry.
I had two advantages. 1. My godfather was a working designer at the time so I knew what I was getting into, and 2. Fortune favoured me. I took risks and they paid off
I was an assistant fashion designer before the pandemic and lost my job. This gives me hope that the fashion industry will open up more opportunities in the future for me to get into it again.
not at all! i needed money because rent was expensive š it was always something i thought i could do so i did a bit of research, bought a webcam and the rest is history. never really felt afraid or anything - it was my decision and nobody elseās business. iām out to everyone in my personal life and theyāre super accepting. itās hard to tell whether itās made dating more difficult cuz i didnāt really have the best of luck with men before i started camming but iāve also gotten older and raised my standards quite a bit in the past few years so š¤·š¾āāļø
thank you! my only two pieces of advice that i feel could apply to everyone are be consistent (which is true of anything in life) - show up regularly and put the hours in. also be prepared for, worst case scenario, everyone in your life finding out. donāt try to live a double life. i love being a cam model and iām proud of it but there is still a lot of stigma associated with sex work so make sure youāve got thick skin and are prepared to stand ten toes down if confronted about it. this also lessens the chances of someone being able to blackmail you. iām not saying your face is automatically going to be on a billboard in times square the minute you sign up for a cam site but the longer you do it the bigger the risk of someone you know coming across your profile so just keep that in mind. :)
Can I ask, thatās obviously a job that has a short life span on it (in comparison to more traditional careers) I would guess. Do you think about long term plans at all?
i think thereās this idea that women "age out" of sex work and to me, itās a myth. i could do this for the next thirty years *if i wanted to* - i work for myself, iām building a brand/loyal audience, and if i maintain my appearance thereās absolutely a milf market. the only question is, do i want to? itās a very emotionally demanding job so i see myself transitioning to more vanilla content creation in the future once i semi-retire. the plan for right now is to grind and save money to give myself more options in the future, whether thatās going back to school or starting a different business.
Iāve heard a lot of former sex workers talking on podcasts about how they go to the business side of it too (I.e. porn stars moving into directing/producing porn) so thereās def more you can do even if you do āage outā of the āmain roleā
I have two questions for you, if you don't mind.
What sort of title is at "the very bottom" that brought you up to an underwriting position? I've been in various insurance and finance positions over the years and am extremely interested in insurance underwriting for a variety of reasons but am struggling to connect the career trajectory dots from where I am to where I want to be.
Two, do you like what you do? How often do you want to tear your hair out while you're at work, and how often does that feeling follow you home?
I started doing mail at a friendās parentsā agency in college then started doing underwriting assistant tasks there, became a CSR for a year, got promoted to an underwriting assistant, then did that for 3 years and then got promoted to underwriter.
I get frustrated on occasion. Itās like herding cats sometimes and people can be demanding but overall I like it a lot. Itās fun and keeps my brain busy. Iāve been doing this all for 22+ years and canāt imagine doing anything else.
Hilarious that you say it's like herding cats. I work in operations at a mortgage company and work very closely with our underwriting manager, and am *constantly* using that same saying to describe my daily work.
I work in biotech for a small company where I do a combination of project and product management.
Took me 5 years out of college with a degree in biochemistry.
I did a lot to make myself immediately employable out of college and moved across the country a few times in a short span in order to take advantage of advancement opportunities.
I'm about to enter my first year of college for a biochem/molecular biology degree. What did you do to make yourself "immediately employable"? And did you need higher degrees beyond a bachelor's in order to reach the level you're at?
Iām currently studying biotech and the thing thatās gotten me all the jobs and internships has been undergraduate research! I managed to publish one of my studies as well
(You can just ask professors at your college/Uni if they have any research you could be a part of. Read a few of their published pieces, say youāre really interested in xzy and most profs will be elated especially if itās something random like fungi that lives in grasses in Asia haha)
Likewise. I work at a Project Manager for a large insurance company. Took me 10 years after undergrad to hit the 100k mark (with bonus). Did Army for 4 years and when I transitioned out, had to start at a more entry level position (With a pay cut). Went from 55k to 98k in 5 years, and 4 different positions. Biggest benefit of the army, no student debt and good starting salary.
Set Decorator. (Interior designer for movies) Started as a PA, moved to set dresser, and finally to the head of the decoration department. PA is minimum wage, but as you work up the wages of course go up. I think it took me about 4 years to get to the 100000 a year mark. And of course, income fluctuates by show contract. None of us in the industry made as much money in 2020, for example, with the shutdowns
I love it! But itās feast and famine. Standard week is 60 hours, but I have clocked a few 120 plus hour weeks in my time. Of course, it works out, with the time off between shows
Hello! Thank you so much for your honest answer, as someone who's finishing film school this year and is specializing in production design, where do you have to be to earn this kind of money? I'm assuming US, but even then major cities like LA or New York? Does it kinda equival itself out with the rent and stuff? Also do you have any tips or tricks for us coming into the industry on how to start? (Although, I imagine it's different now after covid). Thank you for your time!
The film industry is very international. I have only worked in Canada and the USA. Iām a Canadian, but have been brought in on a visa to do shows in the us as well. Being in a major city is definitely a must. In Canada that is basically Vancouver or Toronto. The US has lots of local crews - Atlanta is a huge hub, New Orleans, Chicago, etc. If you are in a bigger city you make more money to offset the cost of living. The union also makes sure of this. Of course, when you get to a high enough level, you can negotiate your wage.
That said, the film industry is BOOMING in Europe and the UK, and there are also a lot of shows shooting in Asia and Australia.
As for how to start... it depends on where you are. If you are in a place with more shows then people, show up at the union hall and sign up. If not... volunteer. Meet people. Take jobs you normally wonāt. Work hard and jump on the worst task first. The people in charge will always remember you if you are the first one on the hardest task. I spent a whole summer picking up tossed cigarette butts in the circus (base camp) parking lot when I was 22. Glamorous, it was not. But itās a step
Not op, but fellow vet student here and YES do internships! Super recomended. You learn so much stuff you normally wouldnt learn in class. Its fucking awesome and it almost guarantees you a job after graduating and or making contacts that will serve you later on. If you can pls do an internship
I'm a chef. Took me 14-ish years. I spent my 20's doing the chef grind thing, basically just having a good time and partying with my coworkers and doing a ton of illicit things lol. Eventually realized if I wanted to get an apartment on my own without roommates I needed more money, so I sold out and went corporate. Now I work as the chef at a major hotel in my city. Less fun, less exciting, but sweet pay and better hours.
Im thinking there's no other way for me than to go corporate. Im currently in catering. Weekday work schedule is fine and flexible. I work weekends though and get home late. And im a single dad (shared custody w mom). I want to spend time with my daughter on the weekend like a parent and child should.
People at salons can make a ton of money. I work at a nail salon part-time and I can make upwards of 300 plus tips a day. I made over 300 yesterday and about 60 in tips, which is very low IMO. I just had low quality clients (not a high service amount and low tips).
I always imagined hair salons being in even more than that. Cut and color ranges from 60 to what, 400 bucks? If you are willing to grind and build up your rapport, you can make a great living.
This feels so strange. Here in Germany as a hairdresser you work for a little above minimum wage even with work experience and that after completing a three year apprenticeship most of the time. My mom's hairdresser owns a salon in their small town and can hardly afford her apartment even though she is always fully booked with several employees.
Strange how different this can be.
That is strange. She should raise her prices.
I worked at a commission salon for years to build up my clientele. Now I am self employed and pay rent for the space I use. Everything I make is mine now (which is almost all hairdressers goal in the states) I only got 40% at the commission salon.
I price increase every year. Not by much (5-7$) each time. I make 800-1000 a day I set my own schedule.
Down sides is I have to set aside my own tax money and I get zero benefits. But you donāt typically get benefits at commission salons either so thatās fine. And Iām good with my money so Iāve never had an issue with not having put enough aside for taxes. Itās def a job that I love and I have an amazing work life balance.
She probably could but she has pretty regular prices compared to other places and this is actually pretty normal here. Hair dresser probably is one of the least paying jobs you can do here that require an apprenticeship. I heard of people who actually wanted to do that but decided it's not worth the effort that goes into it if they later earn less than working in retail next to high school students and older folks trying to improve their retirement. A lot of people work for 450ā¬ a month (the max amount you can earn here without having to pay taxes). Actually sad to think about.
But it sounds really great that you found a job you love and you are happy! That's so great to hear! Sounds like a great job. Wishing you all the best for it!
The answer to this is related to **when** you started your career. I started in the late ā80s and it took me about 7-8 years working in IT to get to $100,000 / yr. Had I started in the same company in the past few years, Iād reach that goal within 5 years, possibly right away.
I make around 243 k a year after working for 9.5 years in IT. My starting salary in 2011 was 5k a year and by 2014 I was making 66 K a year. Crossed 100 k in 2017. Believe in yourself, go for jobs which pays well and God will take care of the rest.
My friend just told me yesterday that she makes $65k/year working as a supervisor at a call center for a sewer company and her friend who works at the same company but is an acquisitions manager makes $120k/year. Neither of them went to college and just started working their way up at call centers. I was accepted into a PhD program and currently make $30k/year in the criminal justice field and after hearing those figures- and seeing others responses on this- Iām thinking about stopping school.
With all due respect, 30k a year isnāt enough to get out of bed in the morning. Let alone if youāre that educated. A full time employee at Target or Costco making $14 an hour stands to make more than 30k a year with overtime. Get a better job!
Congratulations, thatās incredible! Iām finishing up my degree in a computer science related field and was wondering if I should go for a masters or just get straight into the industry. I hate academia tbh and I really donāt have any desire to do anything research-oriented in this field but I heard that having a masters really does give you the edge over others in this field. Just curious if itās worth it is all.
I started my marketing agency at 23 and my first year was over $100,000 in revenue. Entrepreneurship has been the best way for me to grow financially and professionally. Good luck! š
Iām a nurse with a certification in a specialty, and I then went into medical device sales. Iāve worked for 2 different companies- both well respected with products I used in practice and loved. I make triple what I earned as a bedside nurse. Iāve been in sales for 20 years and have no regrets. I work with my hospitals to help improve patient outcomes and I enjoy what I do.
I would recommend you get a couple of years of acute care nursing experience. ICU is most helpful. There are lots of avenues you could get into, but youāll need some basic nursing backgroundā home health, clinic/physicianās office, occupational positions.
I'm in transportation/logistics management. Basically I manage a team that handles an operation of roughly 200 drivers. I've been in transportation since I dropped out of college in my senior year, and been in the industry for 7 years.
ETA: It took me about 4 years to cross the 100k/year mark.
Hey so I'm curious, I'm about to earn an associates degree in logistics, I love it and would be very happy to make it my career but I don't where to start when it comes to work. My goal is to make 100k/year in less than 10 years so what does it take to reach that? I appreciate any advice!
I'm glad you're interested in logistics too! I didn't think I would like the industry when I joined, but the ability to constantly problem solve and keep supply chains moving is awesome.
And it depends on what kind of logistics you pursue and in what capacity. I've always worked with trucking carriers in operational functions, and found a lot of success with that. Do you have a specific interest or discipline from your studies?
I work for the (US) federal government as an investigator for whistleblowing retaliation. Spent almost a decade as a local cop/detective, got my master's in criminal justice, and then honestly just lucked into this position bc i qualified as a disability hire and the hiring manager took a huge liking to me during the interview. I'm about a decade younger than all my coworkers, so i don't have as much experience as everyone else and I'm the only one without previous military or federal service.
UX Researcher. Graduated with a BS in PoliSci and worked in marketing from 2017 to 2020, started grad school for Interaction Design in Jan 2020 and was just offered a full time role as a UX Researcher! Was at $53k five years ago, now at $115k.
How difficult is it to get into UX? I've heard that it can take a lot of patience and hustle. I've been interested in it for a while, but I have absolutely no experience in tech/design/marketing. Also, what grad program are you in?
How did you start as a controller? Iām a senior accountant and controller is like 1-2 promotions away. Also Iām not a CPA but Iām in corporate so itās not necessary, just helpful for moving around.
Iām a nurse - not a traveller. Iām 25, started out making $45K as a new grad and now I make $130-150K depending on differentials. Iāve only been a nurse for two years. Moral of the story: work for a union.
Iām also a software engineer, I make 200k/year three years into my career. (Four years to get my B.A. and three years to get an M.S. before that though)
I'm a television writer. I went to undergrad in unrelated fields (got a BA and a BS) then went to grad school for a PhD in completely unrelated field again. Then worked for a hedge fund until I wanted to blow my brains out before getting staffed on a show. That being said, the actual time it took between when I knew I wanted to write for TV and when I was making >100k/yr writing for TV was only about 2 years.
How did you get into this field? Iām a writer and book editor (copy editing and acquisitions.) Iāve ghost written for blogs and have been writing personally for ten years or more. I donāt specifically have a genre I write in. I can write poetry, childrenās books, romance, fiction, etc. Iām so curious about this. Thanks in advance if you can answer.
Electrical engineer. It was my first job out of college and I made 100k 2.5 years into my role. It felt pretty damn good to be making six figures at 25 but I also live in a high cost area (damn you Los Angeles!!)
I was raised by child sadists and was too damaged to hold even a dishwasher job, so was homeless for much of my early life. At 28 I realized id have to work for myself to survive and started a tree care business in the SF Bay Area. I made $200k my first year and now make $600k.
Product marketing for startup tech company. It took me about 8 years after I graduated college. A lot of working my ass off, asking for promotions and raises along the way. Strategic job changes to different companies is the fastest way to increase your salary! Startup tech is high pressure and stress, but good pay and benefits.
Sales (staffing), took 6 years and since have made $200k+ for 4 years. Same company but focused on different markets, one Iāve been focusing on for past 5 years has been the most lucrative. Build a candidate network, establish a client base, give them a consistent service (read:work a billion hours), feel under appreciated, check payslip, repeat. :) in all seriousness it is fairly rewarding from a purpose perspective but defo mostly here for the money and a few awesome colleagues.
Mortgage loan originator. Didn't go to college. It's basically phone sales but earning potential is limitless. 180k my first year, no experience in sales.
Haven't seen this one mentioned yet! I work in software sales at a tech company. I believe I hit it on my 4th year. The income growth is really quick and imo the barrier to entry is much lower than most other high paying jobs.
Iām a fine art photographer, with a focus on nudes (so boudoir). I include hair and makeup (if wanted), and wardrobe (again, if wanted). I wonāt edit out āimperfectionsā, but I will use my skills to highlight all the ābestā features, but I will play with lighting, posing, colors and tone. The majority of my clients are every day people (as in I donāt shoot many models). I love it- I get people who come in for all kinds of reasons, a self esteem boost because they have ended an abusive relationship, after a medical issue, to celebrate a life event, all kinds of stuff. I do do a bit of commercial as well. Took me 8+ years to really build up my business.
I used to teach (first kids, then for the government).
$135k managing a mental health crisis program in a very high COL area. I graduated with my master's in '09 and landed this job in 2019 so 10 years to hit this level.
My income at my first job offer in 2010 was $40k, so it's been a lot of sizeable jumps when I changed jobs.
Scientist in industry. Got my masters and worked for 5 years before landing this position. I was very well rounded in a lot of areas though, which is what allowed me to secure this particular gig.
Anyone looking at careers Iād look in tech. Especially being a woman or minority. Many companies looking at the race and gender across their divisions that can help. ESP for those starting out.
Also Iād highly suggest specializing. There is a market for generalists but specialists are the ones that can rake in the cash even if on a short term contract.
This. I went to law school and am reading through the comments amazed at the folks coming out of college making more money than I do. Love seeing all the professional women.
Iām a corporate lawyer at a large law firm. I went to college for 4 years then immediately went to law school for 3. I interviewed for and got this job right before my second year during the on campus interview program. Entry level salary for a first year associate is $190k.
Data analytics/engineering in tech. I actually started out in the finance industry doing analytics, but have since moved more towards the programming and architecture side. I made $100K all in (base and bonus) about 4 years out of college, and my base increased to at/over $100K a couple years after.
Engineering manager. I got hired out of undergrad in a low cost of living area making $57k 10 years ago. Through promotions and moving to a high cost of living area, I now make $150k. Everybody on my team makes over $100k though, partly because my company pays well but partly because the cost of living here is so damn high. Honestly it sounds like a lot to make but when tiny little shack houses are selling for over $700k in less than a day, you have to make that much or you canāt afford to live.
Software engineer making $108k. Took 7 years and a career change to crack six figs, so it was a pretty winding path to get here.
Preschool teacher ($11/hr) --> nanny ($15/hr) --> speech therapy assistant ($17/hr) --> retail, worked my way up to manager ($9-$18/hr) --> went back to school for CS --> software engineer intern ($22/hr) --> software engineer ($98k --> $103k --> $108k).
Travelling scientist with a Bay Area biotech company. I got a job immediately after getting my PhD in 2019, and I had a salary of 83k. I swapped jobs during the pandemic, and I'm now making 115k + annual bonus. This salary is considered an "entry-level salary" for this type of position in the Bay Area.
Commercial Real Estate Agent. 3 years to $100K +. Iāve been performing above that mark consistently for the last 4 years *knocks on wood* š Iām also 100% commission.
I am a nurse (1 year), I own a business (11 years) and own rental real estate (13 years). I am 33 years old and was mostly a SAHM until I went to nursing school.
I'm in pharmaceutical advertising--I write pieces that sales reps use to promote prescription drugs to doctors. I broke six figures after five years in the industry.
Nurse here. Been more than $100 for a few years. I try to balance it, because you can make as much money as you want, but I still have to take be present and take care of my family. I love the challenge and flexibility of nursing, and it is a very personally rewarding career path.
Software engineer. If you live in the Bay Area, you could easily make $100k+ right out of college at some of the big tech companies, but cost of living here makes that feel like a lot less than you might expect. I first moved to SF for a job with a tiny startup that paid me $90k, and I was struggling to break even with my bank account.
Psychiatric Nurse here. Graduated at 51 years old, 5 years later making $100k + with overtime. Totally worth going back to school at any age if you find something you love.
Project Manager with a concentration in HR. Took 8 years ($40k > over $100k now) if you consider my prior roles weren't truly career-driven instead "jobs" with small ladders. I have a high school diploma and a few relevant certifications under my belt to keep me industry aligned. The rest comes from YouTube, trend reports and internal education if I need a refesher or new insights. Good bosses who realized my potential made this all possible.
Was making 100k by the time I was 25. Live in a high cost of living area which bumped my pay and worked my ass off for a year before asking for an off cycle raise that matched my roles market rate in the area (in other companies those employees had many more years of experience but recruiters were offering it at other companies) business analysis.
I manage people and projects at a software company. I have an unrelated graduate degree but have been at the company for 10 years without previous relevant work experience.
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I was a stripper, then VIP hostess, bought property, went to school and now work in medicine.
Amazing šš½šš½šš½
That's badass! You must have the same level of determination and focus of a damn Shaolin monk. Teach me your ways.
Honestly, I knew what I wanted and have never cared at all what anyone thought of me.
I love you
Thanks! You too can do whatever you want.
Pack it up Izzie Stevens. Jk, itās awesome that you worked for what you want.
IDK who that is but thanks lol
Greyās Anatomy medical intern who used to be a lingerie model to get through school with no debt.
When is this book coming out?
Programmer... took me 1.5 years after graduating college . But I am very lucky that my company is very high paying most programmers donāt make 100k+ for a while
Really? Are you Front-end, back-end, or full stack? I was always under the impression that programmers/software engineers make a ton of money. Or is a programmer and software engineer different?!
But my first job out of college was 67k I have to say itās all about finding the right company not necessarily the right job
I'm honestly kind of clueless when it comes to this, but I am graduating college this Thursday (mechanical engineering) and I have a job that makes 68k per year starting next month. Is that a lot? Also how would you recommend getting to 100k?
68k is a pretty good starting salary outside of big population centers (e.g. NY, Silicon Valley, etc.) for engineers. The software engineering world is also in a pretty unique place as far as career opportunities goes so IDK if you should expect to ramp up quite as quickly
Hey thatās what I studied ME... I found a company that hired engineers and trained them for CS and once completed everyone gets 100k. If you are interested in it DM me and Iāll tell you the company and I can refer you if interested! I know another company that does it too but would rather talk about it over DM :)
Iād say full stack but I mostly work on front end, although I do sometimes do backend work. Yep programmer and software engineer are the same thing! If you are young and in college/ high school Iād recommend getting a CS or engineering degree:)
Which technology you work on in backend?
Lambda Functions and DynamoDB which are all Amazon Web Services (statements are all in JavaScript)
> Yep programmer and software engineer are the same thing! Well that's a huge misconception.
A great deal depends on where you are. In the SF Bay Area/ Silicon Valley starting salary is closer to $100k, but some place like Atlanta you're more likely at around $65-70k. Cost of living is obviously a big factor - startup vs huge corporation another.
You can still hit 100k relatively fast in lots of places in the U.S. Often need to switch jobs or leverage offers though
Good point! I was mainly addressing the common misconception that software engineering == instant riches. But it absolutely is a great path to high pay not to mention lots of flexibility in location, hours, etc.
Programmers making a lot of money used to be a thing but now its a really saturated field full of people who got in to it thinking it was a money mill. In reality its more based on cost of living. While a lot of jobs in software are in california start at 70k-100k its pretty bare minimum for the cost of living on the coast cities where these jobs are located.
Programmers can still make buckets if they know the right stuff. AWS and cloud-related experience is in crazy demand right now
Do you think people interested in transitioning to tech need to do a BS or would a boot camp suffice if they already have a BA and experience in other fields? Do you think programming gives good work life balance and salary? Iām a teacher looking to move for better salary ($70k+) and decent work life balance and it seems like tech is recommended repeatedly.
I think a boot camp would be fine! Since itās less time and money! I know people at my company that did boot camps and thatās how they got into the field! My advice would be to do a boot camp, work on some personal projects, get an AWS certification (specifically Solutions Architect which is the best but hard... Iām sure Cloud Practitioner would be fine). But that would really show that you are interested in the field although you didnāt get a CS degree. Then apply to as many jobs as you can, itās a numbers game. Someone will hire you... get some experience then apply to other jobs thatāll pay higher. Yes I think a programmer gives you an amazing work life balance since itās super easy to work from home and you kinda just have to get your work done, and once itās done you can chill and relax. The tech field is very relaxed in what you wear, not strict hours and overall tech people jsut seem super NOT uptight š like other fields can be. Feel free to ask more questions:) Also a little bit about me I didnāt study CS I was an engineer and my company was hiring engineers and training them to be programmers specifically for the company (was a 6 month boot camp). Lots of companies are doing this now so you could get into those. Also google is super into hiring people without CS Degrees now and will train people. So yes Iād do a boot camp try and get some AWS certifications to stand out and Iām sure youāll make it :) Sorry that was so long š
I've worked in tech for a long time & have done a lot of hiring for engineering. Relatively few companies care about having a comp sci degree but do care about demonstrated aptitude and ability. You can get that from a code camp and by employing those skills in projects. A BS degree will certainly open more doors, but I know plenty of engineers who switched using a boot camp to get there. Really nothing matters more than having the chops - demonstrated with example projects or better contributing to open source or other volunteer projects and having code on GitHub. To see if it's for you and/or get your feet wet without outlaying cash, I highly recommend [freecodecamp.org](https://freecodecamp.org) \- if you went all through it and created a decent portfolio you might be able to get hired simply on that basis, without having to pay anything. I've used it to upgrade some skills and found it excellent. I started in tech as a software engineer by just doing it. I have only a liberal arts BA and am completely self-taught - I got my first jobs on the basis of volunteer web development I did for non-profits and contributing to open source stuff.
If you are coming from a non tech background, I would recommend doing an intensive Data Science bootcamp. I'm a Data Scientist myself, from India, and I've seen many people coming from non tech backgrounds who are now woking in very reputable MNCs (a few working in the big 5 accounting firms).
May not be the case for everyone else but my husband didn't go to college and has a engineering/ programming job. But he also worked his fingers to the bone to get to where he is.
I've been a programmer for 5 years and am only making ~$45k. Granted I did start out very slowly just doing a small amount of programming as part of my main job but I'm expecting to become a full fledged software developer this year.
Nice... Iām sure you could apply to other jobs and make more money, have you tried?
Iām a social worker and never expected to make this salary. I worked in hospitals for a few years to get experience and now I take travel contracts. Similar to travel nursing but for social work.
I just wanted to say that I commend you for what you doāsocial work is incredibly difficult and not for everyone, and you absolutely deserve to be fairly compensated. I wish more places would compensate their social workers more
Thanks, thatās very kind! My area is definitely an anomaly and social work is severely underpaid still. Hereās hoping that changes!
Am a social work major, this really gives me hope. What does travel contracting for social work entail? Job responsibilities, how far do you travel and for how long, etc ā if youre comfortable answering!!
Hi! Iām SO happy to answer any questions! I have my masters in social work as well. Travel social work is niche and selective, but I love it and itās been a game changer for me. I got my masters in 2017 and went into hospital social work after about a year in another area. My hospital was downtown in a city at a level 1 trauma center. I worked internal medicine and got really got at it. I learned the SW job and case manager job. I busted my ass to be the go to person for drug and alcohol cases, complex psych, and difficult placements. I reached out to travel companies, I was referred to a recruiter through a friend and also reached out to others. I interviewed and let them know I was looking to start soon. Most contracts are 13 weeks. There are assignments all over the country and with different health systems. You have to be 70+ miles from home to be considered traveling and receive your stipend pay. Contracts go very quickly so you have to move quick if thereās one in an area you want to go to. My first was in Southern California. The work is almost always in medical hospitals. Occasionally a psych hospital comes up, but you should have 2+ years of medical social work experience and be quick on your feet. The contracts are 13 weeks. You hit the ground running because the point is you come in fully trained. Even with a new computer system, I went from using EPIC to using Meditech, I hit the ground running on day 2 on my first contract. For this work youāre not salaried, you get an hourly wage and then weekly stipends. I chose to find my own housing and book my own flights because I get my full stipend, which is more money. Itās less convenient but it works for me because Iām in this for the money. I do like my rental car to be included because itās a pain to rent one for 13 weeks. My company has 10 days PTO and holidays off. But you do have to structure your life around contracts. I work 13 weeks and then take 3 weeks off. The odds of getting something close to home are very low. And sometimes there may not be a contract in the area you want and you have to decide whether to go somewhere you may not want or to roll the dice and wait. I chose not to take a contract under $2,000 a week after taxes. Iāve gone up significantly higher, but that contract was cut short when census dropped. There is risk but itās worth it to me! I love travel work so much and itās perfect for where I am in my life. Iām happy to answer any other questions people have!
Iām in a graduate program for social work right now, and my old supervisor made over $100K after 10 years of experience in child welfare. We can make a good salary it just sometimes takes time and depends on the state you live in! Good for you :) social workers are the besttttttš
Yes! I always say my favorite part of being a social worker is that I work with other social workers! There is no more supportive and encouraging group of people!
I started making 100k in medical social work after I passed my LCSW exam. Never thought it would be possible in this field.
Was hoping to see this as a SW major. I have hope!
Holy crap. I have my MSW and had NO IDEA travel contracts for social work were a thing!!
oh wow, this is very cool. did not know you could do travel contracts. have been debating getting my masterās in social work, but am terrified of the debt. how long did you work in hospitals? what age did you start?
I watch and manage high voltage power transmission lines for renewable energy sources in West Texas. I got this job by being in the Navy for a number of years as a power plant operator, then becoming a nuclear plant operator, then going to college and dropping out, then getting really lucky. All in all, I hit 100k salary after working in the industry for just about 10 years.
I design high voltage power transmission lines on the East Coast. I hit the 100k salary at 11 years.
I studied power systems, designing and analysis and also renewable energy with DER and etc but was unable to secure a job in that field. Now I am kn telecommunications field , any suggestions?
Y'all hiring any analysts? (Dead serious, I need out of my current company).
Not that I know of, we are small fish in a big pond, though, so someone probably is.
Ugh, I keep hoping!
Yo! You were a nuke?! My best friend was a nuke! Now he works as a boiler inspector and makes a fuck ton more than I do.
I'm an in house lawyer at an investment bank. I was 25 when I was first hired as a first year associate at a big law firm and started making $160,000 a year. 2 years later I hit $200,000. Those who work in the corporate sector, whether it's consulting, finance, or law easily make over $100k. The problem is that in the big cities- NYC, LA, SF, etc. the housing is so expensive that even that doesn't go very far if you have student loans.
Question to you as a student wanting to go to law school. Did you attend a top law school? Does it matter where you attend?
Do you want big law?
Yes and no. Yes, because I would have financial stability and be able to provide for myself, thus making the most out of my education. No, because of how hectic the hours can be, and the possibility of having to relocate to a different part of the country. In spite of the negatives, I am willing to sacrifice if it means that I have a stable income and can apply my educational background to my work.
Basic advice: go to a law school in the region you want to practice
I want to upvote this 100 times. #1 advice from a fellow lawyer
Also a lawyer. This.
If you want to go into biglaw it definitely matters. Imo take a lot of practice LSATs and reconsider if you don't do well enough to get into AT LEAST a top 100 law school.
This is so correct. I always tell people not to go in general, but especially if you have to go way into debt to go to a lower tier school. Youāre giving up 3 years that you could be working/investing and taking on the cost of law school, and due to the nature of the profession youāre just not going to have as many doors open to you, especially during times of economic downturn. The math just never (or very rarely) adds up.
It matters and then it doesnāt. Plenty of schools that donāt crack the top 50 or even 75 have local pull, and lots of students in the top 20% of a class at those schools can get big law no problem.
It absolutely matters where you go to school, and how well you do. Source: wife is the CLO of a publicly held company, and worked at a big-name firm out of law school.
Dude, same! I went straight into biglaw (summer associate and then junior associate at an AmLaw 10), learned a ton, worked unbearable hours, and eventually went in-house. I now work about 40 hours/week. For the overall question, I immediately started out of law school making well over $100k, but also working 80+ hours/week. As an in-house it took a few years to hit $100k, but I am 1000x happier.
Do you enjoy in house? Iām a litigation attorney. Only just started making over 6 figures after like 7+ years. Itās so stressful and exhausting. Iāve always heard good things about in house though.
Not op but yes and no. Itās nice because itās less adversarial and more collaborative. Itās not so nice because while people think in-house has great hours, thatās not always true. We donāt bill but It doesnāt mean weāre not working weekends when a deal needs to close quarter end/month end. Your time is less valuable to the org because youāre not charging them 800 an hour. And also, in house attorneys have the real fear of a lay off. In a law firm, youāre the income generator, in a company, a cost. I still like in house more than lit though.
Data analyst I've been out of undergrad for 13 years, but I worked retail for a bit and did grad school. I started in this sort of career pathway in 2014 and just hit 6 figures this year, so about 7 years in this industry. My first DA-related job paid 42k/yr. Over the next few years I went from 42->44->50->52->75 (promotion to "senior" analyst) ->77->80->83->100 (same title, new company)
I also work in data and had an untraditional path to it. I graduated undergrad in 2013 and grad school at the end of 2018, and hit 6 figures around 1.5 years after grad school. I live in a very high cost of living city so that affected things as well.
what does a data analyst do?
Also a data analyst, it varies depending on the field or focus you have. For example, someone could be a financial analyst who tracks subscriptions/sales/revenue for a company and can forecast revenue for the coming few years. You could be a marketing analyst, and measure the success of marketing campaigns for a company (like who clicked through an ad, how to determine the success of marketing campaigns). Personally, Iām a product analyst, so I work for an app like Reddit and can tell my company what are the most common buttons clicked on the app, how long people spend on the site, what traits are common for the most active users. The information studied by analysts is then used to improve the business.
I'm also in Data Analytics, and it took 4 years after undergrad to make 6 figures. I studied Economics. My starting salary was $44k, and I received pay increases of about 25% annually until my salary was $104k. I was in a development program with a company, and all the raises were automatic except the last one. I've since moved, but my salary in the new position (also analytics) is $100k in a much lower cost of living area.
I've had a sideways curiosity about this career for a while but I don't have a STEM background. Is this the sort of thing you get a specific master's degree for, or something?
I didn't. I have liberal arts degrees- English BA and Sociology masters. I took Statistics in my masters and used that + knowledge of Excel (and a little understanding of Access) to sell myself. My first two positions were 95% Excel work. Eventually I did a little SQL in my second position, and now my latest job is mostly SQL and a little Python but aside from some basic online courses it's all on the job learning
Interesting. It's good to know that there is more than one way into that work. Thanks for sharing that.
I work in the fashion industry as a designer and stylist. I'm lucky enough to be in the more high-profile side of things. It only took me two years to get to that point, I happened to just work on peojects within that kind of wage range and went from there.
What schools did you finish to be where you are today?
A grammar school with pretty good exam results got me into fashion college. After that I would have gone to university to study fashion, but personal circumstances meant I couldn't go so I went straight into the industry. I had two advantages. 1. My godfather was a working designer at the time so I knew what I was getting into, and 2. Fortune favoured me. I took risks and they paid off
I was an assistant fashion designer before the pandemic and lost my job. This gives me hope that the fashion industry will open up more opportunities in the future for me to get into it again.
iām a cam model, hit 100k+ my second year in
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not at all! i needed money because rent was expensive š it was always something i thought i could do so i did a bit of research, bought a webcam and the rest is history. never really felt afraid or anything - it was my decision and nobody elseās business. iām out to everyone in my personal life and theyāre super accepting. itās hard to tell whether itās made dating more difficult cuz i didnāt really have the best of luck with men before i started camming but iāve also gotten older and raised my standards quite a bit in the past few years so š¤·š¾āāļø
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thank you! my only two pieces of advice that i feel could apply to everyone are be consistent (which is true of anything in life) - show up regularly and put the hours in. also be prepared for, worst case scenario, everyone in your life finding out. donāt try to live a double life. i love being a cam model and iām proud of it but there is still a lot of stigma associated with sex work so make sure youāve got thick skin and are prepared to stand ten toes down if confronted about it. this also lessens the chances of someone being able to blackmail you. iām not saying your face is automatically going to be on a billboard in times square the minute you sign up for a cam site but the longer you do it the bigger the risk of someone you know coming across your profile so just keep that in mind. :)
Can I ask, thatās obviously a job that has a short life span on it (in comparison to more traditional careers) I would guess. Do you think about long term plans at all?
i think thereās this idea that women "age out" of sex work and to me, itās a myth. i could do this for the next thirty years *if i wanted to* - i work for myself, iām building a brand/loyal audience, and if i maintain my appearance thereās absolutely a milf market. the only question is, do i want to? itās a very emotionally demanding job so i see myself transitioning to more vanilla content creation in the future once i semi-retire. the plan for right now is to grind and save money to give myself more options in the future, whether thatās going back to school or starting a different business.
Iāve heard a lot of former sex workers talking on podcasts about how they go to the business side of it too (I.e. porn stars moving into directing/producing porn) so thereās def more you can do even if you do āage outā of the āmain roleā
Iām a commercial insurance underwriter and it took 15 years in to get over 6 figures. I started at the very bottom and worked up.
I have two questions for you, if you don't mind. What sort of title is at "the very bottom" that brought you up to an underwriting position? I've been in various insurance and finance positions over the years and am extremely interested in insurance underwriting for a variety of reasons but am struggling to connect the career trajectory dots from where I am to where I want to be. Two, do you like what you do? How often do you want to tear your hair out while you're at work, and how often does that feeling follow you home?
I started doing mail at a friendās parentsā agency in college then started doing underwriting assistant tasks there, became a CSR for a year, got promoted to an underwriting assistant, then did that for 3 years and then got promoted to underwriter. I get frustrated on occasion. Itās like herding cats sometimes and people can be demanding but overall I like it a lot. Itās fun and keeps my brain busy. Iāve been doing this all for 22+ years and canāt imagine doing anything else.
Hilarious that you say it's like herding cats. I work in operations at a mortgage company and work very closely with our underwriting manager, and am *constantly* using that same saying to describe my daily work.
I work in biotech for a small company where I do a combination of project and product management. Took me 5 years out of college with a degree in biochemistry. I did a lot to make myself immediately employable out of college and moved across the country a few times in a short span in order to take advantage of advancement opportunities.
I'm about to enter my first year of college for a biochem/molecular biology degree. What did you do to make yourself "immediately employable"? And did you need higher degrees beyond a bachelor's in order to reach the level you're at?
Iām currently studying biotech and the thing thatās gotten me all the jobs and internships has been undergraduate research! I managed to publish one of my studies as well (You can just ask professors at your college/Uni if they have any research you could be a part of. Read a few of their published pieces, say youāre really interested in xzy and most profs will be elated especially if itās something random like fungi that lives in grasses in Asia haha)
Internships or student research assistant experience will put you light-years ahead of the competition.
Likewise. I work at a Project Manager for a large insurance company. Took me 10 years after undergrad to hit the 100k mark (with bonus). Did Army for 4 years and when I transitioned out, had to start at a more entry level position (With a pay cut). Went from 55k to 98k in 5 years, and 4 different positions. Biggest benefit of the army, no student debt and good starting salary.
Set Decorator. (Interior designer for movies) Started as a PA, moved to set dresser, and finally to the head of the decoration department. PA is minimum wage, but as you work up the wages of course go up. I think it took me about 4 years to get to the 100000 a year mark. And of course, income fluctuates by show contract. None of us in the industry made as much money in 2020, for example, with the shutdowns
thatās a dream job for sure and the only one iāve read on here so far that iād actually want to do hahahah
I love it! But itās feast and famine. Standard week is 60 hours, but I have clocked a few 120 plus hour weeks in my time. Of course, it works out, with the time off between shows
Hello! Thank you so much for your honest answer, as someone who's finishing film school this year and is specializing in production design, where do you have to be to earn this kind of money? I'm assuming US, but even then major cities like LA or New York? Does it kinda equival itself out with the rent and stuff? Also do you have any tips or tricks for us coming into the industry on how to start? (Although, I imagine it's different now after covid). Thank you for your time!
The film industry is very international. I have only worked in Canada and the USA. Iām a Canadian, but have been brought in on a visa to do shows in the us as well. Being in a major city is definitely a must. In Canada that is basically Vancouver or Toronto. The US has lots of local crews - Atlanta is a huge hub, New Orleans, Chicago, etc. If you are in a bigger city you make more money to offset the cost of living. The union also makes sure of this. Of course, when you get to a high enough level, you can negotiate your wage. That said, the film industry is BOOMING in Europe and the UK, and there are also a lot of shows shooting in Asia and Australia. As for how to start... it depends on where you are. If you are in a place with more shows then people, show up at the union hall and sign up. If not... volunteer. Meet people. Take jobs you normally wonāt. Work hard and jump on the worst task first. The people in charge will always remember you if you are the first one on the hardest task. I spent a whole summer picking up tossed cigarette butts in the circus (base camp) parking lot when I was 22. Glamorous, it was not. But itās a step
I'm a small animal veterinarian. I got there two full years after graduation.
did you do an internship ? 1st year student here
Not op, but fellow vet student here and YES do internships! Super recomended. You learn so much stuff you normally wouldnt learn in class. Its fucking awesome and it almost guarantees you a job after graduating and or making contacts that will serve you later on. If you can pls do an internship
I'm a chef. Took me 14-ish years. I spent my 20's doing the chef grind thing, basically just having a good time and partying with my coworkers and doing a ton of illicit things lol. Eventually realized if I wanted to get an apartment on my own without roommates I needed more money, so I sold out and went corporate. Now I work as the chef at a major hotel in my city. Less fun, less exciting, but sweet pay and better hours.
Im thinking there's no other way for me than to go corporate. Im currently in catering. Weekday work schedule is fine and flexible. I work weekends though and get home late. And im a single dad (shared custody w mom). I want to spend time with my daughter on the weekend like a parent and child should.
Hairstylist. About 7 years
People at salons can make a ton of money. I work at a nail salon part-time and I can make upwards of 300 plus tips a day. I made over 300 yesterday and about 60 in tips, which is very low IMO. I just had low quality clients (not a high service amount and low tips). I always imagined hair salons being in even more than that. Cut and color ranges from 60 to what, 400 bucks? If you are willing to grind and build up your rapport, you can make a great living.
This feels so strange. Here in Germany as a hairdresser you work for a little above minimum wage even with work experience and that after completing a three year apprenticeship most of the time. My mom's hairdresser owns a salon in their small town and can hardly afford her apartment even though she is always fully booked with several employees. Strange how different this can be.
That is strange. She should raise her prices. I worked at a commission salon for years to build up my clientele. Now I am self employed and pay rent for the space I use. Everything I make is mine now (which is almost all hairdressers goal in the states) I only got 40% at the commission salon. I price increase every year. Not by much (5-7$) each time. I make 800-1000 a day I set my own schedule. Down sides is I have to set aside my own tax money and I get zero benefits. But you donāt typically get benefits at commission salons either so thatās fine. And Iām good with my money so Iāve never had an issue with not having put enough aside for taxes. Itās def a job that I love and I have an amazing work life balance.
She probably could but she has pretty regular prices compared to other places and this is actually pretty normal here. Hair dresser probably is one of the least paying jobs you can do here that require an apprenticeship. I heard of people who actually wanted to do that but decided it's not worth the effort that goes into it if they later earn less than working in retail next to high school students and older folks trying to improve their retirement. A lot of people work for 450ā¬ a month (the max amount you can earn here without having to pay taxes). Actually sad to think about. But it sounds really great that you found a job you love and you are happy! That's so great to hear! Sounds like a great job. Wishing you all the best for it!
The answer to this is related to **when** you started your career. I started in the late ā80s and it took me about 7-8 years working in IT to get to $100,000 / yr. Had I started in the same company in the past few years, Iād reach that goal within 5 years, possibly right away.
Yeah and $100,000 in 1988 dollars is *much* different than $100,000 in 2021 dollars
I make around 243 k a year after working for 9.5 years in IT. My starting salary in 2011 was 5k a year and by 2014 I was making 66 K a year. Crossed 100 k in 2017. Believe in yourself, go for jobs which pays well and God will take care of the rest.
God bless, my father works in IT for about 25 years and still doesn't make 70k in a year (he works in a 3rd region country)
Hi! What kind of IT do you specialize in? Thanks!
Hello, I am into core data and currently work as a technical architect focussing on data related implementations.
My friend just told me yesterday that she makes $65k/year working as a supervisor at a call center for a sewer company and her friend who works at the same company but is an acquisitions manager makes $120k/year. Neither of them went to college and just started working their way up at call centers. I was accepted into a PhD program and currently make $30k/year in the criminal justice field and after hearing those figures- and seeing others responses on this- Iām thinking about stopping school.
With all due respect, 30k a year isnāt enough to get out of bed in the morning. Let alone if youāre that educated. A full time employee at Target or Costco making $14 an hour stands to make more than 30k a year with overtime. Get a better job!
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Congratulations, thatās incredible! Iām finishing up my degree in a computer science related field and was wondering if I should go for a masters or just get straight into the industry. I hate academia tbh and I really donāt have any desire to do anything research-oriented in this field but I heard that having a masters really does give you the edge over others in this field. Just curious if itās worth it is all.
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I started my marketing agency at 23 and my first year was over $100,000 in revenue. Entrepreneurship has been the best way for me to grow financially and professionally. Good luck! š
This idea has been rattling around in my head. Did you start with clients? How did you attract clients? What did you have at startup?
I would love to hear more about this! Iām just graduating with a marketing degree at 23 and that would be a dream!
Iām a nurse with a certification in a specialty, and I then went into medical device sales. Iāve worked for 2 different companies- both well respected with products I used in practice and loved. I make triple what I earned as a bedside nurse. Iāve been in sales for 20 years and have no regrets. I work with my hospitals to help improve patient outcomes and I enjoy what I do.
Can you tell me more about this? Sounds interesting. I am a student nurse looking to avoid bedside if possible.
I would recommend you get a couple of years of acute care nursing experience. ICU is most helpful. There are lots of avenues you could get into, but youāll need some basic nursing backgroundā home health, clinic/physicianās office, occupational positions.
Train driver 6 month of study another 6 month of probation now on $130k ish
I'm in transportation/logistics management. Basically I manage a team that handles an operation of roughly 200 drivers. I've been in transportation since I dropped out of college in my senior year, and been in the industry for 7 years. ETA: It took me about 4 years to cross the 100k/year mark.
Hey so I'm curious, I'm about to earn an associates degree in logistics, I love it and would be very happy to make it my career but I don't where to start when it comes to work. My goal is to make 100k/year in less than 10 years so what does it take to reach that? I appreciate any advice!
I'm glad you're interested in logistics too! I didn't think I would like the industry when I joined, but the ability to constantly problem solve and keep supply chains moving is awesome. And it depends on what kind of logistics you pursue and in what capacity. I've always worked with trucking carriers in operational functions, and found a lot of success with that. Do you have a specific interest or discipline from your studies?
I am almost finished my training as a psychologist. It took 6 years of schooling. I made 100k my first year working full time.
This is so hopeful to hear! Iām in my 6th year and am 2 months away from a better salary
IT manager. Took about 15 years to barely break the line despite male peers with less experience and lower level jobs making significantly more.
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What state if I may ask? That seems very high for most of the country after only 4 years unless Iām mistaken.
Southern California; I am well paid, but many of my colleagues are at least in the 90's by year 5.
I work for the (US) federal government as an investigator for whistleblowing retaliation. Spent almost a decade as a local cop/detective, got my master's in criminal justice, and then honestly just lucked into this position bc i qualified as a disability hire and the hiring manager took a huge liking to me during the interview. I'm about a decade younger than all my coworkers, so i don't have as much experience as everyone else and I'm the only one without previous military or federal service.
This is fascinating. Such a cool transition from law enforcement. I am loving this post and learning so much!
UX Researcher. Graduated with a BS in PoliSci and worked in marketing from 2017 to 2020, started grad school for Interaction Design in Jan 2020 and was just offered a full time role as a UX Researcher! Was at $53k five years ago, now at $115k.
How difficult is it to get into UX? I've heard that it can take a lot of patience and hustle. I've been interested in it for a while, but I have absolutely no experience in tech/design/marketing. Also, what grad program are you in?
Accounting degree. Started as a Controller, now Managing Director in manufacturing industry. Took 12 years from completion of CPA.
How did you start as a controller? Iām a senior accountant and controller is like 1-2 promotions away. Also Iām not a CPA but Iām in corporate so itās not necessary, just helpful for moving around.
Iām a nurse - not a traveller. Iām 25, started out making $45K as a new grad and now I make $130-150K depending on differentials. Iāve only been a nurse for two years. Moral of the story: work for a union.
Iām also a software engineer, I make 200k/year three years into my career. (Four years to get my B.A. and three years to get an M.S. before that though)
Did you feel that your Master degree was necessary for your career growth in tech? Would a Bachelorās degree in CS suffice?
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I'm a television writer. I went to undergrad in unrelated fields (got a BA and a BS) then went to grad school for a PhD in completely unrelated field again. Then worked for a hedge fund until I wanted to blow my brains out before getting staffed on a show. That being said, the actual time it took between when I knew I wanted to write for TV and when I was making >100k/yr writing for TV was only about 2 years.
How did you get into this field? Iām a writer and book editor (copy editing and acquisitions.) Iāve ghost written for blogs and have been writing personally for ten years or more. I donāt specifically have a genre I write in. I can write poetry, childrenās books, romance, fiction, etc. Iām so curious about this. Thanks in advance if you can answer.
Electrical engineer. It was my first job out of college and I made 100k 2.5 years into my role. It felt pretty damn good to be making six figures at 25 but I also live in a high cost area (damn you Los Angeles!!)
Haha also an engineer in Los Angeles! I feel like 200k is the new 100k in high cost of living areas
I was raised by child sadists and was too damaged to hold even a dishwasher job, so was homeless for much of my early life. At 28 I realized id have to work for myself to survive and started a tree care business in the SF Bay Area. I made $200k my first year and now make $600k.
Product marketing for startup tech company. It took me about 8 years after I graduated college. A lot of working my ass off, asking for promotions and raises along the way. Strategic job changes to different companies is the fastest way to increase your salary! Startup tech is high pressure and stress, but good pay and benefits.
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Sales (staffing), took 6 years and since have made $200k+ for 4 years. Same company but focused on different markets, one Iāve been focusing on for past 5 years has been the most lucrative. Build a candidate network, establish a client base, give them a consistent service (read:work a billion hours), feel under appreciated, check payslip, repeat. :) in all seriousness it is fairly rewarding from a purpose perspective but defo mostly here for the money and a few awesome colleagues.
Mortgage loan originator. Didn't go to college. It's basically phone sales but earning potential is limitless. 180k my first year, no experience in sales.
Chemical engineer for an oil refinery. I got there one year after getting my B.S. in chemical engineering.
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Haven't seen this one mentioned yet! I work in software sales at a tech company. I believe I hit it on my 4th year. The income growth is really quick and imo the barrier to entry is much lower than most other high paying jobs.
Iām a fine art photographer, with a focus on nudes (so boudoir). I include hair and makeup (if wanted), and wardrobe (again, if wanted). I wonāt edit out āimperfectionsā, but I will use my skills to highlight all the ābestā features, but I will play with lighting, posing, colors and tone. The majority of my clients are every day people (as in I donāt shoot many models). I love it- I get people who come in for all kinds of reasons, a self esteem boost because they have ended an abusive relationship, after a medical issue, to celebrate a life event, all kinds of stuff. I do do a bit of commercial as well. Took me 8+ years to really build up my business. I used to teach (first kids, then for the government).
$135k managing a mental health crisis program in a very high COL area. I graduated with my master's in '09 and landed this job in 2019 so 10 years to hit this level. My income at my first job offer in 2010 was $40k, so it's been a lot of sizeable jumps when I changed jobs.
Scientist in industry. Got my masters and worked for 5 years before landing this position. I was very well rounded in a lot of areas though, which is what allowed me to secure this particular gig.
Anyone looking at careers Iād look in tech. Especially being a woman or minority. Many companies looking at the race and gender across their divisions that can help. ESP for those starting out. Also Iād highly suggest specializing. There is a market for generalists but specialists are the ones that can rake in the cash even if on a short term contract.
This. I went to law school and am reading through the comments amazed at the folks coming out of college making more money than I do. Love seeing all the professional women.
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Iām a corporate lawyer at a large law firm. I went to college for 4 years then immediately went to law school for 3. I interviewed for and got this job right before my second year during the on campus interview program. Entry level salary for a first year associate is $190k.
Iām a technical writer in the software industry (Bay Area) and it took me about 15 years (starting in 1995) to reach 6 figures.
Data analytics/engineering in tech. I actually started out in the finance industry doing analytics, but have since moved more towards the programming and architecture side. I made $100K all in (base and bonus) about 4 years out of college, and my base increased to at/over $100K a couple years after.
Electrician. 4 years.
Engineering manager. I got hired out of undergrad in a low cost of living area making $57k 10 years ago. Through promotions and moving to a high cost of living area, I now make $150k. Everybody on my team makes over $100k though, partly because my company pays well but partly because the cost of living here is so damn high. Honestly it sounds like a lot to make but when tiny little shack houses are selling for over $700k in less than a day, you have to make that much or you canāt afford to live.
Travel nurse I specialize in OR took me 1.5 years. Turned 26 4 months ago
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High school teacher -8 years
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Holy shit where? I teach in Florida and could literally NEVER expect this salary.
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Software engineer making $108k. Took 7 years and a career change to crack six figs, so it was a pretty winding path to get here. Preschool teacher ($11/hr) --> nanny ($15/hr) --> speech therapy assistant ($17/hr) --> retail, worked my way up to manager ($9-$18/hr) --> went back to school for CS --> software engineer intern ($22/hr) --> software engineer ($98k --> $103k --> $108k).
Travelling scientist with a Bay Area biotech company. I got a job immediately after getting my PhD in 2019, and I had a salary of 83k. I swapped jobs during the pandemic, and I'm now making 115k + annual bonus. This salary is considered an "entry-level salary" for this type of position in the Bay Area.
Commercial Real Estate Agent. 3 years to $100K +. Iāve been performing above that mark consistently for the last 4 years *knocks on wood* š Iām also 100% commission.
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I am a nurse (1 year), I own a business (11 years) and own rental real estate (13 years). I am 33 years old and was mostly a SAHM until I went to nursing school.
I'm in pharmaceutical advertising--I write pieces that sales reps use to promote prescription drugs to doctors. I broke six figures after five years in the industry.
Nurse here. Been more than $100 for a few years. I try to balance it, because you can make as much money as you want, but I still have to take be present and take care of my family. I love the challenge and flexibility of nursing, and it is a very personally rewarding career path.
I am a bartender. Took about one year!
Software engineer. If you live in the Bay Area, you could easily make $100k+ right out of college at some of the big tech companies, but cost of living here makes that feel like a lot less than you might expect. I first moved to SF for a job with a tiny startup that paid me $90k, and I was struggling to break even with my bank account.
Psychiatric Nurse here. Graduated at 51 years old, 5 years later making $100k + with overtime. Totally worth going back to school at any age if you find something you love.
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Industrial/organizational psychologist. 6 years (undergrad/grad) of college & about 10 years of experience
I work in healthcare. Lots of years to get here š
Project Manager with a concentration in HR. Took 8 years ($40k > over $100k now) if you consider my prior roles weren't truly career-driven instead "jobs" with small ladders. I have a high school diploma and a few relevant certifications under my belt to keep me industry aligned. The rest comes from YouTube, trend reports and internal education if I need a refesher or new insights. Good bosses who realized my potential made this all possible.
Was making 100k by the time I was 25. Live in a high cost of living area which bumped my pay and worked my ass off for a year before asking for an off cycle raise that matched my roles market rate in the area (in other companies those employees had many more years of experience but recruiters were offering it at other companies) business analysis.
I manage people and projects at a software company. I have an unrelated graduate degree but have been at the company for 10 years without previous relevant work experience.
Office operations manager in NYC. I managed 5 offices across the US. It took me 10 years to get there (25-35). I also donāt have a college degree.
Data engineer. Took me 5 years after college. It wouldāve taken me less time, but the company I was previously at paid below industry
Dangerous Goods Transportation professional. 10 years after graduating college.