maximilianfragglebottom
76036
2929
66
About a year ago I went from making no more than 30k/year to making close to 60k and I feel like I'm rich. According to my pay schedule I'll be making 75k in 10 years, when I'm 43.
Draketeeth
At my best job, I don't think I ever broke 25k.
Crazywelderguy
imagine thinking you don't get your first job till your mid 20s. Most people I knew growing up had a summer job at least by 14.
youlooklikehalfabuttpuppet
Look at you, moneybags.
UltraRasenganX20
I remember thinking, once i make over 20/hr all my financial problems will go away. I was single with no kids
ImmaCatImmaSexyCat
I made 25K this year...
theShitmyassholesays
Join the trades! Electrical workers make good money and train you! College is a lie!!!
TheIceHorse
I wish I made that much. I cant even afford dinner tonight. Life fucking sucks
WilliamFalsetti
Can I buy you dinner some time?
amnevoiedecafe
100k in Cali and you’re still struggling to make ends meet.
Youareprobablytoofragile
Truth.
LinguisticBitch
I make 35-37k and its not a lot.
kpmcsmokum
I went from 24 to 38 and feel like I'm rich, hard to imagine jumping up that much lol
Mickp81
Mike barnicle is the ghoul for those interested. https://www.truthorfiction.com/mike-barnicle-college-graduates-75000-a-year/.
pizzapartyhard
33 with a MA making under 40
stvhunt132
MA in what? I'm just trying to understand the difference in pay by field. I have a B.S. in chem and I'm at 70
jay20003000
40 hr/week at 27k/year here 75k is almost triple what I currently make
jay20003000
About 15 months ago I was making 14k....
stvhunt132
What field? I'm just seeing huge differences in commentors pay and in curious why.
jay20003000
I work in warehouse production
tesseract4d2
The even more unrealistic thing here is "just out of college working your FIRST JOB" and if anyone made it through college without working
tesseract4d2
A couple jobs at a time already.
squeakyleeks
Seriously. I don't know anyone that didn't work during college.
azrailthedeathangel
You people have jobs?
Giveemtheaxe
Thankyou.gif
Deoxyribonucleicacidwashedgenes
Fuck, I didn't pay any taxes for the first decade after college because I was under the poverty line.
BaconRodeo
I paid for four and a half years of college to get my degree and a teaching license only to not make enough money to live on my own
AtsaMattaForMe
Jackospade
That was my first thought too. Love that scene.
cking1
$75 k a year is an unimaginable wet dream for me
CongratsYouAreHereNow
what do you do and waht do you make?
AnythingMuchShorter
And yet for useless middle management, it's a year end bonus.
Josiahkf
average american is 52k a year I think and average individual is 32k, around 600/week. just like the unemployment bonus lately
HenryLongfellowIII
Median 25+ personal income with at least a bachelor's is $71K. Average is quite a bit higher I think.
berightbackreallifeiscalling
Where? What degree? BC no one I know is making $71K, even 10 yrs after college and master's degrees. 50K is average
HenryLongfellowIII
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_States#By_educational_attainment That's from 2017, so probably a bit higher now
HenryLongfellowIII
You can check out the original data from bls.gov (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
mjh29822
I worked well over 100+ hrs of overtime last year and made no more than 41,000 , one pay check alone had 96 hrs of ot on it. Base pay 11.15
stvhunt132
Jesus man, I'm sorry to hear that. Look into medical devices and pharma manufactures. My companies line workers start at $15 with no reqs
CognatusGens
mjh29822
I got certified and received a 10% raise. With minimal amount of overtime, not going to get anywhere near 40,000 this year. Phlebotomist.
mjh29822
I would love to be able to make at least 45,000 yrly .
Tykahuna85
I just read a Pew research doc that shows the current middle class range is between $45k to $145k depending on where you live in the US- can
Tykahuna85
You imagine what $145k would feel like? The freedom....
imgonnahurtu
You don't make 145k where it matters. In San Fran, for example, 81k a year is the poverty line.
AtsaMattaForMe
Shoutrr
i'm a hamster hairdresser and my wife is a cactus massager, our budget is $4 millions
RogueKitsune
...da fuq is this "investment income" they keep mentioning?
IhopeyougetstageIIIcoloncancer
That retired couple gets $52k/y in INVESTMENT INCOME ALONE?! Jesus, my heart bleeds.
salamander318
Oh no, those poor wealthy people, having to pay (at most) 3% more in taxes. I guess that means no second beach house for them. Boo hoo.
Kaoss01
What this an official release from a Gov department or something?
AtsaMattaForMe
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wall-street-journal-middle-class_n_2488893
Kaoss01
Wow. How out of touch with reality can they be?!
OtterlyMagnificent
They legit think the middle class is making a quarter-million every year?
Scuzzlebutt142
Reading some of these comments really reinforces how lucky I am. I worked for it, but still feel slightly guilty about it.
Youareprobablytoofragile
Seriously. Starting to understand why everyone loves Bernie so much on here. Everyone is broke ?
Scuzzlebutt142
I am from NZ (Covid free, yeah). Bernie’s your far lefty, here he is center right. even with our “crazy” socialist policies, am making /1
Scuzzlebutt142
Good money and have enough left for alot of stuff, and I’m in a government job earning less than market rate. Could make more in private, /2
Youareprobablytoofragile
Are you suuuuuuure he is your center right?
Scuzzlebutt142
But work/life balance at the moment is great. I don’t understand how the USA lives like it does.
Smidge204
Ruhig
Yeah, you just call your friends at the Fed, tell them your stonks are sad, and then they turn on the money printer to make the bad -
Ruhig
- red line turn into a happy green line! All fixed!
ThomasTheWankEnglne
what was his middle class?? 400k?
chefsoda
To be fair, Americans hate saying working class, so we divide ourselves into; poor, middle class, and rich, which doesn't really work.
Donnanobleslonglostdoppleganger
I'm 55, just got to the point where I am making 35K and I feel rich. 75K would make me a crazy person.
stvhunt132
I'm curious what field you are in. Trying to understand why there is a huge gap in commentors pays.
Donnanobleslonglostdoppleganger
I'm an elementary school support secretary. I live simply. No car payment. Found a house that costs less to buy than rent, etc. I also live
Donnanobleslonglostdoppleganger
in an area where rents are rapidly increasing. Seattleites are moving here, but W.WA is still pricey to live in.
stvhunt132
Thanks for the insight. I have a hard time understanding sometimes from my own perspective but I'm empathetic enough to recognize (1/2)
stvhunt132
(2/2) that many people are having a hard time. I wish I knew a way to help everyone that was within my own power. I wish you happiness.
dasoffendor
i keep pointing out to people that the federal government always, ALWAYS goes with the least, cheapest option possible. They decided to 1/
dasoffendor
go with $600 extra unemployment a week. and people dont want to go back to their jobs because they make more now on unemployment 2/
dasoffendor
and instead of taking a second and realizing the actual problem there, most people just take the easy route and call them "lazy"
gurlsnuggler
People don’t want to go back to their jobs because the pandemic is worsening and hasn’t been addressed.
toobiwanyoulisten
3 of my 4 jobs no longer exist. Permanent closures due to the pandemic.
dasoffendor
well yeah, that too obviously. i have a fair amount of run ins though with people who claim its just laziness, "damn kids", etc
dasoffendor
"why should they get more money than i make to sit around?" um you're missing the point here my dude, you're both underpaid
CognatusGens
ThomasTheWankEnglne
60-70k is rich if you have no expenses. 70k to support a whole family is troublesome.
BeansAndRice41
Well if you spend 30k a year, you’d be pocketing 40k a year. (To give to taxes of course)
TevishSzat
Location is also critical. Household income close to 70k would be nice, but not near the heart of LA. Expensive living and bad schools.
Ihatedecidingonausername
Also depends largely on where you live
anyofmany
70k before taxes?
whyarealltheusernamestaken
We survive on 27k. If I work we pay for daycare which is astronomical here. I dream of 75k.
Iloveanonymityandilovebeingnoticed
My hubs makes less than $40k, about to be a family of 5. In California. We do ok. I’m a little stressed, but we’re ok.
Iankill
This is the real problem shouldn't need to make 70k+ to keep your family above the poverty line
LateNightBunnyParty
Exactly this. It took us making $75K to not feel like we were drowning.
Kavrae
Depends a lot on location and circumstance. I support a family on 40k
districtfella
Or if you live in a major urban center.
FunAlternativeFact
Depends on where you are. Many places here in the Midwest 50k for a family is considered pretty well-to-do.
Shoutrr
or if you have health problems
BrazilianThunderPanda
$70K is NOT rich for a single person in an expensive city.
idkalan
I bring 55k a year, only reason I'm able to live where I live is because my sisters live with me and we share expenses.
YourMemeSucksHarderThanaDyson
and the majority of the US does it with less than half that.
YourMemeSucksHarderThanaDyson
It's like somehow wealthy people somewhere read that average US income is 60k a year. people must be doing much better than they were
LateNightBunnyParty
$75K in central Oklahoma is adequate. Not rich, but not struggling.
GreenTeaParty
The pout is no one cept the very rich are making enough, and the very rich make like a million times more then the one class down.
charlie2979
I was brought up by a single parent on 12,000 a year. Thats troublesome.
00WinterSun00
Depends on where you live, $60-$70K where I live for a single person is still paycheck to paycheck
Dragon10449
I'm a year out of college, no debt, making 70k-80k, and single. I'm very thankful for getting the job I did and busted my ass for 5 years to
Dragon10449
Get here. I am very glad I do not have to worry about being able to afford basic things, though I was raised to be very money conscious so
Dragon10449
Even when I want to spend money i get extremely anxious over it. Idk who the fuck thinks 75k for fresh out of college is standard for anyone
Dragon10449
But STEM majors, medical, and law. To insinuate that my experience is the norm is absurd. I was thankful for my parents supporting me in
Dragon10449
College, worked my ass off to get nearly a full ride in scholarships, graduated summa cum Laude in engineering, and STILL only got the job
imakeurglassesfoggy
This! daycare and feeding people and clothing and
Mr21782Man
When you can actually pay for daycare instead of having to rely on family/friends
IllusiveJoker
I haven't bought clothes for myself for like 18 months
magnitudedirection
I like the discount places like gordmans, and Burlington coat factory. They don't actually manufacture coats there, mind blown..
ChainmailleAddict
Yeah seriously, clothes should be a pittance. Thrift stores exist and many people let pride get in the way of economic sensibility.
AvielMenter
Sure, although given that the hypothetical earners here are individual college grads, probably not _huge_ expenses.
kindpanda
My wife and I each make about that. With student loans and rent and bills (about 3k between it all) we still seem poor.
kindpanda
My nice car is an 05 Malibu
channelranger
Depends where you live. Where I live you'd be middle class on that, easily. In bay area cali that wouldn't mean near as much.
r3b007
Probably depends on where you live and what kind of lifestyle you're living. I supported my family of 5 making only about 50k a year
Nobody7713
Also depends a lot on where. If you're working and living in a big city, you need more.
NastyBert2000
What decade?
r3b007
Like 5 years ago
Hemispheres
My special needs kid costs more than that a year just in therapy.
mReid69
Did that on 35k, and we felt rich!
r3b007
With a mortgage and two car payments
EviLPaRaDiSe
About 75 here too! 2 kids, ones an adult. Fostering kids right now so 7 people on our income isn't much. The state doesn't give much to help
EviLPaRaDiSe
With the fosters. (State took family members kids and I was the only one who could take them to keep them with family.)
roguishdrummer
Would you be willing to expand on how you were able to keep the kids with family? I have a close relative that could use this information
fumpst781
Where were you? That would be almost impossible in a city! But maybe you're a wizard?
r3b007
No definitely not a city. But that's why I said, it depends on where you're living :) but even in rural areas, cost of living varies wildly
cyberjax99
Yeah i feel like some the miscommunication about these topics stems from the vast differences in cost of living. Especially mortgage/rent
Beefkins
100% this. 50k/yr is poor in some areas and filthy rich in others. Without context, salary is meaningless.
mastolongdong
I make 37k/year as a teacher, wife doesn't work as child care would be more than she can make, 4 kids. We run out of money twice a month.
sadiethehunter
She will be able to earn more eventually, assuming she can advance in some way (ie, not a dead-end job).
Goldenbeer
Teachers deserve a lot more. I don't know why education is so far down on our priority list..
ksherretz
Legit question, then why did you have 4 kids?
mastolongdong
Became teacher after divorce, only had 1 kid then. 2nd wife brought 1 kid to marriage. Planned on 1 kid together (3 total) but had happy >
mastolongdong
> surprise, #4. Wasn't exactly planned but wouldn't change for anything. I don't make a lot but we have insurance and everything we need. >
mastolongdong
> I don't think income should exclusively determine the size of your family. It can be stressful at times but we make due.
roguishdrummer
Spouse and I bring in 48k combined, for a family of 4. It can get legitimately worrisome between pay checks.
4vie
I hope you can clear your debts sooner rather than later! :)
jimfalconer611
Have you tried making more money? /s
roguishdrummer
Lmao, as a matter of fact, yes! In the end, I took a $5/hr pay cut to get benefits for the family and a reliable schedule.
MaxReboBand
Just curious where do you live?
roguishdrummer
NorCal
Iamyourcaptainnow
Uff. Decided against kids because I hate nothing more than to worry about money. That must be though with 4, respect.
Iamyourcaptainnow
Oh, I think 2 kids, misread that. Still...
roguishdrummer
Yeah, only 2 kids. I was raised within a certain lifestyle that promoted big families and not waiting for the finances to all be there. 1/
roguishdrummer
In retrospect I wish I had challenged the belief system earlier and had a better plan for how to manage it all. Oh well. I love my kids 2/
gmfunkd
My husband and I bring in about 70k together and only have 1 kid and we are still pretty much paycheck to paycheck...mostly student loans...
kojenk
Untilyou get proper rich the system is designed so expenses will keep up with your income
Interex
Same here, and moving to another country would change our lives.... Can't make the money to do that so giving depressing
SamArt53
Fam, check out Dave Ramsey. He has podcasts, books at the library, he’s on iHeart radio, etc. He can help you for FREE. He gives good basic
YouDunMessdUpAAron
Dot
100percentuseless
I found Dave after declaring BK 10 years ago. Best formula to stay out of debt and live within your means. A+++ highly recommend.
SamArt53
.sound financial advice on how to ‘get out of debt’ (you didn’t say you were in debt...), he’ll help you get your finances in order.
ChainmailleAddict
Graham Stephan has way better ideas to be honest, especially with regards to credit cards and investment philosophy.
QotU
I’m gonna have to go with Dave Ramsey for the basics. Too many people cannot handle the credit cards. They can’t even budget. (And I
comacomacomacomachameleon
They're probably from New York where $75k means you're living in a 300 sq. ft. apartment and have $14 in your bank account.
BrilliantButCowardly
They have $14?!
Urgalicity
That's pretty much all of New England
donejenn
*laughs in San Franciscan*
AvocadoHouse
Also, the living difference between 50k to 75k is way more than 75k to 100k. Think not having to worry about bills vs wanting a better car.
NuggetsForKitty
As a Midwesterner if i had $75k i could retire and live on that for life and im only 30.
mike13815
Sell a kidney and you're golden.
coralto
Just because that’s how much it costs to live doesn’t mean people make that much.
DarkestHappyTime
You can search the minimum costs to live in any city. Believe NYC was ~$50k.
monsieursquirrel
50k before or after taxes? I just want our taxes to finally do what they were meant to do
mike13815
You won't get efficient or effective tax usage from NYC or NYS.
bogus1983
Believe me when I say, you don't want to live in NYC at the absolute minimum standard of living.
Gorapora
Median HOUSEHOLD income in NYC proper is $57,782 a year. That's household, so includes combined income of dual earner homes.
Billis75
in 99, I got a job in San Francisco making 60k (same job in San Diego was 40k), I was 24 thinking this was amazing. 3x rent price from SD
neogeo0823
New York *City*, to clarify. The city isn't the whole state. $75k combined for the wife and I in our neck of NY would be some (1)
neogeo0823
"walkin' around" money.
figuringeights
Nobody ever means the rest of new York.
Kwaj
Doesn't the NY State Assembly or whatever have special regs to prevent tyranny of the majority because >1/2 of the population is in NYC?
DomeGuy
Nope. NYC has 8.5 millon, while NYS overall has 19 million.
rpgaff2
Not exactly. What mostly happens is legislation 'for cities with populations >1 mil'. Or city government passing their own rules.
DoggoPicsMakeMeHungry
In California the bay area and Los Angeles call the shots for everyone. Los Angeles drains the lakes of northern California when they need
DoggoPicsMakeMeHungry
Water
qwaszx8888
Nobody means Pougkeepsie when they say New York, just sayin.
Metatality
Buffalo and Rochester are at least sometimes relevant.
euphoricopportunity
You can get a reasonable house in Rochester for $75k. Just sayin'.
NastyBert2000
Sure, that's what "Upstate NY" means.
TheBestSpiderQueen
Only to people from NYC
Thediciplematt
Thank you. 70k in the sf Bay Area isn’t a lot. If you’re in the city that is literally a 500 sq foot studio
NorthSideSoldier
Isn't 70k considered poverty in LA?
Gorapora
$74,841 is median personal income for San Francisco residents; meaning you make more than 50% of people w/ $75k.
amoeba15
588 sq ft 1 bedroom for $495 a month. My city isn't there best in the world but boy is it livable.
amoeba15
*the. Damn autocorrect
DoggoPicsMakeMeHungry
Funny how urbanization lowers quality of life at the same income
xizar
QoL is more than just sqft. access to education, arts, entertainment also matter. (not saying 75k is a lot, just adding nuance.)
morelikeconsham
I just don't understand why you would stay at that point. It's unliveably expensive. And for what? So you can have several options for
Thediciplematt
Feels that way with covid. I live in the east bay so the prices aren’t that insane but some people just love it, I guess.
morelikeconsham
delivery pizza? Places this expensive don't deserve to have citizens.
TheVermonster
It's opportunity. That area has some of the highest paying jobs in the West coast. A friend is an executive's assistant and makes 6 figures
morelikeconsham
So? 75k barely allows you to survive. The next 25k aren't exactly going to be lifechanging. With a salary of 75k, you could own a house,
Gorapora
Moving isn't free. You lose all your networking (for jobs), family, it costs money, you need to already have a job to get an apt in new city
Gorapora
it's hard to find a job in a new city if you don't an address there, unless you're some highly educate professional that can make a lot in
Gorapora
cities. You save money on rent but lose out on opportunity.
FutureHylian
Im scrambling just to get a job that pays me 20k a year without having to work 60 hours a week...
folkscallmehi
Can’t find a decent job in this town. Yeah, not unless you wanna work 40 hours a week!
AintNoRestForTheWookie
At my peak working 50 hours /w I pulled in around 23k. Lingering health problems currently have me at 14k. Been homeless since Nov. Don't>
AintNoRestForTheWookie
Own a vehicle, so at least I don't have that expense but I also cannot afford medical insurance, so the health problems persist. I owe>
AintNoRestForTheWookie
> around 200k for two emergency room visits from 2016 and 2018, with no ability to come close to paying them off. I'm also "essential"
badbaddolomite
Where do you live.
hufwungpu
Theres a severe shortage of skilled laborers in the US. Wood flooring installation, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, ect, most will pay 4 it
Occiferjimlahey
The best way to make use of those skills is an LLC. Do the work for yourself. Handyman work is a great start to growing
SatansLeftNipple
Yeah but then you no longer get easy upvotes for complaining on Imgur and you become a capitalist shitlord and Imgur hates you.
ILikeChocolateAndRaspberries
I make between 22 and 23k€ a year (after taxes) working 35h/week, that's the dream for me :)
LooseyGooseyBrett
I know people that go to a 2 year trade school that easily make 75k their first year.
thetain
To all the republicans saying “learn a trade”: I did. I’m 7 years as a professional skilled laborer and still only make 30k. This is 1/2
varrdak
I get that labor markets differ... but general labor as a highschooler was 12k+ over the summer. W/ wage increases, thats 17k+ in 14 weeks.
varrdak
Unskilled with 0 OT thats still at 33k+ per year.
thetain
Also the best it’s ever been for me. I consider myself fortunate amongst blue collar workers. Some people just don’t get it, man...2/2
Vblink
Try security always hiring and it's usually an easy job.
privateeyeswatchingyouwatchingme
tpanyS
This is still going to depend dramatically on the area. Speaking as someone that does armed security across western PA, you're talking (1/?)
tpanyS
basically anywhere from $12/hr to $30+. Mostly just depends on the area, the job and your qualifications/certifications. (2/2)
sammag05
Nursing homes/assisted livings really need people right now and are hiring around $15 an hour.
branhurt
Land Survey, bonus if you have trignometry under your belt.
SomeDetroitGuy
US Minimum wage will pay you over $25,000 a year if you are working 60 hours a week for the same employer.
yourmomscheese
Given the amount of people on this site and posts/comments per day I find it comforting I run into you again on here for some reason
Zyrixion
Also, no single employer is going to purposefully schedule you for 60 hours a week, that's stupid. They'll just hire 2 for 30 hours each 1/
Zyrixion
2/ and give neither benefits, and not have to pay overtime.
mypasswordwascorrectasshole
And pay both either same wage or 2 different wages
FutureHylian
Did you miss the part where i said im trying to avoid 60 hours a week?
LateNightBunnyParty
Electrician union (IBEW) is DESPERATE and pays well. Starting apprentice pay is only about $15-$20/hr, but journeymen can make $40-$55.
Itslukus
Maybe once their hall opens back up in Vegas I'll check... they told me not hiring until they get past phase 2 in Vegas
EveryonesCousin
Seriously? I might look into finishing my school... my IT jobs have just been getting worse
LoveShovel
The traaaaaaades, man. Always work, almlst always solid money.
DarkestHappyTime
Don't forget nursing!
KindaWeirdSometimes
Also with this, look into sawmill electrician as an option. In many areas they’re getting rare, and good ones sought after.
JumpinJoe
Yep, and they denied my application even with trades under my belt
LateNightBunnyParty
Try again. Worth it to keep trying. Boomers are retiring en mass right now.
Nandabun
yeah, starting pay in SC was $8 when I started in 2004, and the highest I made doing it in Horry County was $12 an hour. Shit sucks.
Nandabun
Starting as a certified but inexperienced electrician, stopping where I could go take my journeyman's next week and pass, so still
Nandabun
base electrician, but a skilled one.
LateNightBunnyParty
Yeah, open shop bungalow busters don't make much. Doing commercial work in the union is where the money's at. $40/hr or more.
LateNightBunnyParty
For journeymen, I mean.
Nandabun
No unions in SC. :p
thatguythatdidthatthingthattime
How long before you can make journeyman? And how common are benefit offerings from employers? (Insurance, vacation, retirement, etc)
thatguythatdidthatthingthattime
I've been thimking about a change for a while.
onlycricketstalktome
Apprentice to journeyman is 5 years of work and school with pay raises roughly every year. The benefits you’ll get differ from area to area
onlycricketstalktome
My local gives us full medical, dental, vision after like 6 months. No vacation pay though but I like that cuz if you find the right
onlycricketstalktome
Employer you aren’t limited by number of vacation days. Last year I got 2 weeks off for Christmas on top of a 2 week Europe trip
TristenKent
I am currently in school to be an aircraft mechanic. Schooling is 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 depending on hours. Once done i can get a job on the
TristenKent
military base in town and get all of those benifits.
LateNightBunnyParty
AND they pay for your schooling.
TheDeadKing39
Can I get a link I am desperately looking for any kind of work right now and would love to go into a trade
LateNightBunnyParty
Just Google IBEW.
robo133
.
LateNightBunnyParty
About 5
PastureofMuppets
How many years of school?
TheDalmuti
Not an electrician, but trade apprenticeships are typically 3-5 years. Electricians are on the higher end. I believe they are 5-6 years.
Nobanob
Does it matter? You're gonna get older anyways, might as well take steps to improve your situation
blairsette
It does if you can’t support yourself throughout it. But I can’t imagine is more than 2. I could be wrong tho.
Pacaruru
It does if you make more than 20 but less then 40 currently.
PeanutsBiteMe
5 years in WA but it may be different depending on state.
sasscasm
journeyman is 4k hours for residential journeyman(JM), about two yeats at 40 hours a week. 37-45 an hour at JM source:brother is a JM in WA.