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Seriously??just starting off pay?
What did you make at your first job out of school and what was your education level? Or, better yet, if you hire people, what are they starting at and what is their education level?
I had a BA, and I got $32,000 (two years ago). I was happy as heck and thought that was a pretty good pay check. I was only looking (seriously) for jobs $30,000 or over.
I was just in a collaboration meeting for HR people and the general consensus was new kids are expecting to get $43 to $45 thousand and there were several companies who were giving them that much. Mostly BAs or lower living 30 + miles out of Minneapolis. Plus I know three people who found their first real job in the last year and a half and they all make over $40,000. They all only have a four year degree.
Re: Seriously??just starting off pay?
Damn. I've never made over $40K a year, even when I worked two jobs.
When I get tenure I will though! Teaching contracts usually pay more for higher degrees. My Master's degree gets me about $6K more than a Bachelor's.
I have a friend who is really good at getting jobs in the 60K + range. I think the jobs I've had and what I'm good at will just not guarantee me a big paycheck. I'm what I call "good in the trenches" - in the classroom, on a retail floor, solving problems, fixing stuff....that kind of thing.
DH graduated from DCTC in August of 05 w/his 2 year degree in Comp. Technology (or something along those lines) and got his first 'real' job making $42k 6 months later.
He's in management now and is finishing his B.S. in Marketing in December.
Seeing your guys' posts I am realizing how lucky DH and I are to have our jobs. I have no degree yet but have been in my job for 8 years now and make fairly decent $ due to that fact.
I'm also realizing I shouldn't be expecting the pay increase I was hoping a job change would bring once I get my degree. That is kind of hard to hear...
I think it depends on what industry you work in more than your education level.
My first job out of college (which required a bachelor's) paid a whopping $23K a year. I still don't make $40K, and I graduated from college 12 years ago. Granted, I work for a public university and we've been on a pay freeze for what seems like forever, but still. I don't make a lot, it's just not a high-paying line of work. The only person in my office who makes over $40K is my boss.
On the other hand, DH's first job out of the military paid $70K, and he didn't even have a bachelor's degree at that time.
Mr. Sammy Dog
This. Exactly. I think it totally depends on the industry and the specific job.
I agree with this, too.
DH and I and a bunch of our friends all graduated the same year from the same college. We all had very different degrees and all made very different amounts starting out - and still do. Some of my friends from school (same degree) made more then me because they were at a bigger company then I was. It depends on a lot of factors.
Boy/girl twins born at 37w1d and 37w2d
The big joke in my industry (veterinary) is to only get into it if you have a sugar daddy. It is almost all small business and they don't pay great. You do it because you love it.
I start my new graduates (2 year degree) at $24,000/year. I have 2 employees that have a bachelor degrees in Veterinary Technology and they don't get paid more than a 2 year degree. I make a decent salary, but I have been in the field for 8 years and I am the Office Manager.
my read shelf:
I started off at my first 'real' job after college making over 40k, and the job I chose was not my highest paying offer salary wise (but was the best fit overall)
For those of you concerned about post-graduation pay, you should really do some research into different fields. I can't tell you how thankful I am that I switched my major from social work to accounting. When I hear about new graduates making in the 30s or lower, I cringe. I can't imagine making ends meet at that pay. When I was job hunting, I knew my 'break even' point was going to be 40k. Between a modest mortgage and student loans, there was no way I couldve made less and still met all my obligations. I don't know how people do it. (And fwiw, I will probably edit out my pay range at some point)
(current pay edited out as noted above)
A Little Bird and a Monkey Butt
I guess it all depends on what you need. My first job out of college paid 27, 476.80 a year. Which was AMAZING to me. I easily made ends meet, bought a new car and had my own apartment, no roommates. I paid student loans, car insurance, health insurance, and still had money to go out and have fun with friends.
I can't imagine being a new college graduate and needing 40K + granted, I'm in education, and prior to that, I was in social services, but I was, and am incredibly happier than I would be in corporate America, where I would have to care how much money my boss made that day.
I am counting on this because I have no intentions on going back to school....I just thought that was a really high starting salary. My friends do all kinds of things with the high paychecks do all kinds of things, one is a banker, one does activities at a nursing home and the other does HR. The people being hired in meeting did food production.
And of course the field matters, but the jobs I had been hearing about didn?t seem like the common ?in demand? jobs that you can get out of school with a four year degree or less. I guess I am a little jealous. But just a little because for my three friends with those really high paying jobs I can like of double who have not been able to find their ideal ?real? job yet. (Real being a job you intended to get, not just something your doing while you are still looking).
Well I look at it more...that I am at a job right now and I am continuously looking for my "career" as long as I view what I am doing as a "job" then it isn't permanent. Everyone I know who likes what they do and does it well always speaks of their "career" and never refer to what they do as a "job".
I think that 2 years ago pay was really inflated especially in certain fields, and I think the market is correcting itself. I'll be honest I started as a Senior Administrative assistant and was making $42,000 a year, then when I moved into Real Estate and started their as an Office manager I took a slight pay cut, but for every 10 closed transactions I got a bonus...so I made well over $45,000 when I worked in real estate...now I am getting into selling real estate and missing that steady paycheck...at least I have a "job" to fall back on right now
Well I started out after college in 1996 in my first 'real' job at $30K and thought I was doing great. However, it's with a public agency and in addition to that I got wonderful benefits. The agency is smart - they increase your pay A LOT in the first 5 years that you are here. It makes it really hard to leave and work with a different agency or in a different field.
Since that time with the cuts to public moneys, my raises aren't anywhere what they were forcasted to be when I was hired. The benefits have tanked making health care very expensive and the contributions to retirement are stagnant. The only good thing is that I am about the middle or upper middle in seniority and should there be lay offs I am pretty certain I am safe.
All that said, I likely will work here until I retire. Unless DH and I decide to move to where his family is from in GA/NC, this is the safest job that I can get. And as of right now, they will pay am employer contribution for medical coverage for my husband and I when I retire as long as I pay the current employee portion.
2.3.11: Started TTC
2.8.12:Initial b/w - Normal
3.7.12:HSG - Normal
3.8.12:S/A - Normal
Cycle #12/Month #15 - 50mg.Clomid CD5-CD9 - BFN
4.24.12: RE appointment - DX Unexplained IF
7.12 - 9.12: TTA
10.12 - 1.13: TTC Naturally
February 2013 - IUI #1 w/100 mg Clomid - 5 mil.post-wash: BFFN
March 2013 - IUI #2 w/100 mg Clomid & Trigger - ?? MY BLOG