Is 80k a decent salary for a degree holder in his 30s?

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I wouldn't date a guy in his 30's only making that unless I were willing to date a public school teacher.[/quote]

How old are you? Are you single? That’s an awfully immature statement. I’m sure you’ve lived long enough to know big incomes do not mean happiness. You’d be lucky if you could find a guy out there who was kind, decent, hardworking, loyal and loved you for who you are. Even if he is middle income. [/quote]

Money greases the wheels of life. It helps. I wouldn't set up arbitrary rules but it's not a surprise that most of the UMC girls I knew growing up married men who were at least solidly UMC. Not teachers or social workers. But it's also all relative. The posters saying OP is doing well obviously have a very different economic perspective and experience than someone who grew up upper middle class.

[/quote]

That’s a very small world you live in and I know the stereotypes you’re talking about. The ones that take the same path as their parents and well, that’s it. But so many posters think that their tiny life experiences are typical. Nothing’s typical. Some want to get away from how they grew up, some move into the family home after their parents die and never leave their comfort space. And everything in between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80k on your 30s? Well at 30 pretty good and at 39 pretty bad.

That said people reach peak earnings between 40-55. Your clock is ticking. And it is extremely difficult to get a high paying job over 45 if you never had a high paying job.

You have time but not much time. You have to triple that salary in next 10-15 years

Why?

Well when I was early 30s and single I was making a meh salary. I just met wife and dating, the cold hard fact is one I knew getting engaged I had to buy a house, have kids, allow wife option to stay home if she wanted, save for college. None of that today can be done on 80k. And even dual income 160k near impossible.

Add in look around at people in office 50-65 they are all higher up people. There are no Junior auditors, Junior accountants, Junior HR, Junior IT, Junior cyber people who are 55.

If you have not gotten up the ladder by 50. You career is over and as an overpaid, lower level role you will be laid off by 55 and never work again.

22 years after I was married I had two kids in college with merit aid still 70k a year, a mortgage, SAH wife and another kid on way to college. The clock is ticking like crazy for a guy in his early 30s with a low salary.

If dual income at least one have to make the climb. Both is better. But dual income low pay is a trap. Childcare alone will kill you.

I moved 55k at 34 to 300k at 46. The clock was ticking as soon as I hit 50 it was hold on mode. The climb ended

DP. Why is the man's job to buy a house or to make sure his wife has the option to stay home?

Because men never chip in as much as women at home so they better be earning the bacon

DP. My husband does his fair share and so do many other men I know/I've dated. Plenty of men that don't do anything around the house know they can be lazy at home because they know they can always buy off a woman that will put up with their laziness for money.

The top earners are never home to help because they travel and work a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband is an accountant, 35 years old and makes 180k. I am a teacher with mcps and make 90k.

I'm a consultant and make over 240k. A friend of mine is accountant and has been unemployed for 5+ years. None of these say anything about OP.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I wouldn't date a guy in his 30's only making that unless I were willing to date a public school teacher.[/quote]

How old are you? Are you single? That’s an awfully immature statement. I’m sure you’ve lived long enough to know big incomes do not mean happiness. You’d be lucky if you could find a guy out there who was kind, decent, hardworking, loyal and loved you for who you are. Even if he is middle income. [/quote]

Money greases the wheels of life. It helps. I wouldn't set up arbitrary rules but it's not a surprise that most of the UMC girls I knew growing up married men who were at least solidly UMC. Not teachers or social workers. But it's also all relative. The posters saying OP is doing well obviously have a very different economic perspective and experience than someone who grew up upper middle class.

[/quote]

That’s a very small world you live in and I know the stereotypes you’re talking about. The ones that take the same path as their parents and well, that’s it. But so many posters think that their tiny life experiences are typical. Nothing’s typical. Some want to get away from how they grew up, some move into the family home after their parents die and never leave their comfort space. And everything in between. [/quote]

We all live in our own very small worlds.

I'm not female, FYI. Just someone who's watched all the women around me from childhood through high school, college and the working world afterwards in multiple places. The pattern is clear irregardless of any anecdotal exceptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80k on your 30s? Well at 30 pretty good and at 39 pretty bad.

That said people reach peak earnings between 40-55. Your clock is ticking. And it is extremely difficult to get a high paying job over 45 if you never had a high paying job.

You have time but not much time. You have to triple that salary in next 10-15 years

Why?

Well when I was early 30s and single I was making a meh salary. I just met wife and dating, the cold hard fact is one I knew getting engaged I had to buy a house, have kids, allow wife option to stay home if she wanted, save for college. None of that today can be done on 80k. And even dual income 160k near impossible.

Add in look around at people in office 50-65 they are all higher up people. There are no Junior auditors, Junior accountants, Junior HR, Junior IT, Junior cyber people who are 55.

If you have not gotten up the ladder by 50. You career is over and as an overpaid, lower level role you will be laid off by 55 and never work again.

22 years after I was married I had two kids in college with merit aid still 70k a year, a mortgage, SAH wife and another kid on way to college. The clock is ticking like crazy for a guy in his early 30s with a low salary.

If dual income at least one have to make the climb. Both is better. But dual income low pay is a trap. Childcare alone will kill you.

I moved 55k at 34 to 300k at 46. The clock was ticking as soon as I hit 50 it was hold on mode. The climb ended

DP. Why is the man's job to buy a house or to make sure his wife has the option to stay home?

Because men never chip in as much as women at home so they better be earning the bacon

DP. My husband does his fair share and so do many other men I know/I've dated. Plenty of men that don't do anything around the house know they can be lazy at home because they know they can always buy off a woman that will put up with their laziness for money.

The top earners are never home to help because they travel and work a lot.

This conversation started because a poster implied that men should make enough so women can choose if they stay at home.

Most men aren't top earners and some top earners aren't even men.

[Anonymous]

My son has a master's degree, two years of work experience, and makes $72K in the DC metro area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has a master's degree, two years of work experience, and makes $72K in the DC metro area.

My daughter has a similar salary. This is pretty common in social sciences and arts. STEMs tend to be higher ones but not as high as much as people on DCUM claim to make.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I wouldn't date a guy in his 30's only making that unless I were willing to date a public school teacher.[/quote]

How old are you? Are you single? That’s an awfully immature statement. I’m sure you’ve lived long enough to know big incomes do not mean happiness. You’d be lucky if you could find a guy out there who was kind, decent, hardworking, loyal and loved you for who you are. Even if he is middle income. [/quote]

Money greases the wheels of life. It helps. I wouldn't set up arbitrary rules but it's not a surprise that most of the UMC girls I knew growing up married men who were at least solidly UMC. Not teachers or social workers. But it's also all relative. The posters saying OP is doing well obviously have a very different economic perspective and experience than someone who grew up upper middle class.

[/quote]

That’s a very small world you live in and I know the stereotypes you’re talking about. The ones that take the same path as their parents and well, that’s it. But so many posters think that their tiny life experiences are typical. Nothing’s typical. Some want to get away from how they grew up, some move into the family home after their parents die and never leave their comfort space. And everything in between. [/quote]

We all live in our own very small worlds.

I'm not female, FYI. Just someone who's watched all the women around me from childhood through high school, college and the working world afterwards in multiple places. [b]The pattern is clear irregardless of any anecdotal exceptions.[/b] [/quote]

I wanted to agree with you, but then you used the word "irregardless" so I had to completely dismiss your post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80k on your 30s? Well at 30 pretty good and at 39 pretty bad.

That said people reach peak earnings between 40-55. Your clock is ticking. And it is extremely difficult to get a high paying job over 45 if you never had a high paying job.

You have time but not much time. You have to triple that salary in next 10-15 years

Why?

Well when I was early 30s and single I was making a meh salary. I just met wife and dating, the cold hard fact is one I knew getting engaged I had to buy a house, have kids, allow wife option to stay home if she wanted, save for college. None of that today can be done on 80k. And even dual income 160k near impossible.

Add in look around at people in office 50-65 they are all higher up people. There are no Junior auditors, Junior accountants, Junior HR, Junior IT, Junior cyber people who are 55.

If you have not gotten up the ladder by 50. You career is over and as an overpaid, lower level role you will be laid off by 55 and never work again.

22 years after I was married I had two kids in college with merit aid still 70k a year, a mortgage, SAH wife and another kid on way to college. The clock is ticking like crazy for a guy in his early 30s with a low salary.

If dual income at least one have to make the climb. Both is better. But dual income low pay is a trap. Childcare alone will kill you.

I moved 55k at 34 to 300k at 46. The clock was ticking as soon as I hit 50 it was hold on mode. The climb ended

DP. Why is the man's job to buy a house or to make sure his wife has the option to stay home?

Because men never chip in as much as women at home so they better be earning the bacon

DP. My husband does his fair share and so do many other men I know/I've dated. Plenty of men that don't do anything around the house know they can be lazy at home because they know they can always buy off a woman that will put up with their laziness for money.

The top earners are never home to help because they travel and work a lot.

This conversation started because a poster implied that men should make enough so women can choose if they stay at home.

Most men aren't top earners and some top earners aren't even men.

S&P 500 companies CEOs are 90% men. According to the census the top 10% of female attorney earners make about $300,000. The top 10% of male top earners make about $500,000.

Just two examples.

According to dcum they all consider themselves top earners so it makes sense that the lower salary stays home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80k on your 30s? Well at 30 pretty good and at 39 pretty bad.

That said people reach peak earnings between 40-55. Your clock is ticking. And it is extremely difficult to get a high paying job over 45 if you never had a high paying job.

You have time but not much time. You have to triple that salary in next 10-15 years

Why?

Well when I was early 30s and single I was making a meh salary. I just met wife and dating, the cold hard fact is one I knew getting engaged I had to buy a house, have kids, allow wife option to stay home if she wanted, save for college. None of that today can be done on 80k. And even dual income 160k near impossible.

Add in look around at people in office 50-65 they are all higher up people. There are no Junior auditors, Junior accountants, Junior HR, Junior IT, Junior cyber people who are 55.

If you have not gotten up the ladder by 50. You career is over and as an overpaid, lower level role you will be laid off by 55 and never work again.

22 years after I was married I had two kids in college with merit aid still 70k a year, a mortgage, SAH wife and another kid on way to college. The clock is ticking like crazy for a guy in his early 30s with a low salary.

If dual income at least one have to make the climb. Both is better. But dual income low pay is a trap. Childcare alone will kill you.

I moved 55k at 34 to 300k at 46. The clock was ticking as soon as I hit 50 it was hold on mode. The climb ended

DP. Why is the man's job to buy a house or to make sure his wife has the option to stay home?

Because men never chip in as much as women at home so they better be earning the bacon

DP. My husband does his fair share and so do many other men I know/I've dated. Plenty of men that don't do anything around the house know they can be lazy at home because they know they can always buy off a woman that will put up with their laziness for money.

The top earners are never home to help because they travel and work a lot.

My wife and I were making 55k each when married in 1998. Obvious we could not buy a house and three kids on my single salary let alone both our salaries. In 2000 my wife said when we were both making 60k and just had first child I want to stay home with my kids. She said go for it will fully support your career. I worked my butt off and left for work every morning at 650 am and got home 730 pm every night on average. I also traveled a lot. I go on 5-7 business trips a year. I moved my salary from 60k in 2000 to 330k in 8 years. I kept it up with even longer hours till I hit a massive $760k year in 2017. I moved my salary from $60k to $760k I’m 17 years. Damn right I did not help at all during week at home. On weekends I ran around like crazy with kids, changed sheets, did home repairs. Took kids to games. I literally never did anything on weekends other than be with wife and kids.

In 2017 I took 47 business trips. In 2004 I took 27 business trips. I also spoke at conferences. Sold business.

No way either of us would have got to that income. And in birth of three children combined I took off 7 days.

My wife was Girl Scout leader, soccer mom, class mom. She loved.

I recalled I flew Tokyo home straight after business meeting in suit took can from airport and got to daughters dance recital with five minutes to spare. I do that all the time.

To be honest how could my wife do that and have three kids? And yes I only did it from 2000-2020 I now have a Cushy job no travel and two of kids still home.

But downside zero friends or hobbies that 20 year run. 100 percent work M-F and 100 percent family weekends.

So yes it is usually men who do this crazy stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the question is very vague. If you want good answers, provide more information about your degree and job.
80k is ok for the dc area.

We're both accountants.

My wife is an accountant in her 30s and making 170k. 80k is like 2nd year Big 4 accounting salary so I would expect that at more like 25 years old, not 30s.

Yeah right. Why wouldn’t you say CPA? Unless she’s in a managerial position she’s not making $170,000 as an accountant.

Everyone who isn't a loser can make it to a managerial position, moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the question is very vague. If you want good answers, provide more information about your degree and job.
80k is ok for the dc area.

We're both accountants.

My wife is an accountant in her 30s and making 170k. 80k is like 2nd year Big 4 accounting salary so I would expect that at more like 25 years old, not 30s.

Yeah right. Why wouldn’t you say CPA? Unless she’s in a managerial position she’s not making $170,000 as an accountant.

Everyone who isn't a loser can make it to a managerial position, moron.

Yep. That’s why CPA firms have 40 directors and 5 accountants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:80k on your 30s? Well at 30 pretty good and at 39 pretty bad.

That said people reach peak earnings between 40-55. Your clock is ticking. And it is extremely difficult to get a high paying job over 45 if you never had a high paying job.

You have time but not much time. You have to triple that salary in next 10-15 years

Why?

Well when I was early 30s and single I was making a meh salary. I just met wife and dating, the cold hard fact is one I knew getting engaged I had to buy a house, have kids, allow wife option to stay home if she wanted, save for college. None of that today can be done on 80k. And even dual income 160k near impossible.

Add in look around at people in office 50-65 they are all higher up people. There are no Junior auditors, Junior accountants, Junior HR, Junior IT, Junior cyber people who are 55.

If you have not gotten up the ladder by 50. You career is over and as an overpaid, lower level role you will be laid off by 55 and never work again.

22 years after I was married I had two kids in college with merit aid still 70k a year, a mortgage, SAH wife and another kid on way to college. The clock is ticking like crazy for a guy in his early 30s with a low salary.

If dual income at least one have to make the climb. Both is better. But dual income low pay is a trap. Childcare alone will kill you.

I moved 55k at 34 to 300k at 46. The clock was ticking as soon as I hit 50 it was hold on mode. The climb ended

That's one experience in the world. The world I work in (a non-profit) has accountants who are at that wage no matter their age. Work-life balance is good, people can work remote, they flex-time with their spouses with jobs that are equally remote to minimize child care needs. We have a couple with young kids in their late 30s and the accountant of the couple chooses to work intensively during a few key periods in the year and then very part-time remotely the rest--but it counts as a full-time position with benefits. The other parent takes more time off/works remote during those intensive periods. This allows them to really limit their need for outside childcare. There's a recognition that people could get paid higher elsewhere, but they value contributing to something they care about, not having pressured to compromise integrity (not that every one in private corp has that pressure), and valuing their lives outside of work so there's more flexibility to support that. They earn less than 150k between the two of them and they recently purchased a townhouse within a 15 min drive of our office (in NoVA). It's a really great life and there is no reason they couldn't keep on doing it until they are 70 if they wanted to.

This is a great work life balance. My son is going for accounting and I hear about the long, long work days that the B4 firms encourage. It sounds dismal.

[Anonymous]

Six years into my career I was a gs-14. I was half way through my masters program. Salary at the time was around 110k.

[Anonymous]

The fascinating thing about life is how two equally intelligent people can end up in wildly different economic places just by making slightly different choices with their careers.