Why do people here prefer Law over tech for $$$?

[Anonymous]

My friend’s son graduated college at 22 with an undergrad degree, paid off all student loan debt by 23 with his 6 figure starting salary, then bought a house at 25 making 200k by then. He’s 30 now and makes around low 300’s in software engineering and has locked in a low interest rate on his house and benefitted from the past 5 years of appreciation.

My kid went to law school and is making less money, along with over 100k in student debt and now will have a much harder time getting on the property ladder since he waited to start his career. Seems like tech can’t be beat for how much you earn at a young age which gives you another 5-10 years to invest money early and get on the housing ladder. I guess big law can make 7 figures but most people won’t ever make that, and tech has similar or even better upside.

[Anonymous]

Tech generally has a shorter career span. If you are going to purely max income, start with tech, then at 30 or so get a law degree. And keep in mind that there are no guarantees in life, and that everyone has different ideas of what happiness and success means.

[Anonymous]

Law requires different skills than does tech.

[Anonymous]

DH deeply regrets choosing law over tech.

[Anonymous]

Law doesn't require math and physics.

[Anonymous]

I am lawyer - why did I prefer it over tech? It's my interest.

[Anonymous]

Tech is not on most graduating students’ radar. It’s my number one advice to high school seniors though. We got into it late, thank god we did though. I think it would be hilariously stupid to get a law degree after being in tech, like a PP suggested. If you’ve been in tech you’re *very* hireable, and no signs of that slowing down.

[Anonymous]

What percentage of people in tech make what your friend's son makes? Probably a small percentage so you'd almost have to compare the small percentage of people in biglaw for it to be a valid comparison and even then there's no assurance anyone will be in that top %.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend’s son graduated college at 22 with an undergrad degree, paid off all student loan debt by 23 with his 6 figure starting salary, then bought a house at 25 making 200k by then. He’s 30 now and makes around low 300’s in software engineering and has locked in a low interest rate on his house and benefitted from the past 5 years of appreciation.

My kid went to law school and is making less money, along with over 100k in student debt and now will have a much harder time getting on the property ladder since he waited to start his career. Seems like tech can’t be beat for how much you earn at a young age which gives you another 5-10 years to invest money early and get on the housing ladder. I guess big law can make 7 figures but most people won’t ever make that, and tech has similar or even better upside.

Wait—are you saying that your kid picked law school because he wanted to earn big money and that was the sole reason? Or is it possible that he likes being a lawyer?

[Anonymous]

Your kid obviously didn’t land a big law job. He’d be making more money than the other kid if he did. First years starting at age 25 or 26 make well over $200k and by the time they’re 30 they’re making close to $350k.

So basically the other kid is a star in his field and your kid isn’t.

[Anonymous]

I mean, yeah, but then you’re a software engineer. So boring. High paying and dorky.

All the tech bros I know driving around their Maseratis in their new-build NoVa communities have poor social skills and haven’t read a work of fiction since high school.

I’m glad they exist— otherwise I couldn’t be typing this on my phone today — but it’s an unappealing, poor fit for a lot of us with equally big brains

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am lawyer - why did I prefer it over tech? It's my interest.

Same. I’d be miserable in tech but I love being a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tech generally has a shorter career span. If you are going to purely max income, start with tech, then at 30 or so get a law degree. And keep in mind that there are no guarantees in life, and that everyone has different ideas of what happiness and success means.

Not true as you worded it. If you meant, you hit your earning cap soon and there's not a lot of earning growth after a certain point (on average), that makes sense. The average highly educated techie would say, max out at 400K. Not sure what the average lawyer, equivalent to 'highly educated techie', would make and what their cap would be.. Also,the sooner you make money in your career the better. It has longer to grow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, yeah, but then you’re a software engineer. So boring. High paying and dorky.

All the tech bros I know driving around their Maseratis in their new-build NoVa communities have poor social skills and haven’t read a work of fiction since high school.

I’m glad they exist— otherwise I couldn’t be typing this on my phone today — but it’s an unappealing, poor fit for a lot of us with equally big brains

They also work 'only' 40 hours a week unlike your 70+ hour gigs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tech is not on most graduating students’ radar. It’s my number one advice to high school seniors though. We got into it late, thank god we did though. I think it would be hilariously stupid to get a law degree after being in tech, like a PP suggested. If you’ve been in tech you’re *very* hireable, and no signs of that slowing down.

It's not? That is not my observation at all?

IMO, people on this board may 'prefer' law because it can be perceived as a higher calling and more socially prestigious in the DC area. Tech is so new money, you know.