Changing jobs for better incentives

[Anonymous]

Why not manage your money better instead of making more. I'd only do it if I knew the job is just as good as the one I have now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not manage your money better instead of making more. I'd only do it if I knew the job is just as good as the one I have now.

Is taking a new job worth the headache and stress of the transition for more money given the current economic climate? If you could make an extra $75,000 a year (plus additional perks) over the course of 8 years that is an additional $600,000. Life is increasingly becoming a split between those who have money and those who don't.

[Anonymous]

If the lure is simply the tuition credit, I wouldn't do it--a policy like that can change at any time (for example, they could stop including professional staff and only make it a benefit for tenured faculty, or even full professors).

[Anonymous]

Apply and think about this later. Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old are your kids? With your DH making that much, you can probably cash flow a lot of college.

OP - we have 8 years until our oldest starts college.

Employee benefits change all the time. 8 years is a long time and this benefit could easily be gone by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the lure is simply the tuition credit, I wouldn't do it--a policy like that can change at any time (for example, they could stop including professional staff and only make it a benefit for tenured faculty, or even full professors).

OP - yes agree I am a bit worried about that. Also what is the cost benefit for paying $30,000 toward a private school where we would have to pay the delta vs having kids go to a public institution where the total cost is much lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of school is it, and does it have recirpocal agreements with other universities?

what if in 8 years your kid wants something else? Any hints or leanings you can see now (that of course might change?).

OP here - the new job(s) I am looking at are at large universities (think Yale/Stanford/UCs) that are full time remote. They have tuition reimbursement programs with accredited colleges up to a certain portion per year. Some of the schools cover up to $30,000 per year for tuition. Then we could use 529s to cover the rest of the cost per year.

Most universities are going back to RTO or hybrid.

My spouse works at a similar top university and they went from remote in Covid to 3/2 to 4/1 (mostly RTO) because people were coasting while WFH (spouse was in meeting showing the data). Just because they say it’s remote doesn’t mean it will stay that way.

Also to be honest if you are at a top university and making a lot ($200k and above) you really should be in a minimum 2 or 3 days a week at least during the academic year or
Your program year (if you do summer programs).

Everyone I know says in office at university is better for most students. I say this as someone who knows people who work at Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, John Hopkins, and equivalent. I also know people who work(end) at UNC, Madison, etc. you’re expected to do more at the former schools. A friend who works at Madison works from home 4 days, picks her kid up from school and basically sounds like it’s pretty good job!

Many public universities are keeping WFH as a way to save money and retain people, so if you have been somewhere a long time and your spouse makes that much money I would stay where you are unless you are fine with RTO/ working long hours.

My spouse gets the benefit too but look at the fine print, some you have to be there 5 years others start on day 1. Also, you don’t know where you’ll be in 8 years.

I don’t think it hurts to apply, but be aware that you’ll probably have to go into the office !

[Anonymous]

30k per kid or total? Not worth it at your HHI. And they could change policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op - I made $150,000 and DH makes $500,000. But he just started making that much and we are aggressively paying down school loans. So while the HHI seems high it doesn't when we are paying down all our school debt.

You make $650K and are worried abotu paying for college. Its 2-4 times what most families make. You can pay out of pocket for college. Is this a joke?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op - I made $150,000 and DH makes $500,000. But he just started making that much and we are aggressively paying down school loans. So while the HHI seems high it doesn't when we are paying down all our school debt.

You make $650K and are worried abotu paying for college. Its 2-4 times what most families make. You can pay out of pocket for college. Is this a joke?

+1. OP if you can't cash flow college at that income level you are living beyond your means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you look at changing your current very flexible, relatively well paying work from home job for something else for better incentives?

I currently work from home 90% of the time for a large public university. Make decent money ($150,000) and have a pension and great health insurance. Currently thinking about changing jobs for another work from home job but for a different university that offers tuition reimbursement program for faculty children. My current university does not offer such a perk. We currently have young kids and while we have been saving in a 529 we definitely don't have enough saved for college yet. We have been aggressively paying off our own student loans (almost done) while we have been also paying daycare, raising kids, and all the expenses that come with kids in this area.

I am hesitant to change jobs because I have been with my current employer for over a decade and its not a huge lift for me anymore. But the thought of getting a portion or all of my kids college tuition covered just as a perk from my job makes it look more inviting. What would you do?

this is a unicorn in 2026. you would be insane to leave.

[Anonymous]

OP, don't leave your current gig. It sounds great. Stick with the devil you know. I agree that the perk at the new job may go away. And maybe one or more of your kids wind up not going to college at all; it could happen!