What was your parents' anual income when you were growing up?

[Anonymous]

$90k in 1997 when I filled out the FAFSA.

[Anonymous]

I actually just found this out recently... When I was around 7 years old, we were a family of 4, and my dad was making $24K as a medical resident (1989/1990). When I was 18 (family of 5) and getting ready for college, his salary was around $270K (2000). Now that I'm 34, his salary is at least double that.

Not bad for a man who came to this country with $214, a wife, a kid, and a huge dream. We may not have had it all when I was growing up, but he's worked his ass off to give us the world and he still works his ass off just to continue giving us all that he can.

(My mom has never worked outside the home. She's a SAHM and her FT job has always been our family, which is a huge undertaking.)

[Anonymous]

Really no idea. I know our house in Bethesda cost $19,000 (or maybe $29,000). My mother SAH until I was in about 1st grade and then worked part time and eventually FT. We went to private school and private colleges, but lived very frugally compared to my friends.

[Anonymous]

I vaguely remember seeing something while I was in college (so somewhere in the mid 90s) and it was over $100k. I don't remember anymore if that was just my dad or if it included my mom's salary (which would have been relatively low, she worked things like retail and unskilled labor jobs). I also don't remember the exact number, but I don't think it was a lot over $100-maybe around $110k.

[Anonymous]

$18k-$50k in the 1970's-1980's. PhD physicist working for the federal gov. Retired at a GS14.

In suburban Boston, they bought the house we grew up in in 1970 for $35k. Same house is now $750k. My uncle bought a house for $35k in Iowa at the same time. That house is now worth $250k.

The incomes people are quoting mean nothing if they do not have a year and a region of the country tied to them.

We were UMC.

[Anonymous]

My mom worked retail sales (commission based). My dad was a machinist. Depending on his overtime pay, they cleared between $65-100k per year in the 90s. Worked their asses off to send me to college. I'm incredibly grateful.

[Anonymous]

Maybe 25-30k. It was absolutely eaten up my major medical bills from a sibling more with a debilitating condition. We were pretty low income my whole childhood due to medical bills. My grandparents bought the house we lived in and until my parents split we always had enough to eat. After that we were just poor. Food pantry and clothing handouts poor until my mom had a few years in the workforce and some older siblings moved out. My father declined to pay any support.

[Anonymous]

My mom worked 2 jobs. I remembered she'll take vacation on one job and pick up more hours at another job. She work 70 plus hours a week. She was earning $10-12/hour. Now all her kids her successful. I owe everything to her and blessed to have learned hard work ethics, persistence, tenacity, adaptability and resilience. I'm getting ready to launch a business with many investors. I'm already looking forward to buying her a brand new house a
, car and vacations when my business is thriving. I owe everything to her.

[Anonymous]

$25k in 1990 in Boston area. House had been bought in 1969 and was paid off by then. Blue collar.

[Anonymous]

60k 40 years ago my dad bought their house for 30k, it was paid off early while I was in middle school. They will be retiring in the next 5-6 years they probably make 85k combined now. They live in a small town on the west coast, cost of living is low.

[Anonymous]

Before divorce $90k, which is what my DH makes right now by himself. I'm not too far behind so we make about double what my parents made, but can afford less with it. I grew up here so I'm not from a lower COLA.

After divorce, my mom made $40k as a teacher when she was well enough to work. Some years, she made half that.

It was a jarring transition and I had a lot of resentment toward my dad living in a nice suburban home with my half-siblings and step-siblings. He never paid CS and I would have to call him from a pay phone to ask for money for food or a buss pass to get to school. Today, my dad brags about how hardworking and self-sufficient I am. He honestly thinks he did me a favor letting me go hungry at 14, 15 years old.

[Anonymous]

Over $500k per year in the 80s and 90s here in the DC suburbs. I can only as an adult appreciate how wealthy our family was.

[Anonymous]

Around $30K in the 80s when I was a kid (this area.) But then they both got better jobs/mom returned to work so by the time I went to college in the early 00s they were making 200K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$88k was the last I saw on a FAFSA application. My dad was the sole employed party and was about 58 then. Today, as a 28 year old with no children, I make $75k. Crazy to think my dad raised 3 kids plus himself on that.

Sort of crazy but sort of not - depends what year you're talking about, and how much mortgage or rent he had. 88K was plenty 20 years ago.

[Anonymous]

My dad retired at 65 and at that time (1992) was making 80k in the northwest. Had 6 kids, all went to college, mom always SAH - and still he retired young and bought a second home. I'm still amazed my parents could raise so many kids on that income and still have saved money. My first year salary in big law was $83k, and I remember my dad telling me it was more than he ever earned. Crazy.