Harvard grads earn $81,500 at age 34 – WTF?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

Yes. I'm looking at my Brown class and so many went into public service or top law schools reaching for judgeship. As a foreigner, it's amazing to me. The very wealthy families can afford to send their offspring to work in power positions that shape the future of this country. It's a self-serving mechanism that keeps the poor and unconnected from gaining decision-making power. Do you think all these people working on the Hill and buying the million $ housing are doing it from a staffer salary? Meanwhile, the poor are busy working their butts off to get a well paid job and accumulate some wealth while the elite is deciding almost everything.

Why is this surprising? It’s the way the world has worked forever. Except now you don’t have to be the offspring of royalty to get into the decision making class. I’d like to know what country you’re from where the elite aren’t the decision makers? And in your country of origin does a poor family even have a chance of the possibility of their kid going to a school like an Ivy and changing their familiy’s trajectory?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

Yes. I'm looking at my Brown class and so many went into public service or top law schools reaching for judgeship. As a foreigner, it's amazing to me. The very wealthy families can afford to send their offspring to work in power positions that shape the future of this country. It's a self-serving mechanism that keeps the poor and unconnected from gaining decision-making power. Do you think all these people working on the Hill and buying the million $ housing are doing it from a staffer salary? Meanwhile, the poor are busy working their butts off to get a well paid job and accumulate some wealth while the elite is deciding almost everything.

I'm shocked this is "amazing" to you. Where are you from where this isn't the case?

Europe. Of course it's amazing to me, don't you advertise yourself as the land of opportunity, equality, pull oneself up by one's bootstraps and various other c*ap? At least we're honest about the privilege.

I guess you haven’t lived here long enough to understand that advertise as the land of opportunity is propaganda to keep taxes low, minimum social safety net, and low investment in education. In our imagined scenario, if you are poor it’s because you made bad choices, because everyone has the opportunity to succeed, you know. Why should taxpayers fund people who don’t even choose to improve themselves, they obviously had a chance. And so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

Yes. I'm looking at my Brown class and so many went into public service or top law schools reaching for judgeship. As a foreigner, it's amazing to me. The very wealthy families can afford to send their offspring to work in power positions that shape the future of this country. It's a self-serving mechanism that keeps the poor and unconnected from gaining decision-making power. Do you think all these people working on the Hill and buying the million $ housing are doing it from a staffer salary? Meanwhile, the poor are busy working their butts off to get a well paid job and accumulate some wealth while the elite is deciding almost everything.

I'm shocked this is "amazing" to you. Where are you from where this isn't the case?

Europe. Of course it's amazing to me, don't you advertise yourself as the land of opportunity, equality, pull oneself up by one's bootstraps and various other c*ap? At least we're honest about the privilege.

I guess you haven’t lived here long enough to understand that advertise as the land of opportunity is propaganda to keep taxes low, minimum social safety net, and low investment in education. In our imagined scenario, if you are poor it’s because you made bad choices, because everyone has the opportunity to succeed, you know. Why should taxpayers fund people who don’t even choose to improve themselves, they obviously had a chance. And so on.

“Land of opportunity” and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” doesn’t mean “Everyone in America gets to go to Harvard and become President.” My poor immigrant parents worked their tails off and have a great grand daughter who did go to Harvard and is a “decision maker.” My husband’s grand parents fled a worn torn country and would be amazed by his “status” and “wealth” (which is nothing by DCUM standards). There IS opportunity in America. That doesn’t mean everyone gets the same opportunities, or that it can’t improve, or that it will happen in one generation, but it’s the best we’ve got and better than any other country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of Ivy League students come from relatively wealthy families, which means they’re able to take on meaningful work with lower salaries. Or they’ve learned that money isn’t the only measure of success!

+1

They work at NPR and will inherit millions.

Sincerely,
Their state school coworker

If NPR wants to live their values, offset increasing inequality and support social mobility, they should hire state school graduates who are qualified and come from honors and academic scholarship programs. This is what my organization does. NPR staff should be advocating for this along with their EDI initiatives, unless it makes them too uncomfortable given their own backgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

Yes. I'm looking at my Brown class and so many went into public service or top law schools reaching for judgeship. As a foreigner, it's amazing to me. The very wealthy families can afford to send their offspring to work in power positions that shape the future of this country. It's a self-serving mechanism that keeps the poor and unconnected from gaining decision-making power. Do you think all these people working on the Hill and buying the million $ housing are doing it from a staffer salary? Meanwhile, the poor are busy working their butts off to get a well paid job and accumulate some wealth while the elite is deciding almost everything.

I'm shocked this is "amazing" to you. Where are you from where this isn't the case?

Europe. Of course it's amazing to me, don't you advertise yourself as the land of opportunity, equality, pull oneself up by one's bootstraps and various other c*ap? At least we're honest about the privilege.

I guess you haven’t lived here long enough to understand that advertise as the land of opportunity is propaganda to keep taxes low, minimum social safety net, and low investment in education. In our imagined scenario, if you are poor it’s because you made bad choices, because everyone has the opportunity to succeed, you know. Why should taxpayers fund people who don’t even choose to improve themselves, they obviously had a chance. And so on.

“Land of opportunity” and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” doesn’t mean “Everyone in America gets to go to Harvard and become President.” My poor immigrant parents worked their tails off and have a great grand daughter who did go to Harvard and is a “decision maker.” My husband’s grand parents fled a worn torn country and would be amazed by his “status” and “wealth” (which is nothing by DCUM standards). There IS opportunity in America. That doesn’t mean everyone gets the same opportunities, or that it can’t improve, or that it will happen in one generation, but it’s the best we’ve got and better than any other country.

Hey we aren’t the worst, we beat Spain and Italy. You sure drank the kool aid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Social_Mobility_Index

But we pretend we are better so we can lay the blame for poverty in the poor and shrink social safety nets

[Anonymous]

They have a divinity school and education school. Plenty of their peers don't.

Those fields have lower pay and drag down the average overall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

Yes. I'm looking at my Brown class and so many went into public service or top law schools reaching for judgeship. As a foreigner, it's amazing to me. The very wealthy families can afford to send their offspring to work in power positions that shape the future of this country. It's a self-serving mechanism that keeps the poor and unconnected from gaining decision-making power. Do you think all these people working on the Hill and buying the million $ housing are doing it from a staffer salary? Meanwhile, the poor are busy working their butts off to get a well paid job and accumulate some wealth while the elite is deciding almost everything.

I'm shocked this is "amazing" to you. Where are you from where this isn't the case?

Europe. Of course it's amazing to me, don't you advertise yourself as the land of opportunity, equality, pull oneself up by one's bootstraps and various other c*ap? At least we're honest about the privilege.

I guess you haven’t lived here long enough to understand that advertise as the land of opportunity is propaganda to keep taxes low, minimum social safety net, and low investment in education. In our imagined scenario, if you are poor it’s because you made bad choices, because everyone has the opportunity to succeed, you know. Why should taxpayers fund people who don’t even choose to improve themselves, they obviously had a chance. And so on.

ITA. And while you encourage your kid to study CS so they can work 12 hours/day at some FAANG in order to afford a vinyl-sided mcmansion in a good public school district (the dream, as you know there's no trust fund waiting), Gordon will take that $35K job and will decide what your DD is allowed to do with her uterus, how much the school should spend on your grandkids' education, or if you deserve to live or die based on your insurance coverage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of Ivy League students come from relatively wealthy families, which means they’re able to take on meaningful work with lower salaries. Or they’ve learned that money isn’t the only measure of success!

+1

They work at NPR and will inherit millions.

Sincerely,
Their state school coworker

If NPR wants to live their values, offset increasing inequality and support social mobility, they should hire state school graduates who are qualified and come from honors and academic scholarship programs. This is what my organization does. NPR staff should be advocating for this along with their EDI initiatives, unless it makes them too uncomfortable given their own backgrounds.

Most of those graduates cannot survive on the salary at NPR. Target pays better for entry level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

+1. SAHMs always like to brag about their “MRS” Ivy degrees

Disagree. I went to Harvard. No one uses that term. No one. It's insulting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

Yes. I'm looking at my Brown class and so many went into public service or top law schools reaching for judgeship. As a foreigner, it's amazing to me. The very wealthy families can afford to send their offspring to work in power positions that shape the future of this country. It's a self-serving mechanism that keeps the poor and unconnected from gaining decision-making power. Do you think all these people working on the Hill and buying the million $ housing are doing it from a staffer salary? Meanwhile, the poor are busy working their butts off to get a well paid job and accumulate some wealth while the elite is deciding almost everything.

If they are doing that, they are pulling in the big bucks - Harvard Law grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

+1. SAHMs always like to brag about their “MRS” Ivy degrees

Disagree. I went to Harvard. No one uses that term. No one. It's insulting

At Princeton we talked about “future Senator’s wives”, you know the pretty ones majoring in art history

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

+1. SAHMs always like to brag about their “MRS” Ivy degrees

Disagree. I went to Harvard. No one uses that term. No one. It's insulting

At Princeton we talked about “future Senator’s wives”, you know the pretty ones majoring in art history

Tell me you are old money without telling me you are old money.

[Anonymous]

Virginia Tech graduates bring in an average salary of $91,500 by that age. Just looked it up online. The average starting salary for a new VT grad is around $74,000. With a lot lower student debt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of Ivy League students come from relatively wealthy families, which means they’re able to take on meaningful work with lower salaries. Or they’ve learned that money isn’t the only measure of success!

+1

They work at NPR and will inherit millions.

Sincerely,
Their state school coworker

If NPR wants to live their values, offset increasing inequality and support social mobility, they should hire state school graduates who are qualified and come from honors and academic scholarship programs. This is what my organization does. NPR staff should be advocating for this along with their EDI initiatives, unless it makes them too uncomfortable given their own backgrounds.

Most of those graduates cannot survive on the salary at NPR. Target pays better for entry level.

+1 seriously PP, do you not understand that plenty of very bright state school grads would love to work at NPR or at an art gallery, but they can't afford to? Whereas kids from rich families can work a nonprofit job and still inherit millions; their low-paying but "meaningful" career path has no financial relevancy in their lives, and their kids will be attending summer camp, getting dental work, traveling to europe, etc etc., no matter what. That's not true for middle class people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect there may be a chunk in grad school or SAH with kids, with zero income, pulling down the average.

Public service is popular. Obama was probably earning in that range at 34. Those jobs don't necessarily pay well.

Yes. I'm looking at my Brown class and so many went into public service or top law schools reaching for judgeship. As a foreigner, it's amazing to me. The very wealthy families can afford to send their offspring to work in power positions that shape the future of this country. It's a self-serving mechanism that keeps the poor and unconnected from gaining decision-making power. Do you think all these people working on the Hill and buying the million $ housing are doing it from a staffer salary? Meanwhile, the poor are busy working their butts off to get a well paid job and accumulate some wealth while the elite is deciding almost everything.

If they are doing that, they are pulling in the big bucks - Harvard Law grad.

I'm not familiar with law, but I've always wondered if the judges have privileged backgrounds. My DC1 is 3rd gen legacy and in med school at Ivy and pretty much everyone has wealthy, educated parents, including the ones with first gen immigrant parents.