Student loans and salary survey
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Anonymous
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Hi, I was hoping to learn more about student loan amounts and job outlook/ salary gained.
How much do you have in loans ? What is your salary? How much do you pay monthly?[list] Were the student loans worth it/ would you take them on again? |
Anonymous
$82k ( undergrad and grad school) 3 degrees total. Just started a new job a month ago $100k last job $73k I'm on the IBR plan approx $543/month, I'm sure it will go up next year. Worth every penny. My mom made $10-12/hr raising 4 children and a single parent. I couldn't afford college without the help from FAFSA. Thanks to student loans, my sister is a physician( surgeon) and PharmD, brother is nurse and now getting ready for law school and other brother works for an international news organization. |
Anonymous
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-80k in loans
-started at 65k, now at 110k 8 years later (30 years old) -fully paid off as of last month, but the payment was $250 a month for 35k in loans. We kept putting large amounts at the loans when we had spare money. -100% would do the loans again. We didn't feel pinched by them at all. Less than a car payment and we didn't mind driving old cars and living in cheaper housing. The payments were minimal. We did get married young and only one of us had loans though. No trouble paying them even on the 65k salary in this area. |
Anonymous
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$100k in loans
$65k salary $800 month payment no I would not take them out for a worthless JD. Drowning in student loans which are my only debt. |
Anonymous
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We had 35k between us for 4 degrees (2 BS, 2 MS).
Starting salaries at 36k and 42k, now at 105k and 150k at 31 years old. We tried to get by with as few loans as possible. We paid them off 4 years ago and have really started to focus on saving for a house. We'd do it again. |
Anonymous
Are you right out of school? It can get better! |
Anonymous
do you not qualify for IBR? |
Anonymous
| 20k undergrad for a BS, MS was paid for by a fellowship. Starting salary $61k. Had no issues paying off. |
Anonymous
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Started at $175k (law school only; that includes a pretty hefty scholarship; what a world, etc.)
Currently ~$98k $170k salary ~$1100/month payment Yes/no on the "worth it" front - I have a good job because I went to the best school I got into, and if things keep going I'll end up better off overall. But I was offered a full ride at a far less prestigious school and could've started off better than I am now/would be in a better position until some break-even point in my mid-thirties. I think that going to the better school put me on a better track in terms of money and intangibles (rather live in this part of the country than where the free school was, broader appeal on resumes, connections, etc), but I'd look long and hard at that free ride offer if I had it to do over. |
Anonymous
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~ 150K in outstanding student loans (undergrad + law school)
~ 1800/month payment (trying to pay law school loans off in 10 years - 6 more years to go!) ~ 175K/year salary Was it worth it? Well, I was the first person in my family to go to college, let alone get a professional degree. My family is low-middle class from the mid-west. I am making a good salary (in-house type of position - not interested in Big Law) just three and half years out of law school in DC. Although I am burdened by student loan debt, I view it as my entrance fee out stagnation. My siblings did not go to college and are both eeking by - one is a bartender and the other is a vet assistant. I have options and opportunities at advancement. I would do it again, but I have blue collar blood, not afraid of hard work and was resigned to get out of my station in life. |
Anonymous
180K in student loans on 30K a year part time, 65-70 at a previous full time job. No, not worth it. Have been paying for 25 years and still owe about 60K. |
Anonymous
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I know several retired senior citizens who have their student loan payments (from 30 + year ago) deducted from their Social Security payments.
It's almost impossible to discharge student loans in bankruptcy. |
Anonymous
| Never took out loans. I earn about 100K. |
Anonymous
Loans=$150,000 Salary=$200,000 Monthly=$1500 Worth it=Yes. JD from top 5 program. Salary will only go up, assuming I don't drop dead from overwork. If so I have a nice life insurance plan through work. The degree and loans were a great investment but I wish I had known what working in big law entailed. |
Anonymous
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How much do you have in loans ? $52k left. (Started with $82k, mostly law school and a little bit from undergrad.)
What is your salary? $119k How much do you pay monthly? $320. No idea what I should be paying, I set it on autopay 9 years ago and never adjusted it after my interest rate has gone down, twice. Were the student loans worth it/ would you take them on again? I guess they were worth it, though I can't say I love being a lawyer and I never advise anyone to go to law school. I didn't have much interest in going to a law firm, so I did govt right out of school, which did not pay well at first, though I'm fairly happy with my salary at this point. |