Low earning professionals, do you regret your career?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think a big part of the problem is that wages have not kept up with inflation and increased cost of living. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to make a decent living. You have a select group of people (Big law, some IT, finance, etc) making insane amounts of money while everyone else is left behind. It’s a shame. We want smart folks to go into nursing, teaching, science/research, mental health, etc.

This. It’s terrible that it’s now a “bad choice” financially to go into these critical careers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A slightly different perspective that I think might be valuable here. I grew up MC and knew as young as junior high that I wanted to be an attorney. I attended a top college and while attending admitted students weekend at a top school, I ran into a man who said, like me, he was a first generation lawyer. He was adamant that he was going into a public interest career, preferably something like legal aid. I can still remember the utter stock that registered in me - I knew that law degree was going to cost $200k+ and it boggled my mind that anyone would go into material debt and not try to make serious money afterwards. My 25 year old brain literally couldn’t compute it.

Anyhow, I graduated, did BigLaw for enough years to pay off $200k+ of debt and interest, and the pivoted to being in house at a medium company. I love what I do, but I’ve often thought back to that young man and wondered how things panned out for him. Did low income protection plans pay off his loans? If they did, how’s he muddling housing and childcare? I thought of him again as I read this thread. I think it just goes to show you how different people are. It never occurred to me that “helping people” or “passion” should be a major factor in career choice. To be clear, I dont want a job that hurts people and I want to (and do) love being an attorney, but it was always critically important to me to do intellectually interesting work + be well paid for it. And in the legal profession, being plaintiff side doesn’t always mean you have honorable clients. Just as many hustlers on the corporate side.

so many assumptions for someone claiming to be an attorney! and a bit of a weird smugness?

he could have ended up a judge with a country club membership and is out golfing right now. you literally have no idea.

i started out in a helping-track profession because ... my middle class parents were in helping professions. and the message in the 1990s was that student loans were always worth it.

i ended up, to my surprise, eventually deciding to switch tracks in my 30s and now i make way, way more money.

[Anonymous]

I have my MSW and worked in foster care when I graduated. When I had my first child something in me changed and I knew I couldn’t support my family how I wanted staying in social work. Also wanted a flexible job and it be Abel to WFH which 8 years ago could never happen . I took an entry level type position in sales/marketing just to get my foot in the door. It actually paid 3k less but I took the gamble. Today I lead that sales team and make substantially more than I even did or would as an MSW. I don’t regret it at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A slightly different perspective that I think might be valuable here. I grew up MC and knew as young as junior high that I wanted to be an attorney. I attended a top college and while attending admitted students weekend at a top school, I ran into a man who said, like me, he was a first generation lawyer. He was adamant that he was going into a public interest career, preferably something like legal aid. I can still remember the utter stock that registered in me - I knew that law degree was going to cost $200k+ and it boggled my mind that anyone would go into material debt and not try to make serious money afterwards. My 25 year old brain literally couldn’t compute it.

Anyhow, I graduated, did BigLaw for enough years to pay off $200k+ of debt and interest, and the pivoted to being in house at a medium company. I love what I do, but I’ve often thought back to that young man and wondered how things panned out for him. Did low income protection plans pay off his loans? If they did, how’s he muddling housing and childcare? I thought of him again as I read this thread. I think it just goes to show you how different people are. It never occurred to me that “helping people” or “passion” should be a major factor in career choice. To be clear, I dont want a job that hurts people and I want to (and do) love being an attorney, but it was always critically important to me to do intellectually interesting work + be well paid for it. And in the legal profession, being plaintiff side doesn’t always mean you have honorable clients. Just as many hustlers on the corporate side.

Some us have intellectually stimulating careers that don’t pay well. The two are not always related. And it’s one thing to say, I decided XYZ was important to me when selecting a career. But to simply not be able to understand why people have different priorities (helping others, doing something they are passionate about) is such black/white thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did as an architect. I left for an adjacent higher paying field. Glad I got out in my thirties.

Which field did you leave for?

I ask because I have a child who is considering architecture.

I’m not the pp but I was also an architect for six years and then left the profession. The pay is low, and the path to licensure is grueling with no real financial reward at the end of it. Unfortunately, this is very common for architectural professionals. A couple of the most common adjacent fields people go into to make more money is either commercial real estate or go work at large general contractors. I myself left the building industry entirely and went back to grad school at 28, moved into a stem field. I left architecture making 58k in dc after 6 years of working and 6 years later I’m making 165k. No regrets in leaving the low paid architecture profession. I have two young girls and would not let them pursue the field.

+1. My sister worked so hard for so many years to become an architect, and then has been disappointed to learn that the pay is about equivalent to a teacher (but without the vacation time and without the benefits).

Honest question, how did she not know that?

I assume she is on her 40s, back then you picked majors and maybe had a Peterson guide for starting salaries of a given major.

Yes, I am not that PP but in looking at salary guides in college I thought 40k was reasonable for me as a single person (that was the 90’s). I had no clue about owning a house or raising children.

That sounds pretty good. I was making $25,500 in 1994 out of college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I like the freedom of no pressure and eating dinner with my family. I make enough and don’t desire any more.

Yup. And I get to walk my kid to school! Priceless.

Not all lower paying jobs have good hours and give you more time with your kids.

Right. But I’m speaking about my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I like the freedom of no pressure and eating dinner with my family. I make enough and don’t desire any more.

Yup. And I get to walk my kid to school! Priceless.

Not all lower paying jobs have good hours and give you more time with your kids.

Right. But I’m speaking about my experience.

DP. DW and I are both teachers (ages 50/51). We didn’t realize how much our wages would stagnate at this stage of our careers. I have a few more years (about 4) before I’m eligible for full retirement. My wife has closer to 10 and we have both been at the top of the scale for a couple of years already.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher age 44. I am almost at the top of the salary range at 103k. Sad to know it won’t really ever get higher. At the same time, I have good flexibility. Time with family. Nice summers. Every day is different. Like my students. Good benefits. Job for life, followed by a pension. I can’t complain about the balance at all. Now focused on investing and keeping a low cost of living.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I like the freedom of no pressure and eating dinner with my family. I make enough and don’t desire any more.

Yup. And I get to walk my kid to school! Priceless.

Not all lower paying jobs have good hours and give you more time with your kids.

Right. But I’m speaking about my experience.

Yes but if the best thing about your lower paying job is that it gives you more time with family just know that is specific to your job and not all lower paying jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I like the freedom of no pressure and eating dinner with my family. I make enough and don’t desire any more.

Yup. And I get to walk my kid to school! Priceless.

Not all lower paying jobs have good hours and give you more time with your kids.

Right. But I’m speaking about my experience.

Yes but if the best thing about your lower paying job is that it gives you more time with family just know that is specific to your job and not all lower paying jobs.

Thanks for repeating what PP said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher age 44. I am almost at the top of the salary range at 103k. Sad to know it won’t really ever get higher. At the same time, I have good flexibility. Time with family. Nice summers. Every day is different. Like my students. Good benefits. Job for life, followed by a pension. I can’t complain about the balance at all. Now focused on investing and keeping a low cost of living.

Where do you teach? Do you have a higher-earning spouse? Kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher age 44. I am almost at the top of the salary range at 103k. Sad to know it won’t really ever get higher. At the same time, I have good flexibility. Time with family. Nice summers. Every day is different. Like my students. Good benefits. Job for life, followed by a pension. I can’t complain about the balance at all. Now focused on investing and keeping a low cost of living.

Where do you teach? Do you have a higher-earning spouse? Kids?

I wouldn’t call $103k “low earning” at all. That’s $120K annualized and the fact that you get a pension is golden

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher age 44. I am almost at the top of the salary range at 103k. Sad to know it won’t really ever get higher. At the same time, I have good flexibility. Time with family. Nice summers. Every day is different. Like my students. Good benefits. Job for life, followed by a pension. I can’t complain about the balance at all. Now focused on investing and keeping a low cost of living.

Where do you teach? Do you have a higher-earning spouse? Kids?

I wouldn’t call $103k “low earning” at all. That’s $120K annualized and the fact that you get a pension is golden

I didn't call it low earning either. How many years have you been teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher age 44. I am almost at the top of the salary range at 103k. Sad to know it won’t really ever get higher. At the same time, I have good flexibility. Time with family. Nice summers. Every day is different. Like my students. Good benefits. Job for life, followed by a pension. I can’t complain about the balance at all. Now focused on investing and keeping a low cost of living.

Where do you teach? Do you have a higher-earning spouse? Kids?

I wouldn’t call $103k “low earning” at all. That’s $120K annualized and the fact that you get a pension is golden

I didn't call it low earning either. How many years have you been teaching?

DP
That's about what DH and I each make teaching. We are at the top of the MA+30 scale with Fairfax County Schools. I've been with the district for 15 years, but was given credit for 10 previous years when I started so I began at pay step 11. Unfortunately I have many years to go before I'm eligible for full retirement benefits. DH has 29 years with the district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a teacher age 44. I am almost at the top of the salary range at 103k. Sad to know it won’t really ever get higher. At the same time, I have good flexibility. Time with family. Nice summers. Every day is different. Like my students. Good benefits. Job for life, followed by a pension. I can’t complain about the balance at all. Now focused on investing and keeping a low cost of living.

Where do you teach? Do you have a higher-earning spouse? Kids?

I wouldn’t call $103k “low earning” at all. That’s $120K annualized and the fact that you get a pension is golden

It's not low now, but that means they have worked 20 years or more. Many jobs with the same education requirement start out near this level right out of college.