thirtysomethings with terrible salaries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it makes you feel better, I'm 45 and make $60k. I work in communications at a nonprofit. I was a journalist before that and made about the same.

If you have what you need, and enjoy your life, it's good.

That said I do regularly search job boards for jobs that pay $20k more - I think $20k more for our household would make a huge difference. Haven't found good listings yet that leave me with the impression I could keep the same plus sides to my current situation. We shall see.

47-year-old niche publication editor here, making $54k. Don't major in journalism, kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are y'all on the rest of DCUM? I'm feeling so...normal. As long as I forget that the thread title is "terrible salaries."

I agree! I'm curious as to where everyone lives as well. In the real estate forum everyone makes 400k and lives in Bethesda or Arlington. Where do the real people live?!

everywhere else in the DMV lol. Bethesda and Arlington are barely 5% of the total population of this region

[Anonymous]

29 y/o

55k Admin

Single mom so things are tough but you are not alone lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much of this is field dependent and there’s only so much you can do if you’re in a crappy paying field and not willing or able to move elsewhere.

I was in a similar position in my mid 30s at an NGO. I hustled and pushed the last few years and now at 39 make $85k with a good growth potential. Two years ago though I was making just over $60k without great options and started looking to change sectors. I knew I was worth more than I was getting paid (top performing employee, top college and grad degrees, etc etc) but accepted it given mommy-tracking and the associated benefits, until I wasn’t able to accept it anymore. I didn’t want to leave (I’m pretty passionate about my work) and am glad I didn’t have to but at some point if you’re a highly competent employee and trying to support a family, putting up with being underpaid gets really old.

This is almost exactly me, except I’m just now looking to transition out of the mommy track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well you're probably doing really interesting, satisfying, meaningful work, right?

A lot of jobs that pay more - finance, BigLaw, accounting, certain types of tech like coding, etc. etc. are boring AF.

Sure you make more but is it really worth it? I'd rather enjoy what I do all day for 8-10 hours then be alternately bored and stressed.

This is so true. Currently at a law firm making $400k with great benefits. Seriously considering an offer for a non-profit at $190k with no benefits. On the one hand, it seems nuts to walk away from $400k/year. On the other hand, I'm simultaneously bored and stressed.

You guys crack me up. So you think all of us not making big bucks have super meaningful jobs that are so satisfying? And that's why the jobs are not paying much?
You think your 400K job is too stressful to be worth it, then come and try a stressful 80k job. And your option for a 190k with no benefits is not really low paying. So take it if you like the job. You're still making good money.

PP here. Not at all, on either front. I am tremendously fortunate to have the option of choosing between two high-paying jobs. I have also had very stressful $60k jobs, so I realize that stress and money are not correlated. I also personally know the stress of not making enough money to pay my basic bills--I have been there and I don't plan to go back. But, let's be real; this thread is not about housecleaners, fast food workers, day laborers, and such. The vast majority of the comments are from educated people with professional jobs who feel they have low salaries. I was responding specifically to a comment about the drudgery of certain high pay/high hours/high stress jobs. I probably should have left it alone, though. And, I do realize in retrospect that commenting on this thread at all, given my situation, is entitled and insensitive. So, I apologize.

Your response is so thoughtful and polite I almost don’t know how to feel (NP here). I am also former biglaw who made the move to an NGO. Do it - you seem like someone who would fit the culture. I personally am way happier now.

[Anonymous]

Meh. I make $65K as an academic (on a 9 month contract, with winter break in there also...don't get me wrong, I'm doing work when not on contract, but a bit less and on my time/schedule). I can afford this because DH makes $200K + bonus and we have one child, so I don't sweat it.

Don't be embarrassed, especially if you enjoy your job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh. I make $65K as an academic (on a 9 month contract, with winter break in there also...don't get me wrong, I'm doing work when not on contract, but a bit less and on my time/schedule). I can afford this because DH makes $200K + bonus and we have one child, so I don't sweat it.

Don't be embarrassed, especially if you enjoy your job!

Esp if your married a breadwinner!

[Anonymous]

Go on BabyCenter and you’ll feel like a high Warner with your stuff together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just depends on your degree. I made more than that in 2000 (my second year out of school) with an accounting degree.

It actually doesn't depend on your degree. It depends on your hustle. At the age of 32, I was making $85,000 a year and was managing three people with an English undergraduate degree. Now, I will admit, at the age of 23, I was making $30K. But I am a hustler, and I'm very talented and professional. It's not the degree. It's how you present yourself, what opportunties you make for yourself, and how you get along with other people.

Agreed. I made $85k at age 25 with no degree. (I now have a masters and make twice that in a government job.) People who are overly fixated on education as a means to increase salary overlook the fact that scanning your environment for opportunities is more likely to yield results than sitting back and expecting your degree to do the talking.

[Anonymous]

*earner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just depends on your degree. I made more than that in 2000 (my second year out of school) with an accounting degree.

It actually doesn't depend on your degree. It depends on your hustle. At the age of 32, I was making $85,000 a year and was managing three people with an English undergraduate degree. Now, I will admit, at the age of 23, I was making $30K. But I am a hustler, and I'm very talented and professional. It's not the degree. It's how you present yourself, what opportunties you make for yourself, and how you get along with other people.

Agreed. I made $85k at age 25 with no degree. (I now have a masters and make twice that in a government job.) People who are overly fixated on education as a means to increase salary overlook the fact that scanning your environment for opportunities is more likely to yield results than sitting back and expecting your degree to do the talking.

Are you a GS 15?

[Anonymous]

Wife is 34 and makes $42k as a coordinator at a university. She has a master's degree too. People vaasssssssstly overestimate the median incomes for both men and women in the country. The median income is way lower than people think. Of course I'm trying to get my wife to apply to new jobs in order to make a lot more. We will see how it goes, but $42k is smack dab in the middle.

[Anonymous]

How long have you been at your job?

[Anonymous]

I make $95K as a GS-12 government analyst in an agency that is slow to promote. That includes a bonus for being certified in a strategically important language. Hoping to get my promotion to 13 this year. I’m 32.

DH is 33 and makes $220K as a marketing VP. Looks like he should get a promotion soon that could increase that to $300K.

[Anonymous]

I’m 38 and make $67K doing communications for a nonprofit association. It’s not great but I don’t have a lot of friends making over $100K as we’re all teachers, journalists, working for nonprofits, etc, typical DC jobs that are pretty fulfilling and where you get a lot of responsibility, but not lot of salary.