What's a "decent" salary?

[Anonymous]

I make $70,000. Which feels like nothing. But I'm not a realtor, lawyer, government worker.

What's a decent salary here?

I live in north Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

How old are you? Married? Kids? These things factor in.

[Anonymous]

The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

[Anonymous]

Can you afford your needs? And any of your wants? Are you happy? Comfortable? A decent salary means something different to everyone, so we need A LOT more info, OP.

[Anonymous]

It's all relative. When I moved here (silver spring/bethesda) I made $41K. I felt rich because I previously made $20K (in a lower COL area). I felt I was able to afford a decent lifestyle, nothing extravagant, but fine. All my friends made the same/similar salaries, so we all had similar social budgets.

I met my DH a year after I got here, and he and his friends were all in Biglaw and they thought my salary was sad.

Now we have a high HHI and I think the biggest difference between me and my friends from that time (almost 10 years later) is that my DH's big salary allowed us to buy a larger home in south Bethesda that I never would have been able to otherwise afford. But my friends have also bought houses in DC, Silver Spring, Rockville, so we are all hitting the same milestones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

Really? Interesting. Althoughthat takes into account janitors and part-time, etc., I assume?

I wonder what it would be for a college-educated, master's holding person with 10-20 years of experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

Really? Interesting. Althoughthat takes into account janitors and part-time, etc., I assume?

I wonder what it would be for a college-educated, master's holding person with 10-20 years of experience?

Maybe $250-$350

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

Really? Interesting. Althoughthat takes into account janitors and part-time, etc., I assume?

I wonder what it would be for a college-educated, master's holding person with 10-20 years of experience?

I have a master's and 12 years of experience and I make 70K as a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

Really? Interesting. Althoughthat takes into account janitors and part-time, etc., I assume?

I wonder what it would be for a college-educated, master's holding person with 10-20 years of experience?

Maybe $250-$350

Lol No way it's that high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

Really? Interesting. Althoughthat takes into account janitors and part-time, etc., I assume?

I wonder what it would be for a college-educated, master's holding person with 10-20 years of experience?

Maybe $250-$350

Lol No way it's that high.

20 years experience plus a masters?

Lots of lawyers in DC..... they'd drag the average up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

Really? Interesting. Althoughthat takes into account janitors and part-time, etc., I assume?

I wonder what it would be for a college-educated, master's holding person with 10-20 years of experience?

Maybe $250-$350

Lol No way it's that high.

20 years experience plus a masters?

Lots of lawyers in DC..... they'd drag the average up.

Yes but way more people with masters in public policy and other random soft subjects who've had lifelong non profit careers - they drag the averages down. Not to mention most lawyers are not in biglaw so they may never make 350k; most here are in gov't.

[Anonymous]

Lol @ a JD being a master's degree!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's all relative. When I moved here (silver spring/bethesda) I made $41K. I felt rich because I previously made $20K (in a lower COL area). I felt I was able to afford a decent lifestyle, nothing extravagant, but fine. All my friends made the same/similar salaries, so we all had similar social budgets.

I met my DH a year after I got here, and he and his friends were all in Biglaw and they thought my salary was sad.

Now we have a high HHI and I think the biggest difference between me and my friends from that time (almost 10 years later) is that my DH's big salary allowed us to buy a larger home in south Bethesda that I never would have been able to otherwise afford. But my friends have also bought houses in DC, Silver Spring, Rockville, so we are all hitting the same milestones.

What do you make now not including your husband?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The average annual wage in the DC metro area is $65K.

Really? Interesting. Althoughthat takes into account janitors and part-time, etc., I assume?

I wonder what it would be for a college-educated, master's holding person with 10-20 years of experience?

I have a master's and 12 years of experience and I make 70K as a teacher.

Not in DC, about an hour outside in northern MD - 14 years and a Masters = ~$90k here.

[Anonymous]

A decent salary is variable. Median HHI in DC area is 90K. That means 1/2 the families make more and half make less. Average is somewhat higher because it is skewed by the few high earners. Most people, despite what DCUM thinks, make less than 100K. And very vew make 300K, like 1%