Spinoff: Good starting salary, etc.

[yankeeyosh]

A couple of active threads made me think about a new thread...I'd like to know from you...all else being equal...not considering job title, experience beforehand, degrees, schools, etc....what do you think are "good" salaries at these milestones:

- Starting salary
- Five years after starting work
- Ten years after starting work.

I'm not asking about your particular industry, or any field in general...just a "good" salary that would be satisfactory at these points of time.

[MrNCG23]

I think this is far too wide a generalization, but:

first year: base
5 years: 30%-50% increase of base
10 years: 70%-100% increase of base

But you can't really say that - it varies greatly from a hot field to McDonald's.

[yankeeyosh]

I think this is far too wide a generalization, but:

first year: base
5 years: 30%-50% increase of base
10 years: 70%-100% increase of base

But you can't really say that - it varies greatly from a hot field to McDonald's.

Well, I'm not asking about a salary for a particular field. I'm just talking about what people think feel are salaries that they would be OK with at these points of time...let's assume it's a quasi-socialist economy and all jobs get paid the same.

[lonestar]

If I complete my accounting classes and pass the CPA exam, I know my salary will jump considerably...if I decide to go the pilot route, my salary will drop considerably. I have a liberal arts degree, so the jump is salary reflects a move from a generalist position to a specialist one.

[wordsmith]

There are too many variables to say.

Where I live, $30K is a respectable starting salary for many fields, the median regionally is only $40K. In urban areas on either coast, you'd likely be hard pressed to make ends meet without splitting expenses with this as a starting salary.

[dengeist]

I think it might have a little to do with the region you live in, but I'll give it a crack.


first year: 30,000-35,000

5 years: 41,000-45,000

10 years: 60,000-70,000

[lonestar]

Well, I'm not asking about a salary for a particular field. I'm just talking about what people think feel are salaries that they would be OK with at these points of time...let's assume it's a quasi-socialist economy and all jobs get paid the same.

$30,000 base
$45-55k after 5 years with the same employer in the same career track.
$62-70k after 10 years with the same employer in the same career track.

$40,000 after 10 years if you are a teacher.
$18,000 after 10 years if you are a priest.

[wordsmith]

I will say that in 5 years, I've only experienced a change of under $5K. That's how it goes with a stagnant economy/stagnant field.

[Kitty]

Starting: 40-50k
5 Years out: 60-75k
10 Years out: 80K +

[lonestar]

$10,000 a year if you're a DISCO DANCER! :razz:

[dengeist]

$40,000 after 10 years if you are a teacher.


Ha! I make more than that and I've only been teaching 5 years. I'd be making more than I make still if I had a master's degree. I had to choose a 64 credit program....

*grumbles*

[lonestar]

I was looking into teaching, but in TX it was not much of a raise per year and they start you off at $34k and there is only a $400 difference per year with a Masters.

[dengeist]

Yeah, I was thinking of relocating not to long ago and I love Texas, the salary for teachers...not so much. But that is Dubya's state so, what more can I say?

[SunDevil]

I never really thought about it, but I guess after 2 years of working at my current job, I am making 10% more than what I started at.

[Kitty]

I never really thought about it, but I guess after 2 years of working at my current job, I am making 10% more than what I started at.

Yeah, just did the math and I'm making 30% more now than I was when I first graduated (3 years ago).

[lonestar]

I am making 6% more than when I started at my current job 6 months ago...but that's because we just got our annual raises.

[Kitty]

I am making 6% more than when I started at my current job 6 months ago...but that's because we just got our annual raises.

Yeah, some of my increase is from raises and some is from switching jobs once.

[SmilesSoSweet]

I'm making a lot more now with over five years of experience in the same field.

But really I don't see what's the point about making X amount of money by Y years.

I do know some people that have advance quicker than others and then I know a few people that have stayed at entry level for over five years.

It's really up to the individual person. And like I said in another post, it doesn't really matter how much you make, it's how you save/spend the money you make.

[yankeeyosh]

I'm making a lot more now with over five years of experience in the same field.

But really I don't see what's the point about making X amount of money by Y years.

I do know some people that have advance quicker than others and then I know a few people that have stayed at entry level for over five years.

It's really up to the individual person. And like I said in another post, it doesn't really matter how much you make, it's how you save/spend the money you make.

Well, people have financial goals...they don't want to be stuck at the same salary forever. It's interesting, because all we see in the stats are starting salaries...at one moment in time. Expectations over the course of time are rarely studied. A person might be happy with $30K starting out, but expects to be making six figures in five years...while another might not be satisfied unless they're making $50K to start, but would be happy with a more "modest" $60-65K after five years. It makes it more "three-dimensional"...since time is now a variable, rather than "two-dimensional", where only salary and perhaps cohort are the only things being compared.

I'm actually making 92.3% more than I did when I started working. However, I didn't make much to begin with...so it's not like I'm rolling in the dough.

[Xander]

This is pretty depressing (for me) but one of my friends is currently at an internship where the company kisses his butt, and when he graduates next year, a "low ball" figure for starting salary is $140K....... gah......

But he's a cool guy who has worked an incredible amount (crazy smart too) so he deserves it.

My point is, it's all relative to:
-the field you're in
-location
-education
-experience
-ability/potential
-luck
-connections/networking

and I'm sure there are others. I think this is too general of a question, but that's my feedback on it. :huge:

[Kitty]

This is pretty depressing (for me) but one of my friends is currently at an internship where the company kisses his butt, and when he graduates next year, a "low ball" figure for starting salary is $140K....... gah......



Somehow I am highly doubting that.

[spokes]

all of my big raises (+10% or more) have come when i have switched jobs.

since i have been working full time my salary has increased by more than 300% - but the company i started working for was a good place to work, but the pay was not that good.

[Xander]

Somehow I am highly doubting that.
corporate law = big bucks.

[Winter Storm]

Yank,

I think these kinds of questions have the potential to make people more obsessive and insecure about what they make. If most people felt that they should be making at least 70 by x number of years, suddenly those that don't may start to question themselves and their earning abilities. Just saying, it's not always a good idea to get so hung up on numbers.

[PenforPrez]

I think these kinds of questions have the potential to make people more obsessive and insecure about what they make.

I've been insecure about what I make since I left school, and like Xander, I find this depressing. I'd beg to make $20k. I wasn't even close to that when I left Wal-Mart, and I was stuck there for three years.

Like finding a real job, I find salaries very mystifying. I honestly don't know how much I need to make, or should make, or even how much I WANT to make. Not having any career goals doesn't help there either. :sad:

Paul

[asm198]

- Starting salary - $30,000
- Five years after starting work - $42,000
- Ten years after starting work $50,000

I'm in the midwest and I'm also assuming that there was a promotion or two in there. I picked the starting salary based on what my fiance made starting out and adjusting for how our financial situation was at that time. I think he was a bit lowballed, so I think that around 30k would be an appropriate starting salary.

[LaFille]

Starting: 40-50k
5 Years out: 60-75k
10 Years out: 80K +


wow, what do you do? that sounds like excellent pay from the get-go...

[SmilesSoSweet]

wow, what do you do? that sounds like excellent pay from the get-go...

She also lives in the SF Bay Area, so cost of living there is high and typically your income is higher there, but not always.

[MetFanL]

It's hard to answer this w/o taking into consideration your field, etc.

Starting: $30K
5 years: $50K
10 years: $85K+

[Kitty]

wow, what do you do? that sounds like excellent pay from the get-go...

I wasn't really doing it based off of my specific field, but just starting salaries in this area.

I started out in that range - and I'm in marketing.

I'm in the SF Bay Area..so take that into consideration.