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I currently live in Charlotte, NC and just received a job offer for a BAS controls engineer position for the Federal Reserve that pays roughly $40,000 a year more than my current job in Charlotte and is with a direct client instead of a contractor. I’m indecisive about the decision though because even though it’s basically my dream job, I have many friends and family members that live in the Charlotte area that would be hard to say goodbye to and I don’t know anyone in the DMV area. Also, idk if I can adapt to living in a larger more crowded metro Area. I like where I currently live but no one in the Charlotte area is hiring for the type of job I want with the level of experience I have.
If it was me, it would all come down to what my current salary is/prospective salary would be and what the two would get me at each location. If we're talking about $120k to $160k, for instance, the higher cost of living in DC might not make the move worth it. I'd also factor in career mobility at each location, being more inclined to move if the likelihood of additional substantial pay increases/opportunities are higher in DC vice Charlotte.
That said, considering the variety of places you can live along or close to good public transportation in the DC area, I'd probably be inclined to take the DC job. True, you can keep in touch with friends in Charlotte and even travel there multiple times of the year, but realistically you'll also be making new friends in DC.
Well, at the end of the day it's a call only you can make.
But it's worth noting that if your job is onsite and requires presence at one of the Federal Reserve offices in downtown D.C. then you'd likely have to get used to using transit to commute, which isn't everyone's cup of tea.
Also, depending on where that 40k more lands you, home ownership might not be practicable within comfortable commuter distance (let's say it's 180k, even then it'd be iffy inside the Beltway). So you may end up looking to to rent an apartment/condo or townhouse, which is also not everyone's cup of tea.
This isn't a great area for the classic American dream lifestyle. People who like it here tend to be people who like transit-oriented development, like living in an apartment mid or high rise surrounded by similar buildings in a fairly dense environment, like being around similar white collar professionals with similar career outlooks and priorities. As a skilled transplant, you'll automatically fall into that scene of other white collar transplants. Most workplaces - especially around the government and adjacent organizations - have sort of an infrastructure for people new to town who want to connect. But of course this type of connection is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. The kind of people who'd rather have stayed in their hometown and prefer 'down to earth' type things aren't usually happy here, and not usually the kind of people you'll meet when trying to make friends.
DC has better weather, more diverse demographics, more extensive public transportation, higher paying jobs, and more professional opportunities. These things make the higher cost of living worth it.
I grew up just outside of DC (Tysons Corner), and will be moving back later this year from San Antonio, TX, without even having a job lined up first! Life isn't always about money--gotta take risks =).
40k is a lot of money. At 3k / month before taxes, even after taxes, it outweighs any cost of living increase by a large margin, especially from Charlotte which isn't exactly cheap. Sure it's not DC, but it's also not Jackson, Mississippi.
The only real burden is buy-in cost for housing.
As far as friends and family, that is up to you. Friends and family matter a lot.
If you rent for a few years and see how you like it, then it's virtually zero risk, other than your time. All this assuming you don't have kids or a family of your own.
I moved to DC on a whim from Macon, GA and I love it here. It's very easy to make friends in DC as their are always things to do. Also, Charlotte is like a 90 minute flight or 6 hour drive so you're not far. 40k more in salary is a nice jump, but I'm also thinking the COL in DC is higher than in Charlotte. I wouldn't let friendships keep me in an area or I was offered a dream job paying a lot more money. Only you know what's best for you. However, if its just friendships that's hindering your decision, you'll make new friends here and you're not far from Charlotte for weekend trips.
I moved to DC on a whim from Macon, GA and I love it here. It's very easy to make friends in DC as their are always things to do. Also, Charlotte is like a 90 minute flight or 6 hour drive so you're not far. 40k more in salary is a nice jump, but I'm also thinking the COL in DC is higher than in Charlotte. I wouldn't let friendships keep me in an area or I was offered a dream job paying a lot more money. Only you know what's best for you. However, if its just friendships that's hindering your decision, you'll make new friends here and you're not far from Charlotte for weekend trips.
I currently live in Charlotte, NC and just received a job offer for a BAS controls engineer position for the Federal Reserve that pays roughly $40,000 a year more than my current job in Charlotte and is with a direct client instead of a contractor. I’m indecisive about the decision though because even though it’s basically my dream job, I have many friends and family members that live in the Charlotte area that would be hard to say goodbye to and I don’t know anyone in the DMV area. Also, idk if I can adapt to living in a larger more crowded metro Area. I like where I currently live but no one in the Charlotte area is hiring for the type of job I want with the level of experience I have.
If you like Charlotte and you have trepidations of living a more urban lifestyle, Loudon County is probably right up your alley for a more cosmopolitan vibe, more new built housing, neighborhoods all new and bigger houses, big glamorous grocery stores, great schools, etc.
There’s also places like Manassas that’s more older towns, with older neighborhoods that are probably similar to what you’d be looking for. There’s commuter trains to DC from places like Mannassas too.
It’s definitely not crowded in areas like Manassas and not likely much more crowded than Charlotte in Loudon.
I currently live in Charlotte, NC and just received a job offer for a BAS controls engineer position for the Federal Reserve that pays roughly $40,000 a year more than my current job in Charlotte and is with a direct client instead of a contractor. I’m indecisive about the decision though because even though it’s basically my dream job, I have many friends and family members that live in the Charlotte area that would be hard to say goodbye to and I don’t know anyone in the DMV area. Also, idk if I can adapt to living in a larger more crowded metro Area. I like where I currently live but no one in the Charlotte area is hiring for the type of job I want with the level of experience I have.
40K more in a non-contract position in Washington DC is the equivalent of a life-changing/game-changing opportunity many would give their eye teeth for. People move to DC to accelerate their career path and if bale to tough it out for a good 5 years, golden if performing at least at "meets standards" criteria. The DC move isn't exactly a say goodbye to friends/relatives situation either given the fairly close proximity for visits. There also isn't a huge disparity between traffic/development once one removes the Capitol Beltway element and all in all probably not the big adjustment anticipated. Most Fed positions are going to be in Downtown DC so commuting via transit is a breeze. Being single and probably wanting to be around other younger professionals check out apartments in Arlington neighborhoods like Courthouse, Clarendon and Virginia Square...each with its own Metro subway stop. Northwest DC neighborhoods might be favored given their park-like surroundings yet are close to Downtown. Check out Woodley Park, Cleveland Park and Van Ness which are right on top of Metro stations and close to restaurants, bars, gyms, everyday conveniences and the trails in Rock Creek Park.
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