$100,000 salary in NOVA (countertops, lawyer, luxury)

[Mike10]

How long does it take in years to make $100k in NOVA?

[Natthapol]

This will of course depends on the field.. If you are a doctor or lawyer you can make well above $100K right away..

Unfortunately.. $100K doesn't go very far here..

[ChristineVA]

Engineer? Maybe about 5 years after college.

IT person? The same

Government worker bee? Could take about 10 years unless you're setting the world on fire and are highly educated, then maybe in 5 years.

[HokieFan]

Originally Posted by Natthapol

Unfortunately.. $100K doesn't go very far here..

$100k won't go as far here as some other areas of the country but that's still a decent salary. My husband and I make a combined salary of a little more than $100k and, although we're not in the lap of luxury, we live quite comfortably.

[gammann]

It also depends on how often you are willing to switch companies, at least in IT. Generally you will get a bigger increase by going to a different company, than just getting a standard annual raise.

[tgbwc]

"How long does it take in years to make $100k" reads as though an appropriate answer would be, "2 years if you make $50k a year", but I know what the OP is asking.

This question is very broad. Of course it depends on the job. I've been in NoVA since '93 and I'm nowhere close to $100k a year.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

$100k won't go as far here as some other areas of the country but that's still a decent salary. My husband and I make a combined salary of a little more than $100k and, although we're not in the lap of luxury, we live quite comfortably.

I agree. My wife and I have both been working in NoVA since '93. One child. We both have Masters degrees and each make in the low-mid $70s and are comfortable.

[CAVA1990]

The trick is to marry someone also making $100K.

[tysonsengineer]

Making 100k is nice, but it isnt the end all be all. Alot of people who make that 6 figure income also give away hours of their life that they dont pay attention to. I know people who make just over 100k but work 65-70 hour weeks consistently because those companies expect that at that premium salary. Hourly is what matters most, if you work 65 hour weeks and make 100k, you are only being paid $29.60 per hour. For reference if that same person were working an equivalent 40 hour week it would only be a 61,500 salary. The point being, if you are working hardcore hours, then you need to realize those hours are significant. 60 hours a week means 50% more work being done. You could get a 40 hour job for closer to 75k or 80k, and then throw on 10 to 20hours of contract work depending on your job and if you really are a work aholic, and make far more than this $29.60 per hour amount. Or you can just relax, stop chasing the granite countertops, and live a good life working 40 hour weeks, making high 5 figures and enjoying your free time.

Not a sermon just a thought

[FindingZen]

Per Mike 10's thread here, he is a financial or budget analyst making $58K two years after receiving a bachelor's degree. Are there any people with a similar career path that can project when the OP might progress to a point to start fielding six-figure salary opportunities?