Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's not a clean cut decision. I'm probably in the minority.. but I'm 28, halfway through college (i took a long break and recently went back part time)... but have been making 160k+ since I was 20 (I was making 30k for the 2 years prior to 20). Recently I've been struggling to find work because of the economy and the fact that my field (software engineer) is easily outsourced.
That's interesting. Did you get into sales or self-employment at 20? It just seems like a big jump from $30k to $160k. I don't see how one's skills could be that demand in a matter of two years unless they went into sales or owned their own business.
That's interesting. Did you get into sales or self-employment at 20? It just seems like a big jump from $30k to $160k. I don't see how one's skills could be that demand in a matter of two years unless they went into sales or owned their own business.
I was working for a software consulting firm making 30k. Figured out how to start my own consulting firm and run on my own... stole the client and went on from there.
I was working for a software consulting firm making 30k. Figured out how to start my own consulting firm and run on my own... stole the client and went on from there.
Thanks.
I'm down to about 30k again :-(.... I only have 4 consultants working for me at fairly low margins.... Only time will tell ...
Ah, that's too bad. Keep your head up though. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I believe the IT industry will make a come back in this country. I'd like to get into it myself, but have been leary of it ever since I was a CompSci major in college. I switched to Economics/PolySci, believe it or not haha. I am working and make decent money relative to some of my peers (with a variety of different majors), but I still try to keep the dream alive that one day I'll end up (happily) in the IT field.
Best of luck to you. And if you're ever in need of some programmer types, drop me a line.
That's because you edited your post to add those other groups while I was replying to you with the VA data. Wow. You and Huckleberry are sure representing the "Don't go to college group" here.
Listen boys and girls, don't become Huckleberry and annerk, go to college.
Again your arrogance is astounding. I went to college. Paid for it all by myself, too. And the best part, I very likely make as much as you do, once you factor in that I don't have to carry medical malpractice.
From a purely anecdotal experience from when I did an internship at UNC's ortho surgery residency program filtering applications for would be residents, EVERYONE was paid the same first year residency salary, and the same second year, etc.
Even after working in the HR department of a large health care institution and even working in a large global organization, foreign workers when they became US employees were paid US wages. There was not a special band of compensation for foreigners-we-hope-to-pay-poorly for a job. It was the job grade with all of the salary zones for the job. Period.
wherein that is true all the interns would make the same in that hospital but all hospitals do not pay the same and do not hire the same. you are assuming your experience in HR in that one facility is the same nationwide as to pay and hiring practices, not true.
again if you were a doctor you would know that there has been a big influx of foreign workers (25% of workforce) because the wages have not kept up with costs and foreigners can handle the lower pay offers bek they got less school debt.
Again your arrogance is astounding. I went to college. Paid for it all by myself, too. And the best part, I very likely make as much as you do, once you factor in that I don't have to carry medical malpractice.
Good for you... then obviously college has done you good, so why are you being so hypocritical about it?
Physician compensation reports are after paying malpractice premiums, BTW.
Good for you... then obviously college has done you good, so why are you being so hypocritical about it?
I don't believe that college is right for everyone, and I think it's incredibly dangerous to shoehorn people into college because that's what society dictates. I took a few years off after high school, worked, partied, traveled a little, ran off a lot of steam. Even then I didn't really know what I wanted to be when I grew up, so I went to community college p/t whiole still partying like a rock star and completed a lot of those pesky credits in basic liberal arts that you need to graduate before transferring to a university. I have 132 credits and no degree, because I changed my major three times and then was unexpectedly recruited for a job with a six figure income that wouldn't accomodate a college schedule. I never went back, and I've never lost an employment opportunity as a result.
As I said earlier, there are plenty of jobs that don't require college that pay very well. It's unfortunate that you look down on people because they don't have a college degree. Maybe the guy who fixed your Mercedes last week can't take out an appendix, but I'll bet you wouldn't know a kingpin from a clothespin.
wherein that is true all the interns would make the same in that hospital but all hospitals do not pay the same and do not hire the same. you are assuming your experience in HR in that one facility is the same nationwide as to pay and hiring practices, not true.
again if you were a doctor you would know that there has been a big influx of foreign workers (25% of workforce) because the wages have not kept up with costs and foreigners can handle the lower pay offers bek they got less school debt.
Hence, why I said ANECDOTAL.
However, there is a difference between gaining a mountain of student loan debt to study medicine, law, and even in some cases business versus student loan debt to study religious studies. A VAST difference.
Also, from the experience of seeing multiple tens of thousands of salaries from american employees, european employees, asian employees, and visa holders coming into this country-- I can tell you that my employer (a MAJOR financial services employer) does not have a special salary for foreign workers that make it easier/cheaper to hire them here in the states versus an american.
Can't say that every company out there does the same, but it is not exactly easy to get visa workers here in this country no matter what news article you pull up-- this is from practical real world experience.
If you think an american corporation is hiring a programmer for 25k from India to come to the states and do this job, you are sorely mistaken-- they are just sending that job to India-- not bringing that person here.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Wow. You and Huckleberry are sure representing the "Don't go to college group" here. 
And the best part, I very likely make as much as you do, once you factor in that I don't have to carry medical malpractice.
