How much do you make with your career?

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Stuxnet

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2005
8,392
1
0
Originally posted by: Turin39789
Originally posted by: jbourne77
HS: $70k

I'm going back to college so I can take up a career where I'll be making about $45k.

The irony.
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I'm HS with some college, going back to finish up now.

Makin $32k a year now, but I'm going back for an English degree, and will probably end up teaching. If I do it on a high school level there's a chance I'll be taking a pay cut.

Currently working as a claims specialist in health insurance. Did tech support before this, but it paid less, and I never bothered to get any certs so when the market tightened up I fell out of it. If I had stayed with my previous insurance company instead of moving and getting a new job I'd probably be more around 36k right now.

*edit - 24. When I went to school the first time, I was going for English and Electrical Engineering, I might still get the Engineering someday but there's just no way I could get the degree while working full time, and right now I feel I'd be happier teaching than Engineering, still up in the air though.
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I'm a Systems Architect and I have great prospective career growth. However, I can't STAND it. I just hate the corporate atmosphere. You can cut the bullshit in the air with a dull knife. Hell, I even "play the game" quite well. I just can't stand getting up every morning knowing that I'm not contributing anything of value.

I'm going back to school for Music Education. It's going to be a royal bitch - I don't even know if it's possible - but I'll die trying if I have to.
 
A

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
8,086
0
0
Originally posted by: radioouman
I love how people who only claim high school are making more than a person with a masters degree in engineering!!! HAHA
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Doesn't suprise me ... a skilled trades person with alot of experience can bring in some good $$$, while a mediocre or entry level engineer in lower paying fields or specialities can be fairly low on the scale. It's all about markets also. 71K/year is doing pretty well in Colorado Springs - it's pretty damn low in places like NY, DC, San Francisco.

By the way for those considering it, I think that a masters is worthless.
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I guess it depends where you are and what you're doing ... but in my experience in Aerospace Eng., you need at least an M.S. to get into the really interesting work. It's not unusual for 70% to 80% of the tech staff to have advanced degrees in some of the top small or midsize companies in this area. Those companies must see some value in a masters for the demographics to shake out that way.

FWIW, 37, 100K+, M.S.
 
pnad

pnad

Senior member
May 23, 2006
405
1
0
$62k - Network eng.
AAS in CAD Drafitng of all things.
A+ cert

Pay sucked as a designer (38k in 1999)
Switched over to IT. A+ cert got my foot in the door 6 years ago.


Talking money is kinda silly without location. Milwaukee area.
 
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Wapp

Golden Member
Jun 5, 2003
1,648
0
0
Originally posted by: K1052
HS $71K+

I'm 24
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Ditto.

Security Clearance + Experience > Degree

Half way through my degree so:
Security Clearance + Experience + Degree > ?
 
C

Cal166

Diamond Member
May 6, 2000
5,081
8
81
-BS in Telecommunications from a Private University <--Useless since I have enough experience
-24 years old
-Systems Engineer
-New York City
-Was working throughout my HS and College Years.
-71k+, with work on the side(CAD/Visio drafting) 85k+ this year
 
microAmp

microAmp

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2000
5,988
110
106
Before I got my AAS: 34k in semiconductor company. Almost maxed out on payscale.
After AAS degree: 42k in semiconductor company, just started so at starting base pay + OT + night shift premium.
 
B

Beau

Lifer
Jun 25, 2001
17,730
0
76
www.beauscott.com
Originally posted by: Wreckem
Originally posted by: pontifex
the people who say HS 71K+
what do you do? or are you just being asshats and ruining the poll?
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Most people who are saying HS $71k are older folks who have been in the workforce for a long time.

You have to remember, its relatively recent that a good deal of people are getting college educations.
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been above that pay rate for 3 years. I'm 26.
 
B

Beau

Lifer
Jun 25, 2001
17,730
0
76
www.beauscott.com
Originally posted by: Wapp
Originally posted by: K1052
HS $71K+

I'm 24
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Ditto.

Security Clearance + Experience > Degree

Half way through my degree so:
Security Clearance + Experience + Degree > ?
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Same range + student loans :p

I'm also working on my degree, but I don't expect much of an increase from it.
 
F

fisheerman

Senior member
Oct 25, 2006
733
0
0
105k
software development (.net specifically)
33/high school
lots of hours
full time job + side consultant work

fish
 
L

LegendKiller

Lifer
Mar 5, 2001
18,256
68
86
To the dude who said masters' were a waste, depend on what you get one in.

If you get a masters in modern lit and go teach high-school, you are wasting money. My masters was worth ~20k increase in pay and about a 20% annual increase.

Furthermore, non-HS people top out at lower rates compared to college educated people.
 
clamum

clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,256
406
126
Ah... good thread to make me feel even more worthless. I have a B.S. in Computer Science (3.4 gpa) from Mich Tech and I've been looking for a job since before I graduated. I'm unemployed.
 
ponyo

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,811
126
31, college, 200+

Don't use my degree. Don't even need HS or GED to do my job. No education necessary. Need a good head and strong work ethic though. Skilled trade and working as a contractor. I would probably be making around 50k if I stayed in the corporate world.

Lot of people want to own their own business and work for themselves. Learning a trade and getting the required license is probably the easiest way to achieve this. Electrician, plumber, HVAC, welder, carpenter, painter, etc. So many profession and many of these require license from the state which locks out cheap illegal labor. You can apprentice to learn and get paid a wage while you learn on the job and in the classroom. No student loans to pay back and you actually make money from day one. After you pass your license test you can work for a company or union for couple of years and start your own business whenever you feel ready.

Of course not everyone is cut out for this. But not everyone is cut out for college and corporate world either.
 
P

PrinceofWands

Lifer
May 16, 2000
13,522
0
0
Originally posted by: LegendKiller
If you get a masters in modern lit and go teach high-school, you are wasting money. My masters was worth ~20k increase in pay and about a 20% annual increase.
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Not a waste at all, since most states require a masters within 5 years if you want to teach at the secondary level. You won't make much more money with it (5-10k a year max), but you can do the job you want to do.
 
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