What's a good salary at age 24?

MAME

Banned
Sep 19, 2003
9,281
1
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I'd like to know where I stand in the grand scheme of things. I want to make sure I'm on track for a successful career, or if I need to mix things up to get ahead.

This is in Southern California.

Take any experience/skills out of the equation. I just want to know what the average range of salaries are for people my age with careers.
 

Toonces

Golden Member
Feb 5, 2000
1,690
0
71
whatever makes you content and happy with your life

who cares what complete strangers are making. Some will be doing better, some worse.

I'll be making 250,000* a month starting next week. Will it make me super happy; sure will - but it's the experience not the money that I'm looking forward to


*Yen - I'll be teaching in Japan :D
 

Pantoot

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2002
1,764
30
91
LeBron James is just a bit over a year younger than you and he made $5,828,090.
That's a good salary.

[edit - Not counting endorsements of course.]
 

JohnCU

Banned
Dec 9, 2000
16,530
4
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i'm 23 and pulling in $54 base, probably over 60 with overtime and bonuses by the end of the year and i feel pretty successful.

but that's in the south, i dunno how much that would be in Cali
 

SilthDraeth

Platinum Member
Oct 28, 2003
2,635
0
71
I make 36k a year. I am 26, and work for a school in Barstow. Why don't you tell us what you make?
 

hdeck

Lifer
Sep 26, 2002
14,530
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taking everything out of the equation makes the answer completely irrelevant.
 

esun

Platinum Member
Nov 12, 2001
2,214
0
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24? That'd be two years out of college, so probably just a little more than the average college graduate, so perhaps $50-$70,000 would be a good ballpark (depending on your field).
 

bwatson283

Golden Member
Jul 16, 2006
1,062
0
0
for me:
Business Management degree
MCSE
Net+

No Experience in IT and im making 40K :)
Just 3 years of Mortgage experience
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
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It's all relative of course. I would see it more as what the potential is rather than what you're making now. If you're making $60k now and that's the only potential you have for the rest of your career, then I'd probably start looking elsewhere. If you have the potential to see six-figures through a series of progressions on your part, then $60k is good.

Your 20s is the time to maximize your earning potential, imo; well, at least maximize your ability to earn later if you can't now. I would concentrate more on what it takes to earn more later than I would about making what you might be now.

I think I just confused myself.
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
On ATOT? $100k/year minimum.

If you are actually working at age 24 and aren't in IB, odds are you have already failed.
 

everman

Lifer
Nov 5, 2002
11,288
1
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Originally posted by: Descartes
It's all relative of course. I would see it more as what the potential is rather than what you're making now. If you're making $60k now and that's the only potential you have for the rest of your career, then I'd probably start looking elsewhere. If you have the potential to see six-figures through a series of progressions on your part, then $60k is good.

Your 20s is the time to maximize your earning potential, imo; well, at least maximize your ability to earn later if you can't now. I would concentrate more on what it takes to earn more later than I would about making what you might be now.

I think I just confused myself.

I think you have it right, what you do early in life can have a large influence on future earning potential. Things like education and experience now will affect future earnings. What you are making now doesn't necessarily dictate future earnings.
 

Josh123

Diamond Member
Aug 4, 2002
3,034
2
76
I'm 23 and making $28k and no degree. It's not terribly bad for living in such a small town but I would definitley like to make more.
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
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There are web sites where you can look up the average salaries for your profession in different locales. Not sure if they are sorted by age though.

 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
Originally posted by: everman
Originally posted by: Descartes
It's all relative of course. I would see it more as what the potential is rather than what you're making now. If you're making $60k now and that's the only potential you have for the rest of your career, then I'd probably start looking elsewhere. If you have the potential to see six-figures through a series of progressions on your part, then $60k is good.

Your 20s is the time to maximize your earning potential, imo; well, at least maximize your ability to earn later if you can't now. I would concentrate more on what it takes to earn more later than I would about making what you might be now.

I think I just confused myself.

I think you have it right, what you do early in life can have a large influence on future earning potential. Things like education and experience now will affect future earnings. What you are making now doesn't necessarily dictate future earnings.

Exactly. Sometimes taking the lowest paying job now will secure the highest paying opportunities later. In a way, you often have to pay for the quality of experience. I know I've taken paycuts several times because I knew the quality of the experience would bump subsequent rates.
 

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,118
58
91
By 24 you should be happy with $60k w/college degree behind you OR be in grad school to set yourself up for making $100k by 28.

Anything less probably means squandered opportunity or squandered time not making opportunity earlier in one's life...

May seem like a lot of $$$ until you throw wife + kids into the equation around the same time.
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,648
201
106
Originally posted by: MAME
I'd like to know where I stand in the grand scheme of things. I want to make sure I'm on track for a successful career, or if I need to mix things up to get ahead.

This is in Southern California.

Take any experience/skills out of the equation. I just want to know what the average range of salaries are for people my age with careers.

$12.95/hr