Author Topic: How do people make $100+ salary?  (Read 117024 times)

Bearblastbeats

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How do people make $100+ salary?
« on: January 16, 2018, 12:18:51 PM »
it blows my mind. I see on here with sometimes close to 200k. How? What do you do and what am I not doing? lol.

seattlecyclone

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2018, 12:21:05 PM »
Step 1) Identify a career where salaries that high are the norm.
Step 2) Become qualified for one of those careers.
Step 3) Profit.

JLee

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2018, 12:23:42 PM »
Step 1) Identify a career where salaries that high are the norm.
Step 2) Become qualified for one of those careers.
Step 3) Profit.

Pretty much that.

Sibley

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2018, 12:25:31 PM »
Where you are also matters. You can have the same job and the salary will vary quite a bit depending on location. But yeah, target the higher grossing careers.

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2018, 12:29:12 PM »
Step 1) Identify a career where salaries that high are the norm.
Step 2) Become qualified for one of those careers.
Step 3) Profit.

2.5. Be prepared to spend a lot of time working your way up to that salary.  Not everyone is starting out at $100k.

Bearblastbeats

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2018, 12:40:53 PM »
That's it? That's the secret?

mm1970

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2018, 12:41:58 PM »
Step 1) Identify a career where salaries that high are the norm.
Step 2) Become qualified for one of those careers.
Step 3) Profit.

Step 4:
Be willing to change jobs to get bigger bumps (<- this is my problem.  Yes I am over $100k but easily $30k underpaid).

Hula Hoop

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2018, 12:45:00 PM »
OK but which careers are these?  I imagine doctor, law firm partner, people who work in finance?  What else?

BigHaus89

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2018, 12:49:35 PM »
OK but which careers are these?  I imagine doctor, law firm partner, people who work in finance?  What else?

Engineers, medical professionals, consultants, investors, business owners to name a few more.

BiggerFishToFI

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2018, 12:58:16 PM »
Graduated college in 2011 with an engineering degree. Got first real job in January 2012.

Started out at 50k, climbed an average of ~10k per year and broke 100k for the first time this year with a big unexpected bonus (gross 116k).

I feel like I've gotten lucky although I have worked hard / outperformed my peers to get here.

My wife on the other hand went through medical school accumulating 6 figures of debt and will be making marginally more than me (~120k) in the second half of 2018 once she finishes her residency.

If she was an engineer we might be FIRED by now.............

Another big one is sales. If you are good at sales (and can stomach it) you can make much more than 100k.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 12:59:59 PM by soontoberich »

KMMK

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2018, 01:00:02 PM »
This is in Canada but my husband makes that being a Flight Service Specialist with NavCanada. Took him a while to get there and had to live up north for a while. But only requires their specialized courses, not any other post-secondary.

bluebelle

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2018, 01:02:11 PM »
IT jobs.....

and I'm betting lots of electricians and plumbers can make that.....lots of folks don't know how to do stuff like that.

Bearblastbeats

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2018, 01:03:56 PM »
Step 1) Identify a career where salaries that high are the norm.
Step 2) Become qualified for one of those careers.
Step 3) Profit.

Step 4:
Be willing to change jobs to get bigger bumps (<- this is my problem.  Yes I am over $100k but easily $30k underpaid).

I've changed my job about 4 times in my engineering career and only make $60k now. :/ I can't complain though.

big_slacker

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2018, 01:04:53 PM »
PharmD, Nurse specialists ($100k includes OT), Law, Investment banking, Dentist, IT specialists, Software developers, Sales specialists especially when they're managers/GMs, lots of small and medium businesses. There are hundreds of jobs that make 6 figures, I don't get the point of asking which careers. Google could help you out in that regard.

Now how to get to 6 figures within a particular path is a question that takes more detail. Biglaw and IB folks make that right out of college but you need to intern and land those coveted spots. Almost any doctor will make 6 figures as soon as they start proper doctorin'.

I make mid 200k in IT, I just job hopped every couple of years taking increasingly more challenging *AND* more specialized spots each time. Got a very difficult professional certification as well. Started at 30 years old and had my first 6 figure salary at 36. Took another 6 to hit 200k total comp.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #14 on: January 16, 2018, 01:05:48 PM »
Keep in mind too, a lot of these careers require a massive upfront investment of money and/or time to get there. DH and I together make over $100k, but we also have a combined 11 years of undergrad (3 BS degrees) and 3 years of graduate level schooling (1 MS degree), and have paid massive amounts in tuition over the years (and that was WITH a full ride scholarship for 4 of the undergrad years).

So in your calculations, just be sure you look at debt to earnings ratios. Careers like doctors, vets, and lawyers especially come out looking less rosy after these calculations.

FWIW, husband is an engineer, I'm a nurse.

ETA: oh yeah, and be willing to move. We've moved for school programs and work multiple times. And be willing to commute, and hustle, to get those jobs. Husband works 24+ hour shifts every few months. For over a year, I was doing 4 15 hour days per week. We've had our commuter car for 13 months, and it already has 26k work miles on it.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 01:09:52 PM by Bracken_Joy »

Yankuba

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #15 on: January 16, 2018, 01:09:24 PM »
Union and municipality jobs - in blue states. Public safety jobs - in blue states. Jobs whose pay is linked to municipal or public safety jobs. Jobs that allow overtime. NYPD earn $90k (without overtime) in year 5 and they only need two years of college. That is $100k by age 25. Everyone tied to the NYPD pay scale follows in lockstep.

Salaries in HCOL areas are 30% higher than salaries in LCOL areas. In HCOL areas $200k is the new $100k. $100k was a big deal in the 1990s but no longer.

DS

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #16 on: January 16, 2018, 01:09:44 PM »
Tax accounting. Congress keeps us employed and makes it nice and complicated so the earnings potential is there.

big_owl

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #17 on: January 16, 2018, 01:13:46 PM »
Really easy to make $100k as an engineer.  $200k?  That's not quite as easy but still doable especially if you're in a high COL area.

MilesTeg

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #18 on: January 16, 2018, 01:14:36 PM »
OK but which careers are these?  I imagine doctor, law firm partner, people who work in finance?  What else?

Actually, $100k isn't a huge amount these days (just like being a millionaire ain't what it used to be). There's a BIG list of professions (white or blue collar, working for the man or self-employed, etc.) that will get you that in a relatively short amount of time (30s). Just google "highest paying jobs" or similar.

That said, for the sake of your happiness and well being, DON'T just pick a career path based on money! That's what MMM did: picked a career he hated (though I won't pretend to know his reasons for picking that career). His real solution wasn't what he preaches, his real solution was to switch careers to something he DOES like.

HawkeyeNFO

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #19 on: January 16, 2018, 01:16:42 PM »
Where I live (near Washington, DC), $100k salary is probably a bit below average.

MonkeyJenga

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #20 on: January 16, 2018, 01:18:43 PM »
I didn't have a college degree and temped for a couple of years, making between $12-20/hr. Within a decade my base salary was over $100k. Earlier than that if you include bonus comp. Combination of luck, talent, and strategic networking. Living in NYC also helped, as my salaries would not have been as high in many other locations.

I got some professional certifications, worked hard, switched jobs internally and externally, and was naturally talented at a couple things. I weaseled my way into one job after a year-long campaign to get the job description changed from bachelor's degree required to preferred.

I could have gotten to six figures much faster if I had focused less on being perfect at my job and more on making personal connections with those around me.

inline five

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #21 on: January 16, 2018, 01:21:08 PM »
I started taking flying lessons at age 15, went to college and taught others to fly for the grand sum of about $12k/yr between 22-24. My first airline job paid me $22,500 in 2005. They now start around $55-$60k as there is a shortage of guys. I had my first five figure (over $10k) month when I was 26 but income has fluctuated greatly as the recession hit me with a huge pay cut. Took another 60k pay hit in 2014, but income has recovered. Gross around $160k now with 16% DC 401k. Unless the bottom falls out should be around 200k in a couple years around 40 (wow that sounds old!!).

Nice thing is the schedule is easy and gets better over time.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 01:22:56 PM by inline five »

ysette9

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #22 on: January 16, 2018, 01:24:12 PM »
I followed a pretty boring formula: study engineering at a top state school. Summer internships. Full time offer after graduation. Got master’s while working, did development program at work, job rotations, mentors, and worked my butt off (though efficiently, not long hours). I jumped on opportunities to apply for management positions and promotions. Oh yes, and I did all of this in a HCOL area where salaries are also high.

Summary: hard work, good education, make the most of opportunities, good location

marty998

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #23 on: January 16, 2018, 01:30:21 PM »
Finance professions will give you $100k+ if you stick at it. But with the rider that you do have to give up the additional hours and take the increased stress.

It does require a long term commitment. You can't simply up and quit every 8 months because you get bored, or need to "go find yourself" or whatevs. Flakey personalities aren't going to be around long enough to get those increases.

Same with any other profession really.

Summary: hard work, good education, make the most of opportunities, good location

+1

EricEng

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #24 on: January 16, 2018, 01:31:39 PM »
Graduated college in 2011 with an engineering degree. Got first real job in January 2012.

Started out at 50k, climbed an average of ~10k per year and broke 100k for the first time this year with a big unexpected bonus (gross 116k).

I feel like I've gotten lucky although I have worked hard / outperformed my peers to get here.
I would say this is not the norm and depends both on industry and location.  Some fields and locations this just isn't feasible to climb this fast.  How much overtime were you working for these?  How many promotions and new positions?

JLee

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #25 on: January 16, 2018, 01:31:52 PM »
OK but which careers are these?  I imagine doctor, law firm partner, people who work in finance?  What else?

I'm in tech.

wenchsenior

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #26 on: January 16, 2018, 01:35:40 PM »

Keep in mind too, a lot of these careers require a massive upfront investment of money and/or time to get there. DH and I together make over $100k, but we also have a combined 11 years of undergrad (3 BS degrees) and 3 years of graduate level schooling (1 MS degree), and have paid massive amounts in tuition over the years (and that was WITH a full ride scholarship for 4 of the undergrad years).



Yes, these sorts of salaries vary a lot in terms of degrees/time/training required to get the positions, and also whether the OP is asking about starting salaries versus mid or late career salaries.

DH is a research scientist working for the feds.   In order to even qualify for his position he needed a PhD minimum (although, in his particular branch of research, no one gets a PhD without a Master's first, so essentially it required BSci, MSci, and then PhD degrees).  Then for the majority of positions he wanted, he also needed to have done a post-Doc project.

DH went through school very fast, in relative terms, but that was still a 12 year commitment prior to starting his career. 

His starting salary after all those qualification hoops was a hair over 50K.

He's making over 100K/year NOW, but it took some major performance raises and quite a few intervening years to get there.  Plus,  the federal pay scale maxes out at around 160K, even for the most superstar of federal scientists. But he didn't go into this field for the pay.

ETA: We know several IT/computer engineering people who were making close to 100K coming out of college with a Bachelor's, though that field has probably tightened up in the intervening years.


Lan Mandragoran

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #27 on: January 16, 2018, 01:36:51 PM »
idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.

KC metro here 28yo, I've been a Sys Admin for 5~ years and make roughly 70 with some nice benefits. Just need more certs + time I spose. Feels like I will top out around 80-90 though unless I get some more specific skill set (anyone have a suggestion on this btw?!)

All of my big advancements have come from moving jobs.  Maybe thats the secret :P, attain job, attain skills/exp, get new job, rinse and repeat :P.

Josiecat

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #28 on: January 16, 2018, 01:38:02 PM »
Healthcare Sr. Project Manager.  No degree.

the_gastropod

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #29 on: January 16, 2018, 01:40:11 PM »
I've changed my job about 4 times in my engineering career and only make $60k now. :/ I can't complain though.

What kind of engineering do you do? How many years of experience do you have?

jorjor

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #30 on: January 16, 2018, 01:43:59 PM »
Step 1) Identify a career where salaries that high are the norm.
Step 2) Become qualified for one of those careers.
Step 3) Profit.

Yep. Passed a bunch of actuarial exams.

Bearblastbeats

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #31 on: January 16, 2018, 01:44:54 PM »
idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.

KC metro here 28yo, I've been a Sys Admin for 5~ years and make roughly 70 with some nice benefits. Just need more certs + time I spose. Feels like I will top out around 80-90 though unless I get some more specific skill set (anyone have a suggestion on this btw?!)

All of my big advancements have come from moving jobs.  Maybe thats the secret :P, attain job, attain skills/exp, get new job, rinse and repeat :P.

My thoughts exactly.

I never finished my bachelors, only have an associates and a few certs. I spent the last 7 years hopping and climbing up. When I did my last hop I went from working as an architectural associate making $37k, to a project engineer at $47k. Since I've been at my  current job, My first two raises were quite generous (both at 9%+). I'm going on my 4th year and am up for another raise and review. I'm at $60k now and should expect at least 2% or more hopefully.

If I were to include my bonuses as well as the money from flooring installing on most weekends and money from my music career, I would guess I'm close to $100K. Let's just say I've never really worried about money because I can always make more.

JLee

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #32 on: January 16, 2018, 01:45:07 PM »
idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.

KC metro here 28yo, I've been a Sys Admin for 5~ years and make roughly 70 with some nice benefits. Just need more certs + time I spose. Feels like I will top out around 80-90 though unless I get some more specific skill set (anyone have a suggestion on this btw?!)

All of my big advancements have come from moving jobs.  Maybe thats the secret :P, attain job, attain skills/exp, get new job, rinse and repeat :P.

http://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/kansas-city-mo/secaucus-nj/70000

Simply relocating and getting a new job in a HCOL area would probably get you a 6-figure salary.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #33 on: January 16, 2018, 01:46:38 PM »
I've changed my job about 4 times in my engineering career and only make $60k now. :/ I can't complain though.

What kind of engineering do you do? How many years of experience do you have?

Yeah, what industry and years experience and qualifications make a huge difference. Next year will probably be the first year DH goes over $100k solo, and he has his masters and PE and works for a consulting firm. Depending on when you count his work experience starting, he has either 7 or 9 years experience.

big_owl

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #34 on: January 16, 2018, 01:48:49 PM »
Graduated college in 2011 with an engineering degree. Got first real job in January 2012.

Started out at 50k, climbed an average of ~10k per year and broke 100k for the first time this year with a big unexpected bonus (gross 116k).

I feel like I've gotten lucky although I have worked hard / outperformed my peers to get here.
I would say this is not the norm and depends both on industry and location.  Some fields and locations this just isn't feasible to climb this fast.  How much overtime were you working for these?  How many promotions and new positions?

I graduated in 2003 at $55k and hit $100k in 2007 with a EE degree.   For me the key was to move from tier 2 automotive supplier to a small-business aerospace company.  I switched to the energy industry in 2008 and took a small pay cut for the move but was back above $100k the next year.  That's base salary, bonuses would be on top of that.  My other half makes a whole ton more money than me but she's not in engineering. 

Seems like in engineering your salary shoots up quick but then levels off unless you go into management.  My wife, in business, was slower to move up than I was but has since left me in the dust.  I'm ok with it.

Papa bear

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #35 on: January 16, 2018, 01:49:55 PM »
Sales, sales, sales, sales.  Including staffing/recruiting.

Or start a service business in the trades - electrician, hvac, or plumbing.

Or a lot of other positions that we represent and place.



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Bearblastbeats

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #36 on: January 16, 2018, 01:52:09 PM »
I've changed my job about 4 times in my engineering career and only make $60k now. :/ I can't complain though.

What kind of engineering do you do? How many years of experience do you have?

TBH, I'm not even a 'real' engineer because I'm not licensed. However, I would be Industrial Engineer in this position. We design and program conveyor layouts, robotics, automation.. Some of us here have Bachelors. We have one Electrical Engineer who does the programming. I have an associates in Architecture and Civil Engineering but I've built houses most of my life. They took me in because I'm a whiz at most CADD software and I use those transferable skills mainly in the project management side of my work.

I do know that the salesmen at my work make well over $100K and probably even $200. One project manager who works here makes over $100k, He even makes more than my Engineering Manager. (He's not too happy about it).

FireHiker

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #37 on: January 16, 2018, 01:58:04 PM »
Spouse and I are both electrical engineers, both went to a great state school (minimal debt in my case, none in his because GI bill). We live in a HCOL area. He graduated college 1998, I in 2000. Our salaries are 153k (his) 120k (mine...yes, same degree from same school, working at same company, and I still only make 78% of what he does. Thankfully my current supervisor has worked hard the last few years to make it a smaller gap after I moved over to management). Neither of us work overtime at this point in our careers. I have gone into management but still make less than he does; that tends to vary depending on the company.

Other people I know who make the same (or more) are: Ph.D scientists working in industry (not sure how research compares), manufacturing engineers, IT company owners, program management/planning (often with a technical background although one I know who broke into six digits works for a local construction company), airline pilot, sales, medical field (a friend of ours is an MRI tech and he makes more than I do but works a lot of overtime, I know someone making upwards of 90k but not quite 100k in accounting within a medical group, mostly managing the finance office now).

BigHaus89

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #38 on: January 16, 2018, 02:11:10 PM »
idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.

KC metro here 28yo, I've been a Sys Admin for 5~ years and make roughly 70 with some nice benefits. Just need more certs + time I spose. Feels like I will top out around 80-90 though unless I get some more specific skill set (anyone have a suggestion on this btw?!)

All of my big advancements have come from moving jobs.  Maybe thats the secret :P, attain job, attain skills/exp, get new job, rinse and repeat :P.

Additional certs/licenses will be the way to keep climbing the salary ladder. Just more time studying and taking tests to make more money.

Not sure exactly what your duties are, but the Cisco certifications might help you advance your career further.

Schaefer Light

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #39 on: January 16, 2018, 02:17:14 PM »
I learned on a career webinar yesterday that 8% of American workers earn $100k+ per year.  It would be interesting to know what percentage of these workers live in HCOL areas.

damnedbee

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #40 on: January 16, 2018, 02:18:46 PM »
I make $100k+ in a HCOL area (DC) as a non-profit director. For reference, $20K was my entry-level salary in the field about 20 years ago. For me, it's been a matter of being willing to move into more stressful managerial roles. I haven't enjoyed it much (hence, the desire to FIRE), but that's certainly where the money is.

Paul der Krake

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #41 on: January 16, 2018, 02:19:10 PM »
idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.
Because this community is self-selected and generally blows the general population out of the water on every development metric, and unlike real life, aren't shy to broadcast their achievements. So it feels like everyone is killing it.

Lan Mandragoran

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #42 on: January 16, 2018, 02:22:07 PM »
idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.

KC metro here 28yo, I've been a Sys Admin for 5~ years and make roughly 70 with some nice benefits. Just need more certs + time I spose. Feels like I will top out around 80-90 though unless I get some more specific skill set (anyone have a suggestion on this btw?!)

All of my big advancements have come from moving jobs.  Maybe thats the secret :P, attain job, attain skills/exp, get new job, rinse and repeat :P.



http://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/kansas-city-mo/secaucus-nj/70000

Simply relocating and getting a new job in a HCOL area would probably get you a 6-figure salary.

Yeah would be something I would consider if I had a bit different of a situation (family and such). Still seems some here manage it even in the midwest (which is probably just them being awesome =] ).

idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.

KC metro here 28yo, I've been a Sys Admin for 5~ years and make roughly 70 with some nice benefits. Just need more certs + time I spose. Feels like I will top out around 80-90 though unless I get some more specific skill set (anyone have a suggestion on this btw?!)

All of my big advancements have come from moving jobs.  Maybe thats the secret :P, attain job, attain skills/exp, get new job, rinse and repeat :P.

Additional certs/licenses will be the way to keep climbing the salary ladder. Just more time studying and taking tests to make more money.

Not sure exactly what your duties are, but the Cisco certifications might help you advance your career further.

Scheduled to do my VCP this year and my CCNA next year, my work wants me to be a generalist though... which probably isnt ideal for long term salary.

The strategy part of careers and specific careers is something that doesn't get discussed enough imo. It is quite a useful skill (that I'm not great at), that often isn't purposefully thought about.

SC93

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #43 on: January 16, 2018, 02:24:09 PM »
$3.17 investment in house cleaning. No degree, no nothing.... just worked hard. Got my 1st worker kind of quick and it snowballed from there. Sometimes I wish I hadn't of sold it.... then a few hours later I sober up (actually I don't drink, just being funny). :)

There is a guy that used to go down to Louisiana and buy shrimp. Brought it back and sold it on the corner. Before too long he had almost every chef in town asking him to bring back different things from the coast. Now he makes a hefty amount selling wholesale & retail and has even opened a few seafood restaurants. But it all started with 1 cooler of shrimp.

I think nowadays it's easier to make a hefty amount of money than it used to be.

Are you interested in making a lot of money or being a millionaire? Most millionaires are just regular people. Teachers rank #4 on the millionaire list just so you know. <<< This list isn't released yet but I think it will be this year. So as you see, it doesn't take a huge salary, it just takes a plan.

honeybbq

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #44 on: January 16, 2018, 02:28:38 PM »
Ph.D. in a STEM field = $$$

Lan Mandragoran

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #45 on: January 16, 2018, 02:31:19 PM »
idk how people on here seem to do it so quickly.
Because this community is self-selected and generally blows the general population out of the water on every development metric, and unlike real life, aren't shy to broadcast their achievements. So it feels like everyone is killing it.

Hah yes, I spose this is a big part of that. And I'm on these forums with all you special folk ;)! Surely that must mean good things for my future!

Aelias

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #46 on: January 16, 2018, 02:35:21 PM »
For us--it's a combination of 0 undergrad debt, being professionals, and living in a HCOL area.  We were both lucky enough to get through private undergrad with a combination of scholarships and parents.

I make around $175K all in (part of that is annual bonus) as an in-house attorney.  It's actually just slightly less than I made 9 years ago at my first fancy law firm job.  But, over time, I traded $$$ for better work/life and more interesting work.  Very happy with that decision.  Also note--around $150K in law school debt.  The high interest we paid down fast.  The low interest, we're paying down on schedule.

My husband is right around $100K as an electrical engineer with a BS.  He worked his way up--his first job started at about $45K in 2005.  Also got a nice but not life changing $35K payout when his company got bought.

Travis

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #47 on: January 16, 2018, 02:45:28 PM »
<--US military officer.  4-year degree (subject matter immaterial). Starting salary in 2003 was $24k before allowances. Fast forward to today after a few promotions my base salary is $94k, plus $24k in untaxed allowances.

frogstomp81

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #48 on: January 16, 2018, 02:53:16 PM »
Merchant Mariner. 120k this year for working 5 months. When times were better I made 180k for 6 months. Even unlicensed mariners can come close to 6 figures for 6 months of work per year, which is the fairly typical schedule.


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MightyAl

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Re: How do people make $100+ salary?
« Reply #49 on: January 16, 2018, 03:01:08 PM »
Mechanical Engineer at 120k in an extremely LCOL area.  Had an interview in HCOL and told them 160k was my minimum.