Is $36,000 good salary to start out after college?

[atlantis91]

This will be the entry level salary for my friend who lives in Indiana. Do you think it is good?

Updates

+1 y

$36,000 a year*

Updates

+1 y

For those of you who wanted to know, he is a business administrations graduate and will be doing something in that field with a global company.. I don't think I can give any more details.. :/

[Theguyoverthere]

In NY I think that's pretty good. I don't even think I make that working two jobs over 50 hours a week. Cost of living is very expensive here compared to other states. Irony is that people going to school end up having to live like they make 25-30K even though they may make 40K+ cause of all the loans. However over the course of years(assuming the economy gets better and jobs are stable) they can live a lot better after having paid all that off.

[atlantis91]

I thought it wouldn't be so good in NY.

Everything in NY is so expensive!

[Moloch]

Anything you can get. Your entry level job is not about how much you make, it's about getting your foot through the door and getting some experience.

[realmucoy94]

Honestly its better then having no job right out of college. Sometimes you just have to take what you get until a better opportunity comes along.

[vishna]

That's a very good salary..

He should be thankful, and it should only get better.

[3336PS]

not bad for starter

but also hrs. for the job and type of job.

[islands7]

That would be an average salary for USA but better than no job or one with no future

Global can mean more job security but also widespread layoffs as the manager goofs that screwed up keep their jobs after sinking the ship.

Look for intangibles like

guaranteed % raises

promotions after xx years

car/expenses

stock buy - corp matches

retirement

health benes

vacation/sick pay

THEN

evaluate his future

[atlantis91]

That's true. And it is a good answer. Thanks..

[AlexNAVY]

Wow really? $36,000 after college? It's not a lot, but not all of us are lawyers, doctors and software developers. Sounds good though for a profession other than any of those I mentioned above. You do realize it isn't really helpful at all that you didn't say what she's doing, right? The profession is a critical factor in determining if she's paid well or not.

[atlantis91]

i answered your question in an update..

[AlexNAVY]

Pretty good I suppose. The pay is definitely desirable and to take into account that he actually managed to get a job at it after graduation is amazing by itself - unless of course he used his ties...

Anyway that's pretty neat like the others said, he got it good there.

[MikeK]

Seems decent... not bad but certainly not spectacular...

I was making $52,000 a year when I was 21 as a courier for FedEx - no school at all :P

But I had to bust my ass for it (something college grads really don't have to do after getting a degree).

[DutchAtheist]

Jesus, are all salaries that high in the US?

[Xuande]

I feel so underpaid... salaries in the US sound pretty good.

[atlantis91]

No not all salaries are that high.. Minimum wage is still

Under 8 dollars per hour and getting a full time job is a challenge.. Where are you guys from?

[MikeK]

Pretty soon now, the new minimum wage in MN is going to be $9.25 an hour...

[MikeK]

But also bear in mind that food prices are SOARING in the US - pretty soon, Orange Juice is going to be more than $5 bucks, milk more than $5 bucks... eggs, bread, waffles, soda - EVERYTHING is getting ridiculously expensive... Gas is going up to $5 a gallon...

[atlantis91]

I bought my gas for $3.59 a gallon yesterday in walmart. But I live in Indiana and I guess that makes a difference (: but yes, prices are going up..

[MikeK]

Ha! I thought gas was expensive out in IL/IN...

It's still about $3.50 here too... but summer is just around the corner... it's going up ;)

[kheserthorpe]

Hint: don't tell Europeans how expensive gas is in the u.s. Its cheap in the u.s.

[MikeK]

True - what is it, almost $10 a gallon in Europe now?

[MrOracle]

That's not bad for Indiana, no. It would be lousy in California, but the cost of living here is much higher.

[MrOracle]

Remember, this is a STARTING salary, and if he's good and works at it, he should move up at a decent rate. I tripled my salary in under 10 years when I was working in IT.

[atlantis91]

wow, that's awesome. So did you end up changing jobs anyways?

[MrOracle]

Yeah, part of the problem with that world was being laid off a lot, so I ended up starting my own business instead (which is a whole other topic).

[DanAG]

Sounds pretty decent. But it really depends on the field they are in. Starting salaries can vary a lot depending on the degree.

For a single person who knows how to save and invest that's enough salary to become a millionaire by retirement age.

[tadpole25]

Before the recession, you are doing well if you walk out of college with a $50-60k job.

Now, if you walk out of college with a job that pays $30k , or a full time job at all, you are lucky

[myspacemybroke]

Really depends on the field. If they're a lawyer/doctor or some other highpayed, high tuition career it's a bit low I guess. Sounds alright to me though.

[myspacemybroke]

Assuming there's a regular and fairly decently sized raises as well as bonuses I suppose, given the career, 36 grand is fairly decent.

[TVGuy2012]

$36,000 entry level for a job after college...that is okay. In these tough times, it is great. Depends also on how much college cost him as well.

[funkadelic5]

It's pretty good if it's enough to live off of, don't you think?

[AdmiralAckbar]

that's the starting salary for a typical x-wing pilot. Not a bad wage

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's a decent salary. VERY easy to live comfortably on that. .

[gonyr]

That's ideal. I'd love that

[ilovetohelp13]

It definitely is considering that other graduates earn less.

[Anonymous]

I wish I could hire people for that. Lol.

[pr3ttybr0wn]

I think that's very good

[Prof_Don]

Yes it is...sounds about right.

[Anonymous]

its on the low end of acceptable

[Anonymous]

Hey better than nothing.

[Anonymous]

In this economy I guess it is okay.

[Anonymous]

Average at my school is 55k.

[RedSmartie]

It's low-average.

[Janson]

i think so yeah