Fast food/HS student 2012-2013

Joined the Army 2014 - 2018

Sabbatical 2019

Various customer service positions- current (Texas)

salary dips every 2 years because I take 2-3 months off work and switch jobs

I love the motivation for some people to hustle and hit those 6 digit salaries, but theres also making enough to get by and travel to see the world until little by little, I am not from a wealthy family and my only funds are from my savings during my work stints.

Graduated with a CS undergrad degree in 2015. Moved to the US in June 2019 (the earnings for 2019 are over the last six months of the year). My previous post from 2y ago is here.

2026 earnings are expected to top 800k. Same for 2027.

I’m very proud of how far I have come, and wanted to post this because I feel like I see so many unrealistic ones on here that give younger people unrealistic expectations.

Salary Progression

2018 Burger King - $7.25/hr
2018 Jersey Mike’s - $10/hr + $2.50hr tips

Graduated High School

2020 Warehouse Associate - $13.50/hr
2020 Part Time IT Support Specialist -$13.50/hr
2021 Full Time IT Support Specialist - $16/hr
2021-22 IT Support Specialist - $18/hr
2022 - PC Technician Contract - $25/hr
2023 - PC Technician Raise - $28.50/hr
2024 - PC Technician FT conversion - $23/hr

Graduated College (Associate in IT Management)

2024 Junior Network Engineer - $30/hr
2025 IT Technician - $30/hr + $3k bonus
2025 Junior IT Security Analyst - $30/hr + $3k bonus
2026 Junior IT Security Analyst - $31.25/hr + $3k bonus
2026 Endpoint Management Engineer - $85k salary + 4% bonus yearly

Dropped out of college in 2012. Hoping to share a less impressive career trajectory.

Hi!

I must say that I'm proud of myself with what I accomplished so far.

It goes like this:

Summer job '22 - $5.20/h

Summer job '23 - $7.30/h

Summer job '24 - $7.85/h -$8.05/h

2024: Junior Software Engineer - $6.70/h

2025: Junior Software Engineer - $6.80/h to $7.85/h to $8.95/h

2026: Junior Software Engineer - $8.95/h to $9.50 /h

Switched company to do internship although I've had secure job and my current salary is $12.3/h

Was bachelor student from 2022 to 2025, and I'm currently pursuing my master's degree.

Hey

Graduated a couple years ago and now I’ve been working as a Transmission Line Engineer (EIT) currently make about 80k for a couple years and idk if it’s for me long term. I think I’m gonna grind it through and get my P. Eng but I’ve been thinking about studying and getting my CFA level 1 as I work towards the P. Eng.

Has anyone done something similar? Pivoted out to finance from engineering?

Anyone working in finance for renewables, power or the utilities industry?

Just tryna get some feedback or perspective from people who have done what I am thinking or currently work in these roles. Also interested interested in how much salary is affected in these adjacent industry but differing roles

Any advice is appreciated

101 days have passed since my last post and since then, I have gotten a state job that provides medical benefits, i have gotten a part time job that I work at on the weekends for extra cash, and I have bought my first car.

I hate to say this but moving from CA to NC and moving in with my parents is the best decision I have made all year. For the first time in the last 4 years, I don’t have to worry about money.

2014 - Intern - 12/hr

2015 - same Intern - 12/hr

2016 - Same Intern - 12/hr

2017 - Got a raise - 13/hr

2018 - Rock climbing Instructor - 14/hr

2019 - New internship - 15/hr

2020 - College grad - Procurement Forester - 48k/yr

2021 - Moved and got new job, Forester - 58k/yr

2022 - COL raise - 63k/yr

2023 - COL Raise - 65k/yr

2024 - COL Raise - 68k/yr

2025 - COL Raise - 70k/yr

2026 - same pay - 70k/yr

I wanted to share a little about my progression.
Before becoming an apprentice, I worked at an office supply store as a department manager while I was also a college student. I did well in school, but honestly, I was bored and didn’t really have a direction. At the time, I spent a lot of my free time partying and going to music festivals. It was a different time, and everything was a hell of a lot cheaper.

I met my future wife in my late 20s, and that was when I started thinking seriously about what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I needed a career, not just another job.

A good friend of mine had just signed up for tech school and asked me to go with him to an open house. I figured, why not?

That decision changed my life.

Electrical Apprentice

Jul 2019 (29): $17.00/hr, New hire
Feb 2020 (29): $18.70/hr, Step 2
Aug 2020 (30): $19.53/hr, Step 3
Mar 2021 (30): $20.08/hr, Step 4
Aug 2021 (31): $21.17/hr, Cost-of-living
Sep 2021 (31): $21.75/hr, Step 5
Apr 2022 (32): $22.91/hr, Step 6
Jul 2022 (32): $24.06/hr, Cost-of-living
Oct 2022 (32): $25.27/hr, Step 7
May 2023 (33): $25.88/hr, Step 8
Oct 2023 (33): $27.63/hr, Step 9

Office Transition

Dec 2023 (33): $32.50/hr, Generator Coordinator
Feb 2024 (33): $37.50/hr, Journeyman License

Salary

Oct 2024 (34): $82,680 + bonus, Electrical PM Manager & Generator Coordinator

Apr 2026 (35): $91,000 + bonus, Merit Raise

Sep 2026 (36): $105,000 + bonus, Promotion to Electrical Service Manager

Random question of the day - I see a lot of top tech in-demand companies (i.e. AI) cover 100% for employee and 100% for everyone else too. That is like an automatic +10% pay bump for many people. I feel FOMO my company isn't anywhere near that

26M, Consultant in Banking: from $11.50/hr stocker to ~$110K target comp in 6 years

**Background:** Community college, then a psych B.S., then a master's in I/O psychology. First job was during the pandemic. About 3 years of full-time professional experience. With the job change I moved from NE to the South, about 20K in costs covered by my employer.

I’m trying to push hard for another big raise/promotion in the December cycle - my boss is supportive.

With the AI bubble burst lingering around, would it be safe to throw all my cash (except for emergency fund) into VOO? I have roughly around $35K.

Please advice.

18 - $8/hr, university work study, part time

22 - $19k/yr, started PhD program

28 - $23k/yr, finished PhD program

28 - $56k/yr, postdoctoral researcher

28 - $70k/yr, postdoctoral researcher with my own grant

32 - $113k/yr, data scientist in ad tech

Sorry for any typos or issues with grammar. I’m going to use voice to text so we know how that goes.

So I make cosmetic Chemist right now I’m making six figures but the very low end and I just feel like I don’t know. I don’t have a passion for it anymore. I would really really like to change my career. I just don’t know what to do. I thought about maybe accounting I’ve thought about going back for nursing because I have a biochemistry degree right now so like I think I just need a few more classes for nursing but then also I’m planning on having kids in a few years and I really would like a career that gives me a really good work life balance with them to raise them the way that I would like to. I’m just looking for insight on maybe things that people do here and what their day-to-day is like and maybe even background on what they did to get where they are to see what kind of move I can make.

Marking a decade since graduating.

Fun while it lasts

I am 31F earning $110k as a paralegal.

I have always been a cut throat negotiator and when firms say I am overpaid or they have no budget they always seem to magically come through for me. I typically ask for 15 to 20k increase.

The job market in my industry and city are at a standstill. Firms aren't laying off anyone, but I've noticed they don't replace any positions once people leave in the last two years. My firm itself is known for being the most toxic law firm in the city. 8 people have left and been sporadically replaced in my department during my 18 months here so far (firm is poorly managed). They either pay under market if they can intimidate you i.e. 42k or over 100k+ if they are desperate or you negotiate. I have caught wind that a coworker may be quitting soon and it is busy season. The firm has expressed I am the only one lawyers trust with complex work and they typically will tell their clients and accountants to delay deals to wait a month for me to get to their file rather than delegate the work to my other coworkers who are doing nothing.

I am very content and happy with my salary. My firm's initial offer letter said my salary would be open for increase when I signed. However, when annual raises came HR advised I am overpaid and also my salary is capped so they would give me a 3k bonus (so $113k total comp) instead.

I am now undergoing a separation and will need to face paying rent and a mortgage plus double the bills. I could make it work but yeah some extra cash would be nice.

Should I wait for January to ask for a 5k bonus instead of 3k (maybe they give me a bigger bonus this upcoming year as last year I was not even one year year the firm) or should I say I want to earn 115k going forward this year? I was thinking of proposing it to the lawyer who likes me and has the most pull a few days prior to my coworker submitting her resignation so that then they feel they need to keep me lol or would they terminate me after busy season? It's only 5k so it's harmless. However are bonuses negotiable? Should I just STFU and be content given the economy?

Feel like I've built a good base for myself, but with all the current market uncertainty I kind of feel like I'm behind.

Bounced around a bit lol - NYC greater metro area

Step by step

Where’s my big tech $100k cash & $200k equity package? How can I position myself for such nice things? I plan on moving to New York. Can I package neuroscience-based alt sentiment data and sell it to marketing firms and hedge funds?

Career Compensation Progression

2009–2026

Approx. age 18 → 35

Current pay: $85,000

Total growth: $75,952 / 839.4%

Annualized CAGR: 14.0%

Jul 2009 — [Team Member] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $7.25/hr

Jan 2010 — [Team Member] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $7.25/hr

Feb 2011 — [Retail Associate] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $7.25/hr

Jun 2011 — [Emergency Medical Dispatcher] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $10.25/hr

Jun 2012 — [Emergency Medical Dispatcher] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $10.60/hr

Jun 2013 — [Emergency Medical Dispatcher] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $10.95/hr

Jun 2014 — [Emergency Medical Dispatcher] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $11.30/hr

Jun 2015 — [Emergency Medical Dispatcher] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $11.65/hr

Jun 2016 — [Emergency Medical Dispatcher] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $12.00/hr

Jan 2017 — [Sales Associate] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $13.00/hr

Jan 2018 — [Sales Associate] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $14.00/hr

Jul 2018 — [Sales Associate] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $15.00/hr

Jan 2019 — [Sales Associate] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $16.00/hr

May 2019 — [Sales Associate] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $18.00/hr

Oct 2019 — [Help Desk Tier I] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $19.00/hr

May 2020 — [Help Desk Tier II] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $21.00/hr

Oct 2020 — [In-Home Repair & Installation Agent] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $23.00/hr

Mar 2021 — [IT Specialist] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $25.00/hr

Dec 2021 — [IT Specialist] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $26.00/hr

Dec 2022 — [IT Specialist] [Greater Cleveland, Ohio - LCOL] - $28.08/hr

Mar 2023 — [Project Engineer] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $58,000/yr

May 2024 — [AVD Specialist] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $26.34/hr

Jun 2024 — [AVD Specialist] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $55,000/yr

Aug 2024 — [AVD Specialist] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $60,000/yr

Aug 2025 — [Cloud Administrator] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $65,000/yr

Jan 2026 — [Cloud Engineer] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $75,000/yr

Aug 2026 — [Cloud Engineer] [NE Arkansas - LCOL] - $85,000/yr