Since when is money the most important thing to keep in mind when choosing a career path? With that kind of attitude, you're going to be miserable the rest of your life.

Have you considered changing majors? Business isn't too terribly exciting or difficult, maybe you should try something more challenging.

I think this shows my opinion quite accurately:



Malus: I dont know about you, but everyone I know and myself included are only looking into the jobs we are looking into for the money. You say we would be miserable, but having money is what I look for in a career. I just can't see myself having trouble paying bills because I would enjoy being a school teacher (no offense to anyone who teaches, it is a very respectable job), I want to be secure and I'll work hard for that.

If I go to college its going to be for like 1 year, then ill be getting out on boats. Seriously, boating is such an awesome way to live, you can travel the world, get payed for it, and do something exciting. So yeah, college isnt exactly nessecary to lead a good life.. and neither is money.

Personally, I like the idea of a 2-year college or something...

I started August 31 last year, and will be done December 16 of this year, with an Associate's degree. It focuses on the main classes I'll need for what I want to get into, without all the extra math and crap, not that I'm saying that's bad. It's just a great alternative for someone who doesn't want to go because it'd take too long to get to classes that actually pertain to their "goal career"

I, personally, plan on going back a little later to get a Bachelor's degree, which will basically put me in the 'general knowledge' classes (math, etc...)

It is my opinion that a college degree is far more beneficial than not, because a lot of employers like them, and it shows dedication to the career field, and it shows that you have experience, and it's further proof for the employer that you do have the necessary skills for the job. It'd be easy to just say you have a lot of experience, and that you're self-taught, but it's not as easy to prove if you don't have a degree, or some quality experience.

Don't take that to mean that I'm saying that's how it is in all cases... What I'm trying to say is that it's likely to be easier for someone with a degree to get their first job (or first few jobs) than for someone without a degree, simply because the person without the degree wouldn't really have much job-experience to help prove they have the necessary skills, whereas the guy with a degree has the degree to back him up when applying for his first job (or jobs)

The only exception I can think of is certification (like a+). The odds are far more even for both candidiates if certifications are thrown into the mix (of course it all depends on who has what certifications, how many certifications, etc...)

I'm all about doing something you enjoy, or doing what makes you happy, instead of just doing something because you think it'd pay better or something. But I think you should do what you can to get the most amount of money you could possibly earn, while at the same time not doing anything you really don't want (or can't) do, such as going to school (because you don't want to, because you can't afford it) or getting a certification (because you don't want to, or can't afford it), I say, just do what will make you happy, but at the same time, do what you can within those limits to be able to make the kind of life for yourself that you feel is right for you.

At least that's the way I see it, if you see it differently, feel free to explain, I'm definitely open to other opinions.

And, as usual, I mean no offense to anyone with this post at all, if I somehow managed to offend someone. Like I said, this is just my opinion, which could be fairly easily changed, so long as the right information is presented to me.

Well, I suppose it is a little unfair of me to think that way, since I love computers and Computer Science is my first major (the other being Math) and it pays reasonably well. However, I've seen enough unhappy people who are well off that I realized it's not worth it to be chasing money.

First off, have fun working a job you hate, even if it pays well. I know I'll be a whole lot happier doing somethng I really enjoy, even if it doesn't pay as well.

Second, teachers make a rather decent wage when you consider they don't work the entire year. Furthermore, the greater your education, the more you get paid as a teacher.

Rob, most of your so called "careers that don't really need any training" do require training. You have to go to trade school if you have any hope of being a plumber or an electrician or anyhting like that. Then, you get to apprentice with someone in the trade, working your way up the ladder before you get a master status.

Hehe. You all get worked up because of two words. I love you guys.

Oh. and I also love how you all have that "Go to college like everyone else" vibe. Way to make your own path.

The person who operates the hydraulic press on the back of the truck makes about $20.00 an hour.

The person who drives the truck with the forks to pick up the big dumpsters makes even more.

Yet teachers make squat. The allocation of wages is disturbing.

Well, many foreign companies have their factories here. It makes it confusing to decide what really is a foriegn car now. Your Dodge built by a foreign owned company or your Toyota made in America.

If we're going to talk about the best route to the most money, education has less relevance. You have to be an entrepenuer. You have to either think of something new or do something old better than others. Working for someone else won't lead most people to the big bucks.

Work vs. College: Here's the deal. They can both be traps. Say you take the college route. The average highshool student being 18 probably doesn't know what they want to do with their life. They might think they do but chances are they will change their minds for various reasons. This can lead to dropping out, routinely shifting majors, or a career in a less than satisfying occupation.

Work might give someone a chance to try new things and figure out what their will goals will be but as you start living independantly and incurring more living expense, ever going back to school or making a major career change becomes more difficult.

Personally, I feel an option that is often scoffed at and, admittedly, not for everyone is serving in the military. Pros include the fact that for a period of roughly 3-6 years you have a guaranteed income, guaranteed job training, guaranteed room and board, 100% tuition assistance. Then when you quit you'll be considered a veteran and elligible for much more financial aid and have a minimum of $30,000+ of your own education money. You will have grown and will probably have clearer goals. Plus, most parents probably won't mind their returning soldier moving back in where as they might mock the failed worker/student! Of course the biggest con includes the fact that you could go to war and die. Like I said, not for everyone but if you look past the fact that I'm talking about the military, you should see that their are many benefits to service.

I want to be a mechanical engineer. I can't do that without a college degree. College is expensive, but the fact is that it is rightfully so. College is a tool; you get access to certain resources and teaming abilities you just can't get in the real world. You choose a college based on where you would feel at home and able to develop these abilities best for yourself.

(For America...) Actually, according the 2000 census data, only 4% of the population makes $100,000 or more a year. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Indeed. 100k is more than enough to raise a family on. My family is being sustained by my mom's 25k income, while paying for college for four people. And here you are saying 100,000 is "mediocre". You're either a rich yuppie pansy or you have no sense of money and economics.

Or neither? I'm not saying 100,000 is mediocre...I'm saying the average income of uneducated people is mediocre. 100,000 is very good...but about the most anyone without a formal education would get. And oh so very rarely.

Stop putting words in my mouth.

Mediocre, okay, very good? Make up your mind. Under ordinary circumstances, no one should ever need more than $100,000 per year. Unordinary circumstances would be funding a business, project or cause, helping someone else by letting them live off your money, or raising a huge famiy (not even that if you can budget your money). That or you're a materialistic fool and you just can't stop buying crap.

Since you're kerryflopping I can't tell what exactly you think of a $100,000 per year job, but last I checked you wanted to go to RIT for software engineering. Last I checked no degree from RIT would have students making more than $65,000 per year, and I'm being generous. A B.S. in software engineering would get you $50,000 a year if you really made your education worth it. What I'm trying to point out, is whether or not you really grasp the income rates that college graduates get...

You should also add to the list a sort of "cost of living alowance". $100,000 may be plenty for where I live but living in some locations can be outrageous. $100,000/yr might, figuratively, equate to minimum wage in some areas. Generally speaking though I think $100,000 is quite well off.

I said mediocre, 100,000 dollar jobs a year AT BEST. I said okay for ME. I may/may not want more in my future...but really, I intend to live in the city, and in cities, you usually need more as per cost of living.

And I'm merely looking at RIT. There's still other options open to me. But RIT does seem like a very promising one. We'll just have to see.

Yes, this is true. I'm talking on average. And still, even in expensive areas, if you budgeted you money and saved up a little, you could afford it. My point is that just for most people unless they're doing something out of the ordinary (which, by my standards, includes very expensive living locations) shouldn't need that much money. And that point was just to show that $100,000 is a lot of money.

Good, I'd rather you not come here. My point was that it seemed that you thought college graduates made a huge starting salary, and they typically don't. Depending on what they put into their education that is.

What? I never said college graduates made a huge starting salary. It's usually 30-50k (hell, I don't even know if it's that much) . But the potential for growth into something better is there. Whereas it isn't so much in uneducated positions (or at least, not formally educated).

You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same.

It all depends on what you want to do. If you want to raise a family, you're going to need to worry about supporting them. If you intend on not having kids and possible remaining single (like me), you can sustain yourself on much less. Furthermore, if you don't really care about money (me), and don't measure your social status by how much money you make (me), just about any job will do.

True. Personally, I plan on being a bachelor, but I want to be a well-off bachelor. One who can easily take care of himself. And who enjoys his job.

That would Apply if i was someone else.

Except I'm not.

I think it is less where you live and more how you waste your money. If you can't live off of a six digit salary, you probably have more serious problems to worry about.

college isn't for me.

my reason: I hate reading stuff when I have no interest in it, and end up not retaining anything. now, hands-on stuff, that's different.


and almost every person i've met that goes to college i want to kill cause most of them have this ****ing attitude like they're hot **** or something.

i don't want to dis college or anything, it's just that people that go in to college thinking they're going to get a good-paying job, but don't know what they want to do....that just seems like a ****ty way to waste money trying to please mom and dad and grandma too because: weeeeeee! i got degreeeeeeeeee! and then they try to get a job, but the job they went to college for well, it just doesn't have any positions available at least for another decade. and that's when u get tactical, and covertly take out some of the employees so you're guaranteed the mother****in job!

My step-dad supported a family of four off of 50,000/year in washington, one of the places with the highest cost of living in the US.

Tight living, but anyone thinking 100,000 isn't that much is ****ing retarded.

Starting in the fall, I start to college to get a degree in music. Yes, it is possible to get a job playing professionally without going to college. I'm doing this because of the experience I'll gain from playing in the ensembles, and the theory behind music. It's much more beneficial to me to do this.

I was a horrible high school student, and had no love for school. When I graduated, I ended up working manual labor jobs for around 3-4 years before I decided to go to college. I stayed at home, worked part-time in retail, and attended a community college. I graduate this May with an AS in IT Programming, yet I have had not one interview for an IT job, despite aggressively seeking one for years now. My resume is all over the internet, and the only hits that I ever get are for telemarketing and manual labor positions. I have decent social skills and a 3.0 GPA (although I get A's in all of my IT courses). I couldn't even find an employer that would allow me to do an internship with their company, so I was forced to do one on campus (web-design), just so that I could graduate on time.

I'm 25 years old, and I rent out a bedroom in my parents basement. I'm a few months from a 2 year degree, and have nothing to show for it. Where am I working now? I'm doing manual labor, for 40 cents more per hour than I was making when I was 19 years old. I don't know about you folks, but it seems that despite how much I learn, I continue to go backwards. I've spent the last few years of my life, busting my *** for a degree, putting friends and family aside due to lack of time, and I'm back to where I started.

It could be argued that I should have went to university instead of a community college, which I now intend to do in Fall, but now I'm stuck with almost $8k in loans, for an education that seems to have given me absolutely nothing. If I could do it all over again, I would have been a bank robber.

Bah...tis all rather humiliating, actually.

Not if you don't place your entire worth on how much money you make. You'd be surprised at how many people do that, and it pisses me off.

I know someone, 33 years old now, left school at 16, is about to earn his first £1m.

I don't know how much education matters if all you want from a job is money.

You probably haven't seen just how little $100,000 is in some areas of California then. True, one could move but it easy to get "trapped" by one's situation. Like I said, though, I consider $100,000 to be a substantial annual salary. At least for the average person.

For me, it's less about being materialistic, and more about needing money to start a family with the girl that I've been dating for 5 years. I've been telling her that we'll get married after I graduate and land a decent job. Graduation is here, and it's rather humiliating having to tell her, and her parents that I'll be going back to school for another 3 years or so for my BA, because apparantly my AS isn't worth a damn to employers in this area. I don't mean to sound like some sort of victim, but if I could do it all over again, I wouldn't have pushed my friends and family aside for school and work, and would probably be better off now, due to simple networking.

Personally, I didn't go to college so that I could go back to working manual labor. I fractured my toe in December (a manager ran my over at work), my left wrist is swollen to hell, and I'm pretty sure that I fractured my right ring finger, but I'm not quite sure how. Here's to another few years of school, living in my parents basement, and getting hurt at work.

/me jumps back into WoW to escape from his irritating reality.

heh join teh armay.

Worked for me.

Try living in the Bay Area.

MOVE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY AND YOU'LL BE ****ING RICH THEN!

Your job may dictate otherwise.

You may not get the same amount of $$

4% of the population makes 100,000 dollars or more. It's ****ing rich, people. Get your heads out of your asses.