http://education.yahoo.net/degrees/articles/featured_five_secrets_of_a_75k_salary.html Five Secrets of a $75k Salary By Natalie Morris Does the possibility of earning $75,000 feel completely out of your grasp? You’re not alone–the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports median earnings of less than $40,000 in this country. But if you’re reaching for more, don’t give up now. With hard work, a commitment to career training, and these five secrets, you could find that $75k just around the corner. Secret #1: Get an advanced degree Earn a college degree and you’ll earn more money than without one. Earn an advanced degree and you’ll earn even more money. Seems logical…because it’s true! According to a 2007 U.S. Census Bureau report, those with advanced degrees earned nearly $15,000 more annually than those with only a bachelor’s. In many cases, those who obtain a graduate degree take on extra responsibility and income. For example, attorneys earn almost double the salary of paralegals. Even part-time lawyers can earn nearly $75k. BLS 2008 median salary: $124,750 Career training secrets: Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field; Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school (required). Secret #2: Manage information and resources As you accept more responsibility for staff, communication, and finances, you’ll be more likely to see a corresponding salary increase for your efforts. If you like the idea of being a manager but don’t like the idea of a traditional desk job, consider becoming a film or television producer. In this role you’d manage the financial and business end of a production, from hiring the director to pursuing investors. Hands-on work experience leads to new industry contacts, which are nearly as important as career training in this field. BLS 2008 median salary: $83,030 Career training secrets: Bachelor’s degree in finance; Master of Business Administration from an online or traditional university. Secret #3: Hone your people skills If you want to earn $75,000 or more, start giving your schmoozing skills a workout. Your ability to converse, charm, and persuade can make or break your career. In addition to schmoozing, fields like public relations require a wide range of people skills such as coordinating events, managing conflict, and negotiating deals. As a PR manager, your day would be filled with writing news releases, pitching stories, and prepping executives for speeches and interviews. BLS 2008 median salary: $101,220 Career training secrets: Bachelor’s degree in public relations or communications; M.B.A. can be helpful for career growth. Secret #4: Go high-tech As the world becomes increasingly complex and technology-driven, you can choose to embrace the high-tech changes or hide from them. Just keep in mind that workers who embrace technology will continue to be in demand and require high salaries. For example, the BLS expects network-related professions such as information systems analyst to grow at more than 37 percent over a decade. Information systems analysts must stay up-to-date on current technologies and industry changes, so ongoing career training through online colleges or brick-and-mortar technical classes must be a priority. BLS 2008 median salary: $73,830 Career training secrets: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or management information systems; an M.B.A. with an IT focus can be a huge advantage for moving into management. Secret #5: Study the numbers Companies need employees who can crunch numbers, analyze spreadsheets, and make recommendations about financial decisions. High-paying financial careers include accountants, actuaries, and stockbrokers. If you’ve got a good balance of communication skills and number smarts, take a look at a financial analyst career. In this job, you’d pour over company data and financial statements, so make sure you enjoy paying attention to the smallest details. The BLS expects the financial analyst occupation to grow much faster than average due to increased regulatory scrutiny. BLS 2008 median salary: $84,780 Career training secrets: Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or business; an online or traditional M.B.A. will provide the best opportunities. Don’t settle for average, especially when it comes to your career and your salary. Inventory your strengths, look at the options, and choose the degree and career training path that will push you ahead of the pack.
Similarly, there are G.W. Bush-types who are born into worlds in which 7-digit compensation is normal. Comparing these people to us is not too different from comparing us to people who expect to earn $40,000/year for most of their lives.
Huh?
I interpreted the purpose of your original post as conveying that it is strange that a $75k salary is beyond the reach of many people. My response is that to people born of particular privilege, the amount of money that we will earn in our lifetimes is also very small.
I remember as a kid someone told me if I was lucky I could make 50k… I was in 4th grade. guess you cant teach cocky
My OB teacher in university asked us (class of a few hundred) how many would quite school for a $50k job, nobody said yes. Then he started in with the statistics…but nobody bit and he thought we were all detached from reality
When I read it I saw it as an ad for on-line MBA programs (all the “from an on-line or traditional school” stuff). Sure enough, go to the actual article and there are tons of ads for on-line programs. I love it when advertisers try to mask themselves as journalists, but feel bad for the people that can’t see through it.
flynnch Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My OB teacher in university asked us (class of a > few hundred) how many would quite school for a > $50k job, nobody said yes. Then he started in > with the statistics…but nobody bit and he > thought we were all detached from reality Really, I thought most the stats say college graduates mean salary is 60-80k
Sorry… Ignore the $50k and just use a number relevant to the time you were in 2nd year university. But even still given that many people will be below the mean…
Is that right the mean college grad salary (undergrad???) us 60-80K?
kevinf12 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is that right the mean college grad salary > (undergrad???) us 60-80K? they wish
If you can get the union position, garbage collectors in NYC make around 80K
Yeah, it depends on where you live. The average income in San Francisco is much higher than the average income in Jackson, South Dakota. There are similar differences in cost of living.
kevinf12 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is that right the mean college grad salary > (undergrad???) us 60-80K? may be for masters
I haven’t looked at the salary/numbers but my point was that there are people above the mean and people below the mean. Most people will not make those massive incomes everybody talks about only a few will. But everyone thinks they will or at least they like to entertain the possibility of it. Realistically alot of people should probably not go to university if it is just a financial decision.
stromey Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > If you can get the union position, garbage > collectors in NYC make around 80K A buddy of mine and I had a conversation with a Chicago garbage man who claimed he drives in from Valparaiso, IN (a LONG 60 miles) to work as a garbage man. When we asked him the difference in pay, he explained that he makes about 40k more then what he can make in Valparaiso.