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People In This Thread All Earn Above $100k A Year And Share What They Do For A Living (30 Answers)
When people are searching for a job, money takes the least amount of discussion time, but it is one of the major factors when deciding if you are going to take a job. Whether we try to convince ourselves that money doesn’t buy us happiness or we believe that people who say that don’t know where to shop, we still need a job and we need to be paid for it.
There is something beautiful in being able to say that you earn $100k as it is a round number and it is significantly higher than the average salary in the US. But only 17 percent of Americans can boast about earning this amount or more. So what’s their secret?
Redditors who earn about $100k or more a year share what they do for a living and there is a variety of professions to choose from. Would you want to work any of these jobs? Maybe you already do? Do you earn the same? Do you work in a field that earns you that amount but it wasn’t mentioned in the list? Share it all in the comments.
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#1
Team truck driving with my wife. Last year we cleared 210k, set to make more this year. Two months of truck driving school, and February we will hit our 5 yr mark in this industry. Not bad considering we're both high school drop outs with no college under our belt.
RELATED:
#2
Got engineering degree and got into patents. Became patent lawyer. Make 700k/year from my basement in sweats in 30s. Don’t hate the player.
#3
I’m a pharmacist. I work three 8-hour shifts per week (8-5) and make just under $100K.
Chintan Shah 1 year ago
I'm also a pharmacist, PLEASE DO NOT BECOME A PHARMACIST in the USA. The job market is pretty bad. Wages haven't gone up, but rather declined in many markets over the last 5-10 years. The work is beyond stressful (no we don't just 'count pills'). But please take my advice, go into nursing, PA school, podiatry, optometry, anything but pharmacy.
#4
Hit $200k+ this year. Software development (C/C++) doing automation for a large manufacturing company. Hit $100k about 8 years ago and it's steadily increased with yearly cost of living raises, requested raises, job/role changes within the company etc.
#5
Network Engineer. By the way in some places $100K won't even pay the bills.
#6
IT Director. Started off making $19 an hour doing support for multiple clients, big, and small for 5 years. Then one client, a small municipality, had their IT Manager position open up, and they asked me to apply. My pay went from $19 an hour to a salary of $65k a year. After 4 years there another municipality in the area had their IT Director position open up, and I applied. Imposter syndrome hit hard when I got the offer letter…I got it today. I never, ever imagined I would make that much money. I only have an associates degree in networking, and 3 certifications that are kind of out dated.
#7
I'm a Data Scientist, making $125k. I've got a BS in Statistics and a knack for the machine learning stuff, so I got promoted with a raise to six figures after about a year as a Data Analyst. That was my "fresh grad" job.
I got there more quickly than average, but if you're good at math and think you can do some Python scripting, I would recommend working toward it.
Casey Payne 1 year ago
Good at math? 1 + 2 = 12? That's right, right? 21? Those are all the same numbers so everything is correct from my perspective. The answer is 3? That's witchcraft. There's no way 2 different numbers become an all new number. Yeah, I don't think I would make it as a Data Scientist because math is Satan's toenail clippers.
#8
Manager at tire store. $142K in 2022
#9
I’m a teacher at a public high school in California.
I think to actually get over 100k took about ten years. I switched to a higher-paying district in the middle of that time. Teachers in most districts here get regular pay raises based on the “salary schedule,” as well as cost of living adjustments which are negotiated.
For perspective, in my area I was able to buy a house after three years of working in my career. When you compare the cost of living in my part of rural central California with the income it’s really decent, but it wouldn’t go as far in a more expensive part of the state.
Yeah, okay. 1 year ago
To be fair, it's the district and the school that determines your wage. This teacher scored a win there, I'm assuming it's because they are good at their job so caught the attention that way. I just wish all public teachers were compensated the same everywhere.
#10
Doctor. I'm finishing up residency so I'm making around $70,000/year but I've been interviewing for jobs and expected salary would range from $280,000 to $350,000 with bonuses depending on work efficiency.
Overall, took 4 years of undergraduate, one gap year doing research, 4 years of medical school, 3 years of residency. 12 years total starting from undergraduate. Now if I could just get rid of the $500,000 in student loans...
#11
Worked as an IT monkey for 14 years and inched up from 65k to 85k.
Switched jobs twice last year to be a cloud architect and I am earning almost thrice that amount and the job is better and has more respect.
How long it stays that way in the current economic climate though is anyone's guess.
Scout Finch 1 year ago
That is a talented cat! Working in IT. I just thought they sat on the computer. J/K
#12
Wedding photography. Took about 7 years. Started out at $1,000 per wedding, 12 years later now around $4,500-$6,000 per wedding. Shoot around 30-40 a year
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 1 year ago
That's absurd. Good on them for getting paid and I'm sure the photography is excellent. But thousands of dollars to photograph one day?
#13
I started $6/hour working fast food when I was 15 and a few decades later I was making $20/hour. But, in a past couple years I went from 52k to about 110k after being promoted twice to an engineer spot. I still cut my own hair and live like I'm making 30k a year because it doesn't feel real to me yet. This is with an AS, BS, MS in STEM fields with decades of professional and military experience. Speak at least 2 languages too. Not saying to show off or anything but the struggle is real. Doesn't feel like I'm saving any money with things the way they are.
#14
jimmy__jazz said:
Travel nurse
freakinfalk added:
travel nurses pick up contracts through agencies (generally 8-13 weeks) to go assist in hospitals where they are severely understaffed. you can do local traveling where you commute everyday, or get your license in other states and truly travel. you generally need 1-2 years of experience in your specialty before you can get hired by an agency, and contracts generally include living/travel expenses for your time there
ISeeWendiGo 1 year ago
My cousin's wife (31 years old) does this, she's a cardiac nurse. Home state is Tennessee but they have lived in Honolulu, Maui, Waikiki, Juneau, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, Seattle, Portland, New Orleans, Austin, St Louis, Memphis, Miami, Orlando, Boston, DC, Charleston, Atlanta, Charlotte, and I don't know what all other places. She gets a 90 day contract, all housing and moving expenses are paid. She takes a month off after each relocation to settle in. Here income last year was over $250,000.
#15
Writer. I broke into six figures about a decade into my career by going freelance and doing marketing and consulting for tech and financial services, and now do it by writing novels.
Sally Signup 1 year ago
Writing novels is NOT where the money is unless you're really lucky. Content writers are more in demand. I don't make enough from my novels to quit my job.
#16
PhD drug discovery scientist. Made $100k at 33yrs. Now make almost $300k at 50yrs.
Weasel Wise 1 year ago (edited)
So it took someone who researches ways to keep us safe and healthy 30 years to make $100k salary. And someone who manages a place with tires made more than that within a matter of just a few years. Got it. Tires are 300% more important than science.
#17
College dropout here doing website design and online marketing. Took me about 5 self-taught years to get to $100K annually.
Headless Roach 1 year ago
"An undergrad could do it in sharepoint for a fraction of the price" 🙃
#18
Cybersecurity Architect for a Fortune 500 company. Took me 3 years and have yet to make it to the top rank in my profession yet. I get 1 month paid vacation, full benefits, matching 401k up to 10%, and I only have a bachelors degree.
#19
Population ecologist. I did 8+ years of university and was willing to work in really remote locations
#20
Industrial Millwright in a steel plant. I've been doing it for nearly 8 years, but I've had the ability to make +100k since I was ticketed.
Apprenticeship took 3 years of school and 8000hrs of work.
zububonsai 1 year ago (edited)
Totall believe it. Especially here in Germany there are a l o t of manufacturing/ metal industries desperately searching for skilled workers: I'm in my middle 40-ies and have a more than average income but my 24year old son makes more than d o u b l e than me in his first full time job ever. After 10years if school he learned "Mechatroniker"(repairing standard cars, got bored by changing tires...), then spent 2years learning full time to be a "Techniker" (specialising in constructing, maintaining and repairing electric driven cars; "it's between a Mechatroniker and an engineer"), after a short work&study stint at a German car parts manufacturer he is now employed at a company that tests batteries for e-cars of every company. They make s**t load of money with this... And son is very happy.
#21
Make $180K doing programming / signal processing with 15 years experience. I’m sure I could make more in a big city, but I like living in the country.
#22
Podiatrist 185000 took 4 yrs college 4 yrs pod school and 3 year residency. But that is my salary starting so should go up. Still 33 so I figure I got time
#23
Communication tower tech foreman. In other words, I run a crew of tower climbers doing construction, maintenance, and upgrades. I started making 100k + about 3 years ago, so 9 to get there.
It requires me to work a rough average of 60 hours a week for 100,000, though. I typically work 75 a week. This is not counting bonuses and soft/hard benefits. Adding those up puts me near 200k.
I currently install AT&T covid cannons.
#24
Public affairs. Took me about ten years, but would have gotten bigger salaries along the way if I didn’t work at a non profit. The team I manage consists of Communications, Marketing, Branding and Graphics, Education and Engagement.
My husband makes more than me and is in cyber security/ software dev. He’s been in the field for two years, and apparently is very good at it.
#25
Accounting. It took 4.5 years to make 100k. Don't be afraid to change jobs every few years, especially at the beginning of your career. It was on my 3rd job that I broke 100. Third job not including an internship.
Ophelia Vandergurgleduffen 1 year ago
Medical insurance biller, specializing in Medicare. My take home is $2600 a month. I have to know all the regulations for proper claims coding and documentation so that we meet cmpliance laws. But the “market” says I’m not worth getting better pay. I and my coworkers work to get medical bills paid by the insurance companies and answer your questions. If I didn’t have retirement approaching in less than 10 years I’d go back to school and get out of this.
#26
HVAC designer.
Started off nearly 20 years ago making $10 an hour, knowing nothing about HVAC. Learned a lot, got good, and just crossed to $103k a year (really, with benefits, - 5% 401k match immediately vested, $3,600 HSA contribution, 75% healthcare premium contribution, etc... I technically passed it a few years ago).
#27
Engineer at an auto company.
Started off getting really good math and science grades in high school and going to a top-ranked engineering school. Joined one of the auto racing teams at that school while studying mechanical and energy systems engineering. Did one internship with a smaller department in my hometown, then another internship with my current company, and finally started full-time in 2016 at $78k per year. After 6 years, 3 roles, and 2 promotions, plus annual cost of living raises, I passed $100k this year. Graduated college at 22, currently 28. First promotion got me to $87k, second got me to $105k.
#28
Hairdressing $150k a year working from home (visiting others homes, $250 per hair cut)
Then went into beauty therapy and got my bachelor in dermal science so I can provide laser based therapy. As esthatician earn $100k working in a boutique salon doing laser and light therapies and b******t stuff like cryo and fat reduction c**p.
Got bored. So applied to study at med school to head down dermatology. Graduated and earn around $150k part time - mostly dealing with skin cancers and ageing (lots of suturing and cutting cancers out of skin). Hated it. Run up my 125k hecs debt so worked and paid it off then went back to study.
Did double Bach in science with hons, and masters and now work in "skin theory" for government applications. Roughly after tax earning $300k. Working 30hr work week at best. Most rewarding job I've ever worked.
Currently trying to win grants for funding to build skin techs for use in combat field situations. Also working on the use of exo skellys and how to integrate robotics into skin health for battlefield uses. Mainly to protect our soldiers from damage.
Hopefully get into a phD program but keep being rejected as I don't have good enough grades. Really want the DR title before I die. But pads are pretty useless.
#29
I run fitness bootcamps for companies in the Bay Area. Mainly San Francisco proper.
It’s that it’s in SF that pays over $100k. Probably would not pay that in DeMoines.
#30
I am a manager in the finance group for a large, German, chemical manufacturer (in the US). Been doing it for about 15 years, started out at $39k / year and now make about $150k / year. I've been >$100k for I don't know, 7 years or so.
What do you think ?
OnAFreakingRollercoaster 1 year ago
Hey how come Sarah Elisabeth isn't on here bragging about how much she makes ??!!
Frando Bone 1 year ago
Creative Director for a global fortune 500. $250k. Started as a temp graphic designer in 2004 making just under 30k. Worked for the same company in Asia for 10 years. Now back at headquarters as head of global brand management.
Liz Downing 1 year ago
If I cloned myself and my clone and I both worked my job, I (we) would make over 100k.
Captain Awesome 1 year ago
I hit over 100k about 8 years out of college. After twenty years in that industry I took a 20k pay cut to spend more time with family. This year with the bonuses and raises I'll make more than I did when I changed jobs.
Wim Cossement 1 year ago
Those US salaries are not comparable to European ones. If you make $ 3.000 a month over here after about 5 years of experience that's already not bad. So this would be $ 5.000 in gross, times 13 is 65.000. 100k a year is already quite a lot. Medical specialists can make 250k a year but I'm guessing after taxes you'd end up with less than half left. And my unemployment pay is about $1500 now and I pay about half of it for my loan for a 2 bedroom row house, to put it in perspective.
OnAFreakingRollercoaster 1 year ago
Hey how come Sarah Elisabeth isn't on here bragging about how much she makes ??!!
Frando Bone 1 year ago
Creative Director for a global fortune 500. $250k. Started as a temp graphic designer in 2004 making just under 30k. Worked for the same company in Asia for 10 years. Now back at headquarters as head of global brand management.
Liz Downing 1 year ago
If I cloned myself and my clone and I both worked my job, I (we) would make over 100k.
Captain Awesome 1 year ago
I hit over 100k about 8 years out of college. After twenty years in that industry I took a 20k pay cut to spend more time with family. This year with the bonuses and raises I'll make more than I did when I changed jobs.
Wim Cossement 1 year ago
Those US salaries are not comparable to European ones. If you make $ 3.000 a month over here after about 5 years of experience that's already not bad. So this would be $ 5.000 in gross, times 13 is 65.000. 100k a year is already quite a lot. Medical specialists can make 250k a year but I'm guessing after taxes you'd end up with less than half left. And my unemployment pay is about $1500 now and I pay about half of it for my loan for a 2 bedroom row house, to put it in perspective.
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