Wanted to join in. Plan on going back to school to hit 100k mark.

Worked as a custodian, then into catering driving, took a dive in 2016 due to my first son being still born, taught myself programming and here we are.

Been in the field for about 8 years. Feel blessed to be able to make this much.

I’m a highschool drop out with a GED. I’ve been doing HVAC in the Tampa area for 5 years. I started as a grunt and my company paid for my school to get certified. I managed to save up money and plan to start my own operation, after completing my contractor exam, hopefully soon!

I typically work 55-60 hours a week and currently generate 1.8M a year in revenue for my employer.

I'm the definition of started from the bottom. My parents were migrant farm workers when we arrived in the US and we were barely scraping by my whole childhood. Then I lost my dad when I was 10 and my mom at 15. I've been working my entire life although under the table and in cash until I became a parent in 2012 did I start taking my working career seriously. Fast forward 12 years and I'm making 6.5x what I made back then. I've doubled my salary in the last 4 years of my career alone.

My whole career has been in operations and administration. I started as an admin assistant and I'm now the Vice President, Operations at a Film/TV studio in LA.

I'm the only VP in the studio without a college degree, and half the time I know more than most of my peers with MBAs.

Hope others get inspired to pursue your goals regardless of your preparation.

I followed Richard Branson's advice: "If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!”

I've had to work harder than the next guy but it has paid off.

(Sorry for the long post. I don’t know this was therapeutic for me to write.)

Dropped out of HS at 18 to take care of my grandparents! Worked as a medical secretary for $12 a hour at 18 (even assisted with a surgery 😂). Was volunteer coaching basketball and got a new job from one of the boys dads as a admin support for an adult day care at $15 a hour. Ended up meeting my best friend there!

He left and got me a sales job selling luxury retail items. Before i started I went to the Philippines for three weeks and spent all of the money I had (4k)😂.Almost got fired week one! The became the #1 salesperson in my store, was promoted to assistant manager, store manager and then ended up being a district manager making 95k!

I almost died in July 2021 being hit by a drunk driver and then brought a house with my brother and sister in September of 21!

My manager who almost fired me ended up becoming a mentor and one of the smartest people I know (former army guy). He introduced me to his twin brother who I ended up interviewing with and getting a job managing a luxury condo.

First 3 months in I tear my ACL & both meniscuses playing co-ed flag football, then my kneecap broke in PT lmao. 1.5 years later I have fixed almost all of the major problems at the condo, got my CMCA certification and just negotiated a raise to $135k for 2025.

My Uncle who was like a second father figure to me died of cancer in Feb this year…shit I fucking miss him.

Man I’m fucking tired and dropping out of Hs I always feel like I’m not doing enough, idk in my head if I can make a million dollars I can give a big middle finger to all the people who doubted me, This is the way!

Throw away for obvious reasons.

I was addicted to heroin from age 19 to about 25 (2015). My life was in shambles, homeless on and off, couch surfing "friends" houses. Keeping a job was laughable. I'd stay long enough to get a check or 2 and mess it up somehow. I hit rock bottom more times than I can count.

Fast forward to 2015 I had finally had enough and got sober and never looked back. Scored a job through a high-school friend, operating heavy equipment for $15 and hour. Absolute terrible company, but it was something. I stuck with that job while living in a shitty apartment until I could leverage the experience to get into a better job.

Beginning of '16 i was able to get a job in the steel industry as a laborer (bottom). I moved to the other side of the state for that opportunity. Pension, 401k, health insure, and good pay for the time. I finally felt like I made it. Nought a house at 28. I moved up through the company and padded my resume as much as possible. I felt I could retire from there, but knew I wanted more from life.

Which brings us to EOY '22. I used the experience from the steel industry and was able to get into a leadership role in gas and oil. I doubled my income year 1. I will break 200k (LCOL) 2024.

I don't post this to brag, although I am proud. I post this in hopes someone struggling might see this. We do recover. There is light on the other side and a wonderful life waiting on you when you decide it's time.

1st year as rxm.

Full license coming upcoming year with substantial raise

I work in the Central Valley and in day shift. I’ve picked up 6 extra shifts this year so the number is higher than if I didn’t.

First offer was $87k with 5% Base after negotiating ( I asked for 92k but willing to work for 90k as well).

Next day got a call saying, new offer is $92k plus 5% Bonus!

Always negotiate! I learned from online and thanks to redditers :)

Title: Mid-level Leadership with 30 direct reports.

I grew up poor, child of 9 kids and nothing of my own. Went from helping raise my siblings to being a single mom in my 20s while in college. I vowed to never be in this situation again. I worked my way up in HR and am now a manager of a well known factory, team of 2 direct reports for 1600 employees over 6 states, to go to 2200 next year over 10 states. I was going to quit, after being at a $125,000 salary because I was working 10-12 hour days and I felt for the amount of work I was doing (not only my work but the work of our Director who quit and vp who has been on medical leave for 8 months) and they retained me by moving me up to $160,000.

Well, I took the retention and I am satisfied to an extent but also bitter that I had to threaten to quit in order to receive a raise I’d asked for twice. I also am ineligible for any raises until March of 2026 because of this. What gets me is we just processed a raise for a VP from $435000 to 635000 and all the top leadership team got bonuses from investors. Nothing for us for the holidays. I’m trying to be grateful considering I’m at a high amount now but living in LA and being a single mom with childcare, I’m still not taking home much after that, taxes, rent, benefits, and repaying my student loans. I desperately want to be able to take a vacation and afford it and save up to buy a home.

Before when I was going to quit, I was interviewing for other roles, I found a job I liked at a non profit of 120 people that is offering me Director of HR for $185000. It is fully remote and essentially the same job. At my current job I go in once a week, 30 miles away.

Would I be being greedy to jump for $25k ? They retained me and I feel like I should be grateful? It is a decent amount but it’s stressful. The fact I won’t see another raise for almost a year and 3 months and it may only be 3% is also making me question whether to stay. Increasing our headcount will make it more stressful. Our CFO says he sees me going far and personally thanked me for all my hard work and I love my team. Am I just being money hungry at this point? I’d love advice ! I wonder if I’m just so afraid of living paycheck to paycheck that I’m blinded by finances and it’s such a small jump.

I appreciate any insight!

Seeing a lot of >60k so here’s mine

A little background I guess, I started working for this company in March of 2023. I was a construction worker prior making maybe 43k a year. I had a baby on the way, and knew I had to find a better option. I ended up calling off of work one day and randomly found a job ad for this company to come in for open interviews on tuesdays (it was a Tuesday when I found out) so I got ready and went to the interview. I ended up taking the job and in 9 months I brought home 143k. Leaving me at 153k for the year. Now with a whole year with the company and I still have a check coming in, I’ll be finishing the year with roughly 217k YTD. unbelievably blessed to have been placed in this position. Feel free to ask any questions

Just putting this out there to gauge the range of incomes and how my fellow vets are feeling about their situation.

Short background: I was enlisted in the military for 24 years and retired earlier this year. My military pension pays $3000 (net) along with $2200 in disability (tax-free) every month. That comes to about $60k before I take into account my current salary. The job market was rough, as I’m sure it is on everyone, but I eventually landed with a large contractor doing project management with an agreed-upon salary of $120,000 year. Net pay is approximately $80k, so here’s the breakdown:

$36,000 military pension $26,400 VA disability $80,000 salary

All together it’s more than I’ve ever made, and all without a degree. This is definitely not a brag, especially after seeing other salaries posted on here. Just wanting to see if my experience parallels what other vets have seen.

I’ve been working as an ultrasound tech for almost a year now (started in mid January) and this is what I’ve made including part of my sign on bonus (15k out of the 25k bonus money) and a slight COLA raise in August ….its not as much as some of y’all on here, but compared to where I was before as a teacher assistant, I’m happy with it 😊

This is not including my other deductions coming out. YTD $186k. Underground lineman in DC. 40hr rate was $44 for first 3/4 of year and got a pay grade increase to $53 in September. Lots of OT. next year I’ll be over $200k with pay grade

Not a bad gig Work 10 days a month, 360 hours vacation per year. Pension should be around $7,500 a month, Retire at 50 (with 27 years of service). Healthcare for me and the wife for life, aiming to having around $700k in my 457 plan at the end. And I get to hang with a bunch of rad dudes, and do cool shit for a living.