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Old 06-25-2016, 11:33 AM
 
Location: MID ATLANTIC
8,673 posts, read 22,905,462 times
Reputation: 10512

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Quote:
Originally Posted by jillybean720 View Post
It sooooo depends on your field, experience, etc. I moved to NOVA in 2004 for a job paying about $31,500. I was 22. I changed jobs a few times, found my niche, and was earning six figures at age 28 (no additional education or certifications in that time, just hard work and experience).
What field?....same experience here, found my groove in mortgages.
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Old 06-25-2016, 11:46 AM
 
4 posts, read 3,561 times
Reputation: 15
I make 45K, bachelor's degree in comm/marketing so I didn't expect much more than that. I live comfortably. I'm 22 and work in DC
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Old 06-25-2016, 01:08 PM
 
1,159 posts, read 1,288,748 times
Reputation: 1361
Quote:
Originally Posted by Golddots View Post
In my mid 20's I was making $80k without a bachelor's.

I believe that is median in this area. Imho you need to be around $120-150k single to be fairly comfortable in DC metro but that's just me.
On what planet does a single person have to make $150k to be "comfortable"??
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Old 06-26-2016, 10:07 AM
 
Location: DC
2,044 posts, read 2,958,388 times
Reputation: 1824
Quote:
Originally Posted by leighland View Post
Motley Fool 2014 numbers by county ( More accurate that "Cities" due to the County/Incorporated City political structure in the Commonwealth)

#8 Montgomery County, MD $97,873

#6 Arlington County VA $101,533

#3 Howard County MD $108,503

#2 Fairfax County VA $110,658

#1 Loudoun County VA $117, 680

I think people who are from the dmv don't realize what a bubble of huge incomes/huge real estate costs we have compared to the rest of the country
This is median household income.
A few things to note about the DC area.
1. We have far higher rates of education than the rest of the country. Over 50% of our workforce has a bachelors or higher, and over 30% has a graduate degree. The typical place in america this is 25%-30% of the population. Only a few cities are close to DC in this regard, Boston, SF, and Seattle, which are all high cost of living areas with high median household incomes.
2. This area has a far higher concentration of professional jobs in this area, which draw higher incomes.

With that being said the salary of the OP is not that unusual starting out, but kind of low for a defense contractor.

DC is in a bubble, but DC should not be compared to Cleveland. It is in a small group of knowledge hubs, and the region has only a few peers in the US.
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Old 06-26-2016, 10:11 AM
 
Location: DC
2,044 posts, read 2,958,388 times
Reputation: 1824
Quote:
Originally Posted by ackmondual View Post
Another factor is if you have kids. Making $30K less can actually be fine if you don't have to support kids. I've met with folks who are raising or part of raising 2, 3, 4, or more children, and they won't even consider any job that pays less than $100K to $150K
Not having kids makes the DC area much easier to live in. I don't have kids, and well...the area is okay and one can do well with around $50k. It is kids which makes it much more difficult.
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Old 06-26-2016, 11:29 AM
 
12,905 posts, read 15,650,359 times
Reputation: 9394
Quote:
Originally Posted by DistrictSonic View Post
Not having kids makes the DC area much easier to live in. I don't have kids, and well...the area is okay and one can do well with around $50k. It is kids which makes it much more difficult.
My daughter is making just under $50K and she's renting a room in DC. Neither of us think she's "doing well" but she is surviving (although I give her *some* help such as dinner tonight).
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