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Old 08-26-2015, 01:07 PM
 
1,537 posts, read 1,896,843 times
Reputation: 1430

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket88 View Post
I was just wondering if Pittsburgh is getting too much good pub. I'm not suggesting that Pittsburgh does not deserve it. It certainly does have it going on.
On CD Pittsburgh is definitely getting too much love.

Pretty much when you pop out of the tunnel, head over the bridge, and the city smacks you in the face it's all over. Ride the incline up to the lookout from Mt. Washington and that'll put any doubt to rest.

Get a taste of the south side and you're sold from a college nightlife standpoint.

Hook up with that friendly co-ed the first term. Yeah, college here is going to be alright.

Pittsburgh's mysterious, romantic, and casts a spell over visitors. It's not until later that some of the cracks start showing.

Now if you were talking back in the 90s when the burgh wasn't as great you'd still likely come to love it if you were coming from a smaller area.

Only a few ways you might not like Pittsburgh IMO:

- You do a dumb ass thing like go on a shopping spree and decide to walk around with your bags in some of the sketchier areas. Being from a small area with little crime you're so shell shocked you immediately drop out and head home.

- You decide to live at home in the burbs to save money and just hang out with your old HS friends every weekend.

- You hate sports. You hate the Steelers even more and say so at every turn.

- You're an old money snob and only like the most cosmopolitan of places. If you need to be at the best nightclubs with celebrity sightings, sorry it's not going to work out.

- You've graduated, hung around until your late 20s and now are looking for a career that you just can't find there.

For most college students just give em something new, cheap beer, a good social scene, and a feeling that attending class isn't a waste of time and that's about all you need. Everything else is a bonus.
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Old 08-26-2015, 03:54 PM
 
1,303 posts, read 1,805,518 times
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Part of the "hype" is the sticker price of cheaper real estate. Many outsiders don't realize that the reason many of these properties are so cheap is because they require tens of thousands of dollars in updates and repairs.
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Old 08-26-2015, 04:07 PM
 
508 posts, read 883,595 times
Reputation: 232
Pittsburgh will live up to its expectations when enough out-of-towners move in and make it home.
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Old 08-26-2015, 04:35 PM
 
5,802 posts, read 9,852,741 times
Reputation: 3051
Quote:
Originally Posted by WhoIsStanwix? View Post
In my field, I could most certainly make $30k more in Philly. In fact, if I didn't have an out of town employer here and work from home, I would probably make $20-30k less in my own field working for a local employer based upon what I know about their salaries and bonus structures. I stand by my statement that there are many factors at play, and that $30k pay cut (or increase) depending upon your field, experience, and current comp isn't at all out of the realm of possibility for Philly to Pittsburgh.
Then you are seriously being underpaid, even by Pittsburgh standards today, if you can get 30k more in Philly with the exact same position and skill set..... Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are not $30K apart in Median income for the same position and skill set.

Pittsburgh and DC, yes
Pittsburgh and NYC, yes
Pittsburgh and SF, yes
Pittsburgh and Chicago, maybe somewhat
Pittsburgh and Boston, yes
Pittsburgh and Philly.... NO
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Old 08-26-2015, 05:30 PM
 
377 posts, read 664,166 times
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Here is a list of RANDOM Job Salary Differences between Philadelphia/Pittsburgh.
In general, you'd need to make $61K in Philly to attain the same standard of living as you would get for $40K in Pittsburgh. So some of the differences below appear to make Pittsburgh a real bargain. Obviously, there are many, many more comparison sources, so take this data as an "example". Also, Cost of Living is only 1 reason for selecting a city, particularly for Millennials.

Programmer (Degreed) $80K/$70K
Electrical Engineeer $96K/$87K
Computer Systems Analysts $90K/$74K
Systems Software Engineer $99K/$78K
Construction Workers $44K/$32K
Accountants (Degreed): $78K/$67K
Computer/IT Managers: $148K/$124K
Customer Service Rep: $38K/$33K
Technical Writers (Degreed): $74K/$61K
Nurse Practioner: $90K/$87K
Construction Laborers : $42K/$37K
Electricians : $64K/$55K
Carpenters: $52K/$47K
Financial Analyst: $82K/$75K
Pharmasist: $112K/$102K
Chief Executives (Professional Organizations) : $211K/$188K
Accounting Clerks $40K/$35K
Physicians/Surgeons $186K/$195K
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Old 08-27-2015, 02:23 AM
 
5,802 posts, read 9,852,741 times
Reputation: 3051
Quote:
Originally Posted by acenturi View Post
Here is a list of RANDOM Job Salary Differences between Philadelphia/Pittsburgh.
In general, you'd need to make $61K in Philly to attain the same standard of living as you would get for $40K in Pittsburgh. So some of the differences below appear to make Pittsburgh a real bargain. Obviously, there are many, many more comparison sources, so take this data as an "example". Also, Cost of Living is only 1 reason for selecting a city, particularly for Millennials.

Programmer (Degreed) $80K/$70K (10K difference)
Electrical Engineeer $96K/$87K ((9K Difference)
Computer Systems Analysts $90K/$74K (16K Difference)
Systems Software Engineer $99K/$78K (21K Difference)
Construction Workers $44K/$32K (12K)
Accountants (Degreed): $78K/$67K (12K)
Computer/IT Managers: $148K/$124K (24K)
Customer Service Rep: $38K/$33K (5K)
Technical Writers (Degreed): $74K/$61K (13K)
Nurse Practioner: $90K/$87K (3K)
Construction Laborers : $42K/$37K (5K)
Electricians : $64K/$55K (14K)
Carpenters: $52K/$47K (5K)
Financial Analyst: $82K/$75K (7K)
Pharmasist: $112K/$102K (10K)
Chief Executives (Professional Organizations) : $211K/$188K (23K)
Accounting Clerks $40K/$35K (15K)
Physicians/Surgeons $186K/$195K (7K)
So not even being CEO gets you a 30K difference between Philly and the Burgh. Most of these Professional Positions fall right in line with the ~10k difference range that I originally pointed out.
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Old 08-27-2015, 11:49 AM
 
Location: Crafton via San Francisco
3,463 posts, read 4,622,952 times
Reputation: 1595
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket88 View Post
I was thinking about any prospective visitor or newcomer's stance, not necessarily college students.
A dear friend from SF just visited me for three days. She had never been to Pittsburgh. At the end of her stay she told me that she thought the city was "charming" and that she completely understood why I moved here. All of my friends who have visited me here have said similar things. They are close friends who wouldn't sugarcoat their assessments to make me happy. Not all felt it would be a good fit for them, but they all had positive opinions about Pittsburgh.
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Old 08-27-2015, 11:51 AM
 
Location: Crafton via San Francisco
3,463 posts, read 4,622,952 times
Reputation: 1595
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryRSpooner View Post
Pittsburgh will live up to its expectations when enough out-of-towners move in and make it home.
I'm one of them! I hope I'm the kind of out-of-towner who enhances expectations.

Last edited by Goodjules; 08-27-2015 at 12:28 PM..
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Old 08-27-2015, 11:52 AM
 
Location: Crafton via San Francisco
3,463 posts, read 4,622,952 times
Reputation: 1595
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moby Hick View Post
Winter is great. The stupid sun goes away.
My sentiments exactly!
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Old 08-27-2015, 11:55 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
29,627 posts, read 34,112,869 times
Reputation: 76631
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodjules View Post
A dear friend from SF just visited me for three days. She had never been to Pittsburgh. At the end of her stay she told me that she thought the city was "charming" and that she completely understood why I moved here. All of my friends who have visited me here have said similar things. They are close friends who wouldn't sugarcoat their assessments to make me happy. Not all felt it would be a good fit for them, but they all had positive opinions about Pittsburgh.
And I think despite all the good press, Pittsburgh still has the reputation of being a blighted industrial wasteland. I've had visitors, too, who've said that Pittsburgh wasn't at all what they thought it would be, but still, Pittsburgh is still the butt of jokes when people need to pick a place that sounds funny that no one would want to be.
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