Help! (San Francisco: 2011, to rent, how much)

[rw2009]

I am a 20-year-old guy who will be graduating from college in fall 2010. I would like to move to San Francisco and try to find an entry-level job with a salary of $35,000-$50,000 and probably would be living with a couple of roommates hopefully with a monthly rent of $600-$800. Would I be able to find a job like that in the Bay Area job market in 2011, and I can afford to find a room for that amount in a good neighborhood close to Muni? Can I even to afford to live on $35,000 in San Francisco?

[jfields]

I'd say yes, especially since your open to living with roomates. I used to rent a basement studio with a kitchen and a backyard in the Lower Mission for $650 a few years back. But SF isn't a city that you want to be in if you don't have a job, so I'd recommend getting one, at least something temporary, before you move out there. I don't want to get you down or anything, but I graduated from college at the end of 2005 and, believe me, a college degree isn't the automatic ticket to the middle class like some people think it is.

[Jonotastic]

To say yes without even knowing what field he is studying is wishful thinking especially in the current economy.

With that being said, what is your major?

[jfields]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

To say yes without even knowing what field he is studying is wishful thinking especially in the current economy.

With that being said, what is your major?

What I was saying yes to was that he could get by on $35k a year in SF, especially if he has roomates. The yes part wasn't an answer to the question about whether or not he'd be able to find a $35k-$50k job in 2011. On the contrary I said that he should get a job first before moving because even with a BA it is really hard, and believe me I'm living proof of that. But thanks for pointing that out Jonotastic. RW2009, in case I didn't make myself clear the first time, I strongly urge you to find a job before moving to SF. I graduated from college at the end of 2005 and I'm currentely unemployed. A college degree isn't a ticket to the middle class these days, so I'd avise you have a way of putting some money in your pocket before moving to SF, because its one of the last places that you want to be if your broke.

[Jonotastic]

Originally Posted by jfields

What I was saying yes to was that he could get by on $35k a year in SF, especially if he has roomates. The yes part wasn't an answer to the question about whether or not he'd be able to find a $35k-$50k job in 2011. On the contrary I said that he should get a job first before moving because even with a BA it is really hard, and believe me I'm living proof of that. But thanks for pointing that out Jonotastic. RW2009, in case I didn't make myself clear the first time, I strongly urge you to find a job before moving to SF. I graduated from college at the end of 2005 and I'm currentely unemployed. A college degree isn't a ticket to the middle class these days, so I'd avise you have a way of putting some money in your pocket before moving to SF, because its one of the last places that you want to be if your broke.

Thanks for the clarification, I feel for the students who graduated this spring! There's probably a lot more pursing higher degrees because of the economy.

[iluvcj]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

Thanks for the clarification, I feel for the students who graduated this spring! There's probably a lot more pursing higher degrees because of the economy.

I know I do too. I graduate in 2011 also but I have to get a grad degree so I wont be joining the workforce til 2013. Hopefully the economy will be better. At my community college the nursing dept had 38 graduates and only 5 had jobs lined up.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by jfields

I'd say yes, especially since your open to living with roomates. I used to rent a basement studio with a kitchen and a backyard in the Lower Mission for $650 a few years back. But SF isn't a city that you want to be in if you don't have a job, so I'd recommend getting one, at least something temporary, before you move out there. I don't want to get you down or anything, but I graduated from college at the end of 2005 and, believe me, a college degree isn't the automatic ticket to the middle class like some people think it is.

Boy are you right about the degree and the ticket to middle class living. OUr granddaughter graduated with honors last year, what is she earning right now? $27,000, her husband, on the other hand, is a heating and air conditioning tech, he is very good, but doesn't own his own business, not yat anyway: how much does he make? About 3 times what she does.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by iluvcj

I know I do too. I graduate in 2011 also but I have to get a grad degree so I wont be joining the workforce til 2013. Hopefully the economy will be better. At my community college the nursing dept had 38 graduates and only 5 had jobs lined up.

Wow that is scary, maybe it has to do with the two year nursing program. Our older granddaughter is graduation with her BA in nursing, after having another BA, all 40 in her class, I think already have jobs. She had 3 offers in one day..

Nita

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Boy are you right about the degree and the ticket to middle class living. OUr granddaughter graduated with honors last year, what is she earning right now? $27,000, her husband, on the other hand, is a heating and air conditioning tech, he is very good, but doesn't own his own business, not yat anyway: how much does he make? About 3 times what she does.

Nita

I graduated with honors three years ago, and I'm working my butt off to make approximately $45,000 a year.. a lot of which is scuttled away on business costs (piano, books, advertising). It's not impossible by any stretch, but it's a rough ride the first few years.

[rw2009]

My major is management with a minor in legal studies. And to "jfields," of course I will get a job before I come to San Francisco, and of course I will have money saved up before I relocate. But thanks for the reassurance that I can manage with a $35,000 job in SF if I have roommates. That being said, I'm still wondering if the Bay Area job market will be good enough for me in 2011. I plan to look for a job probably as an administrative assistant. Also, I have looked at state and federal jobs in California for market research, and some look like they're up my alley and clearly could qualify for. But, with the current budget crisis there and the governor's plan to cut or furlough state workers, should I be worried about 2011?