Average monthly wage of an unskilled worker in the USA?
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See, this is what is so bothersome. I was making about $1200-$1500 a month 15-20 years ago as an unskilled worker. I had graduated high school with no college degree. I worked in a dry cleaners, McDonalds (made the least there) and waited tables in a chain restaurant (most lucrative...but also blew the most money). But expenses were 1/3 what they are now. Wages are not increasing but expenses are.
I worked at a few semi skilled jobs in my 20 years of working. Extrusion and print press are some of the best paying jobs. Web converting , which is cutting down a 5 feet wide sheet(web) that is about 10 to 100k thousand feet on a roll to different sizes. Adhesive web coating. Batch making of chemicals. These are good paying factories jobs. Most people don't hear of these careers. They pay from $18 for batch making, upwards to $25 for extrusion and print press. Even the fork lift drivers are making $20 a hour. Getting in isn't so easy. You will have to start out as a helper.
Let's say somebody with no college degree, like a waiter, cleaner, factory worker, etc. Is 4 thousand dollars an average wage?
A good waiter can easily earn more than $4000 a month. A cleaner can if they clean enough houses. It depends on the factory, and the level of skill needed.
See, this is what is so bothersome. I was making about $1200-$1500 a month 15-20 years ago as an unskilled worker. I had graduated high school with no college degree. I worked in a dry cleaners, McDonalds (made the least there) and waited tables in a chain restaurant (most lucrative...but also blew the most money). But expenses were 1/3 what they are now. Wages are not increasing but expenses are.
And that's why fewer kids want to go into the trades today.
A good waiter can easily earn more than $4000 a month.
Unless the waiter works full time in an always high-volume restaurant where the owner is too cheap to hire additional help, $4,000 per month is unlikely.
It also depends on how wealthy the clientele you're dealing with is. I doubt penny-pinching working class people are going to give huge tips.
Last edited by 313Weather; 10-03-2012 at 09:48 AM..
Unless the waiter works full time in an always high-volume restaurant where the owner is too cheap to hire additional help, $4,000 per month is unlikely.
It also depends on how wealthy the clientele you're dealing with is. I doubt penny-pinching working class people are going to give huge tips.
Like anything else, you rise to the level of your ability. A sloppy looking, unprofessional person would not be hired at a high end restaurant.
You have the choice to work for whom you want. Stop looking at employees as victims.
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