$50,000 as an Architect vs. $100,000 working at a toll booth (employed, highest, accountant)

[I_Love_LI_but]

Question for OP:

Is this strictly theoretical to find out if people value money more than prestige?

Or are there actually entry-level toll booth attendants making $100K and this is a real choice you have to make?

[CafeAuLait40]

Toll booth operators make $100K per year??????????? Are you kidding me? WOW - However, even though they make so much, I don't know if I could stand there and do that all day (unless I had absolutely no other choice). I would so be wishing my life away until the weekend because it seems like it would be sooooooooooooooo boring.

HOWEVER, I would do it NOW just to bring in some money since I have been unemployed for so long. I believe if I had a job, any job darn near, that I would be able to get another one a lot easier.

[subsound]

Certainly toll booth, I'm a terrible architect and I could bank all that extra cash while I read something.

My job sounds like the architect now, but really the day to day is like the toll booth anyways. At least this way I wouldn't have to go to all these stupid pointless meetings where people hem and haw about stupid stuff.

[540_804]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

Question for OP:

Is this strictly theoretical to find out if people value money more than prestige?

Or are there actually entry-level toll booth attendants making $100K and this is a real choice you have to make?

Not entry level but yes, there are toll booth attendants who make in excess of 100k/year...

I think it has a lot to do with seniority and how they do pay increases.

[540_804]

Oh, and to answer the question, I love architecture.
I do it in my free time (I'm in college with no job so I have plenty of free time).

But, I'd probably do toll booth attendant. I'd do that to make my money and do architecture as a side-gig, hobby.

[CafeAuLait40]

Well, I never had any idea a toll booth attendant could make that much even if they were employed there for 30 years. My former manager at a humongous pharmaceutical company was there for 30 years with a degree and he was only up to 80K when he retired - and that was the only company he has ever worked for in his life. AMAZING a toll booth attendant could make that much over the years.

[antiquesmountainapache]

Right now I'd take the toll booth, put the money back in the bank that I wasn't planning on spending and finish my kitchen.

[DubbleT]

Toll booth. The job might be boring but think of the fun I could have on the weekends!

[caligurltotx]

Toll Booth please and thank you!! lol

I have to look at retirement in another 20 years!

[brightdoglover]

To me, toll booth. $50K in the Boston area isn't quite high living, plus, I admit to having less than zero base abilities in architecture (although I am fascinated by small house design).
With the higher money, I could do more of the kind of travel I want (Mountain West, horseback riding) or maybe keep a horse here. Maybe I could have a semi-rural property and adopt rescue donkeys (new idea, in addition to old dogs). I could plan to stop working sooner.
However, I don't think I could make this (hypothetical) choice in my 20s or so- too many working years stretching ahead, and more idealism about employment.