[OmegaSupreme]

Originally Posted by EA

Apprentices get raises pretty quickly. I'm at 31.92 an hour. Over time adds up quick. We get 1.5 time after 8 hours and double time after 12. Saturday is time and a half. Sunday is double time. Holidays are triple time.

How many years in are you?

I've been looking at starting some sort of apprenticeship

[EA]

Originally Posted by OmegaSupreme

How many years in are you?

I've been looking at starting some sort of apprenticeship

3rd year.

I started at 16.41 and was at 22 by the end of the first year. 16.41 -18.22 took 2 months~

This is for the carpenter's union. They do it a little differently now. It's still pretty good. Electricians is a great one to get into. Pay is a little higher and work is a hell of a lot steadier.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by crabtrees

Does anyone in this forum have a career that requires a college degree? If so, what is the job market like for educated professionals? My wife and I both have degrees and each over 10 years legal experience at large law firms. If we ever moved there we would be applying for positions at one of the Las Vegas branches of one of the national firms out there. It's so scary to read so so many posts about how nobody in Las Vegas makes any money. I don't understand it. It's not Detroit.

In regards to the topic on this post, is the $50k annual salary need to live comfortably referring to total household income, or per person? For those who have years of experience in Las Vegas, how well do you think a family of 3 could live if they combined to make $80-$100k a year, house mortgage is $2000 a month, no other debt? I always hear the cost of living in Las Vegas is low, but from my 'limited' experience in the area, the only thing that costs less is the housing. Everything else is generally the same as it is in the surrounding states, give or take. Food isn't any cheaper, utilities aren't any cheaper, gas isn't any cheaper, cable isn't cheaper.

Pay is pretty good for most educated people and unemployment rates are low if you have a degree and relevant experience. The Vegas doesn't pay anything crowd mostly doesn't have this because many came from elsewhere where low paying jobs meant they couldn't make their rent so they ended up in a place they thought life would be easy.

When I was still in Vegas no one in my professional circles was struggling, everyone had a job and offers to go elsewhere if needed. I'm doubting you will make that little once you both get jobs. You are right about costs, housing is all that really differs. Except for the few high income tax states like CA or NY even a state income tax is barely a factor either, you won't even notice it unless you go looking for it.

[Grumpypotpie]

Originally Posted by crabtrees

Does anyone in this forum have a career that requires a college degree? If so, what is the job market like for educated professionals? My wife and I both have degrees and each over 10 years legal experience at large law firms. If we ever moved there we would be applying for positions at one of the Las Vegas branches of one of the national firms out there. It's so scary to read so so many posts about how nobody in Las Vegas makes any money. I don't understand it. It's not Detroit.

In regards to the topic on this post, is the $50k annual salary need to live comfortably referring to total household income, or per person? For those who have years of experience in Las Vegas, how well do you think a family of 3 could live if they combined to make $80-$100k a year, house mortgage is $2000 a month, no other debt? I always hear the cost of living in Las Vegas is low, but from my 'limited' experience in the area, the only thing that costs less is the housing. Everything else is generally the same as it is in the surrounding states, give or take. Food isn't any cheaper, utilities aren't any cheaper, gas isn't any cheaper, cable isn't cheaper.

I just moved here from NY state and I have to disagree about the cost of food. I'm spending much less on food out here. I don't know if it's proximity to cattle ranches and the ocean or what, but I find great quality beef and fish here are drastically cheaper than what I paid back home. My utilities have been much cheaper as well, but it should be noted that natural gas bills in the winter in western NY inflate the whole year's cost much like I'm sure summer electric bills do here. I haven't yet been here during summer.

I'm single with no dependents, and I know for sure I could easily live comfortably here for $50K. I also know that jobs in my field are available out here that start out there or higher, because I interviewed for multiple positions before I got my job. I work in IT.

[robojester]

Learn table games and work yourself into a floor position.

[SportyandMisty]

Originally Posted by EA

3rd year.

I started at 16.41 and was at 22 by the end of the first year. 16.41 -18.22 took 2 months~

This is for the carpenter's union. They do it a little differently now. It's still pretty good. Electricians is a great one to get into. Pay is a little higher and work is a hell of a lot steadier.

Do residential developers & contractors employ union tradesmen?

[WildSpark]

Originally Posted by Willy702

Pay is pretty good for most educated people and unemployment rates are low if you have a degree and relevant experience. The Vegas doesn't pay anything crowd mostly doesn't have this because many came from elsewhere where low paying jobs meant they couldn't make their rent so they ended up in a place they thought life would be easy.

When I was still in Vegas no one in my professional circles was struggling, everyone had a job and offers to go elsewhere if needed. I'm doubting you will make that little once you both get jobs. You are right about costs, housing is all that really differs. Except for the few high income tax states like CA or NY even a state income tax is barely a factor either, you won't even notice it unless you go looking for it.

I have two college degrees, over ten years experience in project and office management, accounting/quantifying data, executive assisting, budgets, event planning, including IT/web design/graphic design skills and have not found gainful employment beyond $11/hr. I moved here from Colorado, where I was making $20/hr, before that I was clearing $48k in TX.

I've been offered 5 hour a week part-time positions paying $11/hr, scammed by three staffing agencies, Craigslist, Indeed.com fishing for my SS#, followed dead end leads, attend charity events, encountered liars, fakes and scammers. One staffing agency said to remove some of my work experience from my resume because it's "too intimidating."

Spoke to another well educated guy at the dog park who has the same experience. Met another gal at wine tasting who's had enough of the bad job market out here and after four years was leaving for CA. She had the exact experience with the same staffing agencies I have.

I've started threads over on Reddit and there are at least 15 other educated posters who are experiencing the same lack of salaries and professional jobs. Soooo do tell me where all of these well paying jobs are in Lost Wages, I BEG OF YOU!

[Grumpypotpie]

Originally Posted by 7freak7

I have two college degrees, over ten years experience in project and office management, accounting/quantifying data, executive assisting, budgets, event planning, including IT/web design/graphic design skills and have not found gainful employment beyond $11/hr. I moved here from Colorado, where I was making $20/hr, before that I was clearing $48k in TX.

I've been offered 5 hour a week part-time positions paying $11/hr, scammed by three staffing agencies, Craigslist, Indeed.com fishing for my SS#, followed dead end leads, attend charity events, encountered liars, fakes and scammers. One staffing agency said to remove some of my work experience from my resume because it's "too intimidating."

Spoke to another well educated guy at the dog park who has the same experience. Met another gal at wine tasting who's had enough of the bad job market out here and after four years was leaving for CA. She had the exact experience with the same staffing agencies I have.

I've started threads over on Reddit and there are at least 15 other educated posters who are experiencing the same lack of salaries and professional jobs. Soooo do tell me where all of these well paying jobs are in Lost Wages, I BEG OF YOU!

I got flown out multiple times for job interviews from Buffalo and I work in IT. It took me 5 tries, but the 5th job I applied for I got and here I am. Maybe I'm lucky, but I would be curious where you're applying.

[EA]

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

Do residential developers & contractors employ union tradesmen?

Not since 2008. Rats took over housing when the economy collapsed.

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by Grumpypotpie

How hard is it to find a job making $50K in Vegas?

Not all that likely!!!! What we have a lot of is low wage serve the tourist jobs. Part time, no benefits. Salary @ $10/hour. Yes, there are other jobs that pay more. Just not nearly enough of them to go round because most of what we have here is service oriented. And you need to be in good shape. Most of those McJobs we have are hard work where you are expected to be on your feet and moving fast. Translation, they are for the young and beautiful doesn't hurt either.

And the number of tipped jobs we have are going down. Valets used to do very well but since the hotels are charging for parking, that is becoming just another minimum wage grind.

Here is a real example for you. I have a friend who is a supervisor in a player's club. She has been with the casino for almost 30 years. She has a degree from Penn State. She does work full time and she does have vacation and health insurance that she pays for out of her check. And she makes less than $13 per hour. Dismal. Her employer should be ashamed.

Education does not pay here. My H, deceased in 2012, had 20+ years of engineering experience and a degree could find nothing but a McJob. I have several degrees and all I can get are McJobs. My SO is also degreed, same thing. But I knew that before I moved here and made sure I could survive without the possibility of a decent paying job. And the McJobs I have gotten were only after taking my degrees off my resume. They don't want to hire people who are obviously over qualified and more educated than their managers.

I always tell people Las Vegas is a great place to live but a terrible place to make a living!