Lab tech moving to LA- house rental/ salary/ life- HELP! (Los Angeles: apartment, job market)

[MariannC.]

1. Planning on moving to LA in May. Need to find a clean/safe living area, one bedroom/studio with parking for just one person, recommendations please.

2. I am a lab tech and have been browsing jobs online. I see the salaries are mostly 39k-42k annual, do they normally list it before or after tax?

3. Is this considered average wage or is it that I'm gonna get a low pay job?

4. How the hell do people survive with 39k annual before tax in LA? That'll be like 2000 per month?! Even if it's after tax, it's only 3000, is that enough?

I never thought that being a lab tech/assistant is a low pay job but now I'm second guessing it

[thelopez2]

That is before taxes and you can get either roommates, and apartment for $1000 a month, or additional work.

[nightlysparrow]

Job Detail - VA Careers

[LALifestyle]

You're more than likely going to need a roommate or 2. Why are you moving to Los Angeles? From your post it doesn't seem like you have some life event requiring you to do so.

[bpeeps]

You can survive on that amount of income in LA. Though the users here will say you need to make 60k plus to even think about moving to LA.

[My Other Self]

I've been working in healthcare for a number of years and the salary for lab technicians that work in this field are on par with the salary you're describing. I also would advise moving to California with no job prospects and simply just by looking online. What did your prior work history entail? Do you have connections to any companies that do lab work, or academic institutions?

Before even worrying about renting, you might want to recheck priorities. You'll be hard-pressed to find an affordable housing situation with no job - the hardest part of your plan is finding the job and convincing them you're better than a local.

I can't speak specifically for Southern California, but the company I'm currently employed with has hospitals and labs in the LA area. I've worked in the hiring and interview process for prospective employees, and unless you're highly qualified someone who lives in another state or another part of CA will go to the bottom of the pile. Any one job that we've had openings for have had applications in the excess for 100.

Sorry, not trying to be a complete buzz kill here but unless you have a solid game plan there's no logic in moving without all of your ducks in a row. I'd hate to see someone wind up living in their car for 6 months until the right job came along. The job market in California is highly competitive, and in a city as large as LA, I'm sure it's more competitive than most cities.

Now, if you have everything set (although you being 'shocked' by the annual salary it doesn't sound like it), then take what I said in to consideration but be cautious. It's not impossible to live on $35k - $40k in California but one way to combat high housing is through either a roommate or sharing an apartment with a significant other.

Good luck.

[LALifestyle]

Yes. OP can survive but should be cautious to make sure they're not spending every last dime without the ability to save/invest for the future. That amount of income will make it tight. A roommate would be one solution to reducing those living expenses substantially.

[MariannC.]

Originally Posted by LALifestyle

You're more than likely going to need a roommate or 2. Why are you moving to Los Angeles? From your post it doesn't seem like you have some life event requiring you to do so.

I need an environment change. Trying to find a place in the states to settle down. I guess I am influenced by what I've seen on the media, great weather/nice beach/casual lifestyle and all that Any recommendations other than LA?

[MariannC.]

Originally Posted by My Other Self

I've been working in healthcare for a number of years and the salary for lab technicians that work in this field are on par with the salary you're describing. I also would advise moving to California with no job prospects and simply just by looking online. What did your prior work history entail? Do you have connections to any companies that do lab work, or academic institutions?

Before even worrying about renting, you might want to recheck priorities. You'll be hard-pressed to find an affordable housing situation with no job - the hardest part of your plan is finding the job and convincing them you're better than a local.

Now, if you have everything set (although you being 'shocked' by the annual salary it doesn't sound like it), then take what I said in to consideration but be cautious. It's not impossible to live on $35k - $40k in California but one way to combat high housing is through either a roommate or sharing an apartment with a significant other.

Good luck.

I have a MS and 3 years of experience in a professional lab but I do not have connections. What do you think?

As for initial housing with no job, I have quite an amount of savings so I think that's okay, but my biggest question is it seems that it's hard to survive AFTER I get a job? I mean with the average wage of 2k after tax for a lab tech? It seems I'll be living tougher than when I'm living on savings (3k/month) and that doesn't sound logic to me

[MariannC.]

I keep hearing people here say it's better to make 5k/month? Does that mean the salary should be 7300/month? Isn't that like, quite a lot? Who makes that much money? If the majority don't make that much money then how do they survive in LA? I do not believe everyone living in LA makes 7k per month....