Is making $36.000-$37,000 a year a middle class earning or is it poor? (insurance, salary)

[TN_Someday]

Where I am (Buffalo) it is. But it's definitely not a lot of money.

[hershey48]

It's definitely modest but you sound like you are managing it well. Just strive for better as you get older if you want to have family, home, etc. Don't feel bad. I don't make much either with a college degree but I am striving for better.

[ashbeeigh]

This is a completely subjective topic as most people have said. Costs of living vary depending on where you live.

If you're in your mid twenties/early thirties just keep on doing what you're doing, get the experience, stay with it and it will play off in the long run. It's a bummer that the degree didn't pay off and you had to go to trade school, but it also means that if the area that your degree is in turns around after this recession you can go back and try to get back into it.

[Z3N1TH 0N3]

Originally Posted by chinamen

I only make $36.000-$37,000 a year. It has health benefits also. I kind of feel sad because I do not make a lot of money. I have a college degree, bachelors but could not find a job with it so I went to trade school for a year in a half to learn a trade.

What do you think? I have a roomate so rent does not cost that much and every month I am saving some money, not a lot but it is some. I watch how I spend my money carefully.

Okay, a few things to consider that I think most people touched on here.

1) Geographic location. Where do you live? What is the COL? In NYC, that'd be a slave wage. In Memphis, TN, that'd be a pretty darn good salary.

2) You're young and inexperienced and you graduated in a terrible economy. Don't fall into this trap of "well, now I have a college degree, where's my $70,000/yr. salary?" Most people I know with a college degree who are just starting out started making around $30k-$35k/yr. Some are making even less than that. Gain some experience. Work hard and constantly test the job market. You may have to jump around a bit in the beginning. If after about five years you're still only making between $36k and $37k, maybe consider making some changes.

3) You're single. I'm making in the low to mid $40k range and I'm doing quite well living in a major metro area. With a car payment, I have a little over $800 left after all bills are paid. When my car is paid off in a few months, I'll have a little over $1000 left after all bills are paid. This is not including the months where I receive an extra pay check (twice yearly) That's a lot of play money for a single person each month. Even after I'm done playing, I still have about $300-$400 that I can throw into savings. You can be frugal and still have fun.

Trust me, with hard work and ambition, you can get to where you want to be. I saw my salary go up nearly $10k in a little under two years because of my ambition and ability to take advantage of good opportunities. Keep your eyes open and play the game wisely. It is likely that you will not always be making a lower salary. Just give it some time.

[brightdoglover]

I don't think it's helpful to try and decide if one is this class or that class. The numbers are what they are. If the OP sees a future where he will need more money for his life desires, then he needs to make more. If not, not.
"Class" is largely a state of mind, and not helpful to judge oneself by the numbers.

[pipsters]

$37,00 is certainly no where near poor. We have been "poor", that is when you live paycheck to paycheck and eat nothing but pasta and sauce, PB&J, and ramen noodles.

My wife and I have averaged under your $37k figure each since graduating college and we are not yet 30 and have a couple hundred thousand in liquid assets (ie savings). We own our two cars and have a 3 bedroom house in a decent area of the country, located around 15-20 mins from the capital building (ie not in the sticks). I really don't feel poor, and if we are I'm fine being poor.

Poor is barely being able to afford food, having no money for gas, always being late with rent, etc. $37k is not poor by any stretch. I felt poor when I was making $12,000 a year or around $6/hr.

[chiroptera]

I know cost of living is high in Oakland....I'd say that is certainly decent, though. You are certainly not poor if you're covering your monthly expenses, saving and have benefits & health paid for.

I live where the COL is extremely low; that would be a pretty nice salary in SE Michigan if your housing costs are reasonable. That's about what I make, except I have no benefits because I'm self employed.

I've never thought of tying income to some idea of "class." Class seems to be an outmoded construct these days.

[glass_of_merlot]

If you have debt, 37 k can be hard. If you have no debt, 37 k might be a great
salary. I can make a 100 k a year but have hundreds of thousands in debt and still live paycheck to paycheck.
It is all relative.

[Hemlock140]

According to the US government, and tables used to determine eligibility for certain programs, you are at 300% of the poverty level for one person. If you had a wife and 6 kids you would be at poverty level. Generally middle class is considered $30,000-$100,000 but there are no hard and fast rules. That would put you at lower middle class nationwide if you really care. Really, if you are happy and can pay the bills that's what matters.

[STT Resident]

Originally Posted by TVandSportsGuy

You can't afford a car and an apartment with that salary in Philadelphia

I guess that's why you don't have a car.

Originally Posted by glass_of_merlot

If you have debt, 37 k can be hard. If you have no debt, 37 k might be a great salary. I can make a 100 k a year but have hundreds of thousands in debt and still live paycheck to paycheck. It is all relative.