Wages

[maymom96]

I was having a conversation with a father this morning. His wife works at Wendy's. She has no college education and is training to be a manager. I have a college degree and work within the school district as a dedicated aid to a student with autism.
Who do you think makes more money? If you guessed the woman who works at Wendy's, you would be correct. What she brings home every two weeks is what I bring home in a month. Somehow busting my behind in college (plus the costs) just don't seem worth it right now.

 

[Feralpeg]

 

[Youarehere]

Yes, but you are only helping one person- she serves 1000's a day. Did you think about that? Hmmmm?

 

[Cindy B]

Yep, Been there done that. I was an aide for two years. I was going to school (education major) and had a substitute certificate.

I found out that the cafeteria aides -yes, the aides not the ladies in the actual kitchen was making $3 more an hour than us! These ladies, while very sweet and nice, did not speak English and had very minimal schooling.

I had to be highly qualified -meaning college educated to make $6.25 per hour.

As soon as I heard aide, I knew that the person at Wendy's was making more. I quit as soon as I found out that the person at McDonald's was making more than me.

 

[KirstenB]

I understand. Still I'd rather do your job than hers any day of the week!! Thanks for being an aide. I know this child and his/her parents appreciate your work!!

 

[Bluestars]

The fast food industry is actually a good opportunity for people who are willing to work hard. The hours are crazy and the work is physically hard. You can often work your way up to a supervisor or regional manager, depending on the company and if it is a franchise or corporate store. In the right situation you can make over $100,000 per year, with excellent benefits (company car, etc).

Of course the entry level positions have little benefits. You really have to work hard, but there is plenty of room for advancement.

Maymom, the difference is you will always have much better hours. I'm sure the job you are doing is not as hard physically either. I work in an office and would never want to work in a fast food restaurant. It is not for everyone.

 

[PatsGirl]

Most restaurant managers (fast food included) work far more than what an educational aid would work. When I was employed as a Pizza Hut manager the salary was great for someone 28 years old but I worked about 60 hours/week during the busy months and 40 during the slow months. As an aide in the local schools here you work maybe 35 hours week less lunch/breaks, etc. -- you don't get a real break working in restaurants Also, a college degree is not required in MA to work as a dedicated special needs aide, although recently I believe they have required that classes be taken towards an AA degree. The pay here is not good either, I believe it runs about $11/hour but that is without experience and without a degree so....


I know that working with special needs can be difficult and stressful (but rewarding too!) but if you want to make more money most likely you'll need to get a Masters and work your way up the ladder

 

[okeydokey]

It does seem backward sometimes that we place so little value on the important work people do. My DH works in the Wildlife field and is underpaid too, but he chose the career based on the good he can do. I thank you for dedicating yourself to such important work.

 

[Just Jan]

I was a SPED assistand for 9 years in an elementary school. The pay wasn't very good, but the schedule worked for me at the time as my kids were younger. when my oldest entered highschool I started looking for a new job.

I now work in a dr office.
I can tell you..my last day at the elementary school I cried my eyes out as I walked through the door.

 

[Disney Doll]

I am a nurse.

I often marvel that baseball players get millions of dollars to hit a ball with a stick, while I, who am responsible for peoples' lives, makes a living, but not huge, wage.

I think some of this stuff speaks to what isimportant in this country, and what is not.

 

[kirbsam]

is an aide a teacher with a license, or something different.

 

[maymom96]

Yes, but you are only helping one person- she serves 1000's a day. Did you think about that? Hmmmm?

You haven't met my student. Some days I swear she has millions of personalities in her body. Some days, work is a battle ground. I've had her get in my face and almost hit me because she didn't want to cut a piece of paper. I never know how each minute will be. One minute she is fine and the next, I want to crawl in a fetal position.
I have the student, the parents, the principals, the teachers and the school psychologists that I have to deal with on a daily basis.
I just feel like I have wasted years of money paying for an education that I was told I would need to make good money. When I run into someone who didn't go to college and makes double what I make, it makes me question my decision. Heck it makes me question why I encourage college for my kids. If they can make the money that this lady makes, why send them off to college. Why not have them to get a fast food job in high school and encourage them to work their way up?

 

[maymom96]

is an aide a teacher with a license, or something different.

In my area, it doesn't matter. You must have at least your Associates or meet other standards for NCLB. Your wages are never more. You start at the bottom of the pay scale and each year you get a raise. Your only hope is that someone new is hired because you will at least make more than them.

 

[tzolkin]

I went to a top 20 college. When I graduated I just kept my job at a local non-profit org making $8.25 an hour. I see the signs for fast food and Walmart that advertise starting at about that much. I am currently a SAHM because the cost of daycare for my two pre-schoolers is significantly more than I was making per hour.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Wages in the US aren't determined directly by someone's education or how hard they work. They are determined by market forces. Those market forces balance things like employer's demand for the job, the supply of people willing and capable to do the job, the ability of employer's to find substitutes, etc.

Many jobs with very high education requirements don't pay particularly well. Some jobs, like teacher, park ranger, or computer game developer have relatively high education requirements, but they attract a lot of people willing to do the job for little money. This "surplus" of people willing and capable of doing the job drive the wages that companies need to pay down.

It is definitely a mistake to think that getting a college degree qualifies you for a high paying job. I've known people with Sociology, History, and Literature degrees that struggled to find decent paying jobs. On the other hand, I've known few people with computer science or engineering degrees that had much trouble getting good jobs.

What degree you get is often just a way to more easily enter a profession. What you do once you get in the door usually depends more on how you perform than it does on what your credentials are.

 

[maymom96]

It is definitely a mistake to think that getting a college degree qualifies you for a high paying job.

I am discovering that is true. I work at the local high school and all the kids are encouraged to make something of themselves by going to college. If only they were told that a college degree does not guarantee that they will find a job to support themselves. If only they were told that maybe not going to college could earn them more money.

 

[VickiVM]

When I run into someone who didn't go to college and makes double what I make, it makes me question my decision. Heck it makes me question why I encourage college for my kids. If they can make the money that this lady makes, why send them off to college. Why not have them to get a fast food job in high school and encourage them to work their way up?

Because that person has little to no options if they ever want to leave the restaurant track. Same goes for retail. It is very hard work physically - weekends off are not guaranteed and is not so wonderful if you have a family you'd like to spend time with.

ALWAYS push college!

 

[DVC Sadie]

I am discovering that is true. I work at the local high school and all the kids are encouraged to make something of themselves by going to college. If only they were told that a college degree does not guarantee that they will find a job to support themselves. If only they were told that maybe not going to college could earn them more money.

There are many different ways to make something of oneself.

I think it is a shame to encourage every child to go to college. Lets face it, not all children are college material, whereas a good vocational school would be great for some kids.

The biggest mistake I see people making is equating a college degree with potential income.

 

[Bluestars]

I agree you should always push college. College gives you more options. But the person who does work in fast food and works his way up can still have options. That person can often get a management job in a completely different field. I have seen it happen many times.

But definitely going to college should be a priority. College graduates will most likely make more money doing the same job as a person without a college degree. If a person with a college degree worked in the fast food industry, often times that person will get a higher salary upon entry.

 

[VickiVM]

But definitely going to college should be a priority. College graduates will most likely make more money doing the same job as a person without a college degree. If a person with a college degree worked in the fast food industry, often times that person will get a higher salary upon entry.

I think it's already been proven in a study that a college educated person generally will generate more income in his/her lifetime.

This coming from a no-degree'd, retail career person who took a big leap backwards in salary just so I could take an office job, near my home (no travel), and have weekends off with my family. Cost me 1/2 of my income, but worth it in the long run. A college degree would have no doubt provided me more options with higher income, though.

Also should add that we are treating college as a given for our kids and using our lives as an example of why they need to pursue a degree. If we tell them it is not an option for them to forego it, then hopefully they will not consider the choice to skip it. Obviously, we cannot force that on them, but at least they know what our expectations are and why.