What do you consider a "decent" income?

[disykat]

I decided to delete my post. I have to many thoughts on this to come out coherent!

 

[polyfan]

There are some professions that of course are going to make the big salaries, but I don't think now days a college degree guarantees that. I have a masters degree and have worked for 14 years, my husband has no college- went to a votech high school and yet I will never even come close to his salary. The 40,000 year engineer, as I stated was without alot of time on the job. Although, they do not make as much as you would think here, and it is upsetting to people. But the flip side is the cost of living. We couldn't even come close to paying what we did for our home anywhere else, and we know that.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by maleficent1959
Florida's median was something like $56,000 but our county median is only just under $24,000. I'm in Pensacola in Escambia County. Engineers are the ones here making $60,000 and that is with experience, not right out of college. Our teachers starting salaries in the public schools are just about $22,000. $24,000 with a Master's degree. When I moved here 5 years ago I was suprised that people were thrilled to make $10 an hour. I see nursing positions advertising for $12 an hour. Sure different than Phoenix or southeast Michigan was.

Of course, the flip side is that we were able to buy a beautiful four-bedroom home on an acre in a nice neighborhood for $119,500 -- the exact same price we sold our 1300 square foot house on a tiny lot in Tempe, Arizona for. Our property taxes are only $1600. While the salaries here are really low comparatively so is the cost of living.

Of course attorneys, architects, doctors...they're going to make big salaries wherever they live. Here they are the people that have the big beautiful homes on the water and condos at the beach.

I can't imagine a nurse making that. Around here you can make $9 to be a closer at a fast food place! I never really thought about the differences in housing and such until this thread and it certainly is eye opening! I think DH makes good money BUT after our visit to NYC in November it sure is humbling! We would be living in something a little better then a cardboard box on his salary if we lived in NYC! LOL!

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by polyfan
There are some professions that of course are going to make the big salaries, but I don't think now days a college degree guarantees that. I have a masters degree and have worked for 14 years, my husband has no college- went to a votech high school and yet I will never even come close to his salary. The 40,000 year engineer, as I stated was without alot of time on the job. Although, they do not make as much as you would think here, and it is upsetting to people. But the flip side is the cost of living. We couldn't even come close to paying what we did for our home anywhere else, and we know that.

My mistake! I thought you said making $40,000 AFTER working for a long while! Sorry!

 

[antkim]

12.00/hr for nurses in Fla. is the reason we put our idea of moving there on hold. When we 1st thought of moving to the Bradenton area about 3 years ago the cost of homes were much less. Now it seems like the prices of homes are going up and up but the pay is staying the same.

Kim