My step dad works for Lousianna Divers assoc. he makes over 100k a year, but all the travel and insurances you have to pay brings it back down to bout 80k. Still pretty good I was heading in that same direction, he was getting my resume looked at by Epic Divers and I finally broke down and revealed im very much fear full of the ocean.

 

I do but I own my own business, so I don't know if that is really what you are looking for. I have some college but no degree.

 

I have a degree in civil engineering. Started in 1994 at $28k. I now make a little over the six figure mark. Starting engineers now make around $55k here.

Most of my friends went to college and there are very few jobs that you can start out at $100k in the engineering field. If you do not have a degree you will have to work long hours, etc. to make that kind of money. I work a little extra every so often but usually 50 hrs per week max. I saw how much my mom and dad worked and how little they made (no college). That made my decision really easy to go to college.

 

I started in the building trades in the summer of 1973 while attending an area college. Finished my 2 year worthless degree at night while working. I went through an apprenticeship program and moved into the office in 1979 learning estimating and sales. In 1988 I bought into the company and became a 50% owner. I work 50-60 hours a week and have not taken an entire week off since 2004, (which is my own fault). We employ 23 installers and there are 5 of us in the office. I am not qualified to do much other than what I do. Although I have been more successful than I probably deserve, I would have been dangerous with a 4 year degree and certainly wish I had one. In my opinion a degree gives you many more employment options and teaches you a way to think about and solve problems from more angles. I started college funds for my kids when they were born and both have 4 year degrees and my daughter is now working full time, going to night school to obtain her MBA. Although you can still make a decent living working construction or other trades, I would certainly recommend a college degree to anyone that can obtain one.

 

I think alot is going to depend on the type of work you're looking to get into. Guys working on a oil rig don't need a college education and can make tons of money. How many guys on a rig have been doing that kind of work for 30+ years though? It's great when you're in your 20's, but it's a tough lifestyle to keep up.

I'd like to see the percentage of people that only hold a HS degree that make $100K+ vs. the percentage of college graduates that make $100K+. That might be a better indicator.

It's my opinion that college just gets you in the door at a better level than a HS diploma. It's your personal work ethic that determines how well you actually do. Of course some jobs require a college degree, even then, it's not what you learned in school that gets you the big bucks, it's how well you work once you've got the job.

- NCSU

 

Why go to school when you can go an pay for an accredited degree for like $1000 bucks...? I recommend Ashwood University.

www.ashwooduniversity.net

 

Currently my pension is getting bigger by the year, when my next employer is ready to have me full time, I will cut the cord, & drive a different colored FORD CVPI!.....

 

Probably not the best career choice for you then! If you are at all clostrophobic, diving isn't a good match either. You can make decent money once you work your way to a supervisor position. I wouldn't want to put my body under those types of stresses day in and day out.

I just wanted to add, to become a registered professional engineer you can go to a 4 year school then get 4 years work experience, or have a HS diploma and 20 years work experience. I'll take school.

-NCSU

 

I'm a highschool drop out, made close to 6 figures last year.

 

You would be surprised how many people go to the oil patch and spend ~30 years there. If you put in about 5 years of busting your ***** you can work your way to a lot of really slack positions. drillers make $40 an hour plus over time (44 hours at $60 an hour per working week) plus living expense ($140 a day tax free). A tool push is $1100 a day. Consultants are any where from $1100-$1500 a day. Directional drillers are around the $800 a day mark. I have seen guys "retire" when they are 30 years old as well. Buddy worked the rigs like made for 12 years built a $250,000 house bought a new truck, pocketed another $250,000 and quit. He got hired on by the city working for $17 an hour says that pays more than his bills, he is living very comfortably and gonna fully retire at 55 years old with a full pension. This is an extreme rarity in the oil patch though.

 

sounds a little like me,high school education , technical schooling,hvac business owner ,created company in '04,i work alot of hours, but i like on hand dealings with my customers,i'd go stir crazy w/o pressure or working all the time,well worth the 6 figure income i make,the reason i have zero debt

 

333

 

What do you do?

 

geez.. one would assume you guys might be posting on some beemer forum with all these 6 figure incomes.. or atleast drive nicer trucks

lol.. anywho.. I only make about $50k/year combined with my wife's income.. we're both students in nursing school.. I'm gonna finish graduate school with my masters in another 4 years if all goes well.. I'm goin for my CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist).. they make about $150k.. My wife is goin for her Nurse Practitioner degree.. they start making an easy $75k.

I can almost guarantee you that >90% of the population without college degrees make less than $100k..

 

i have an associates (licensed funeral director and embalmer) - im in the army not using that degree making 40k with every benifit you could imagine

my parents own an electrical service- tech school degree 150k+

my in laws own a mortuary service- same associates degree as me 150k+

after i finish my tour in late 2010 ill be going back to the funeral business.

yay.