Trying to give useful advice here, sorry if it stings. Perhaps you are not worth 75k/year? Just because your friends mention that as a standard salary doesn't

Trying to give useful advice here, sorry if it stings. Perhaps you are not worth 75k/year? Just because your friends mention that as a standard salary doesn't mean everyone (you) are at that level. Going in and demanding a 75K salary when you are being offered 40% lower seems to be a poor negotiation strategy in any case. As others here mentioned, if you really want to improve your salary you do so by jumping around, not by forcing your employers hand. Best of luck in your future, and hope you can bounce back from this.