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You can get “high five figures” with a GED and a factory job. Why would anyone go through the stress and expense of law school for that?

michaelt 5y ago
According to [1] full-time employed people with professional degrees earn a median of $117,679 while full time employed high school graduates earn a median of $38,102. If it were easy to earn high five figures with a GED, wouldn't the earnings of GED holders be much higher? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_States#By_educational_attainment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_...
- deelowe 5y ago
  I didn't say full time high school graduates. I said factory jobs. The average starting pay here is roughly 25/hr which is >50k/yr. It's pretty easy to work up to 35+/hr in just a few years. If you get into a foreman position, you can be making upwards of 90 per year and supervisor roles are typically 6 figures. I'd consider 75k/yr "high 5 figures" and this is extremely doable where I'm from. It's not a major metro, just an average industrial city near a port. Everyone in my family does factory work and has done so for 3 generations, I'm the only one in tech. There are indeed plenty of folks out there making less than 40/yr. They are almost exclusively temp/contract labors with poor work ethic. The people who are dependable typically get hired on full time which comes with a significant pay increase and full benefits.
long_time_gone 5y ago
Factory jobs are absolutely stressful (mentally and physically).
Kye 5y ago
The factory job will destroy your body before your 50s. What good is high five figures if you can't do anything with it other that pay for insurance that barely covers the physical therapy you'll need?
- deelowe 5y ago
  Factory jobs, not construction. Running a pulp machine doesn't destroy your body.
- giantg2 5y ago
  And a sedentary life at a keyboard could leave one in poor health. Every job has its tradeoffs. I would argue that a job with physical activity is better overall - I'd take joint replacement over heart surgery or diabetes.
  - junipertea 5y ago
    You can always exercise with an office job. You can not just sit down in a factory/amazon warehouse/coal mine
    - giantg2 5y ago
      "You can always exercise with an office job." Not in a way that counter acts the effects. Plus, it doesn't address other health issues like eye strain. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/even-with-exercise-long-periods-spent-sedentary-are-deemed-a-health-risk/2011/07/07/gIQAicwRAI_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/even-with-...
  - giantg2 5y ago
    Why so many downvotes?
    - deelowe 5y ago
      Because the vast majority of factory work is not backbreaking labor. It typically involves running machines, taking QC measurements, performing maintenance, manning estops, 5s etc. Yes, there are days that suck and they can be exhausting, but most factories don't have days like that very often. Everyone knows the ones that do and it's best to avoid those plants.
      - 5y ago

michaelt 5y ago

According to [1] full-time employed people with professional degrees earn a median of $117,679 while full time employed high school graduates earn a median of $38,102. If it were easy to earn high five figures with a GED, wouldn't the earnings of GED holders be much higher? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_States#By_educational_attainment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_...

deelowe 5y ago
I didn't say full time high school graduates. I said factory jobs. The average starting pay here is roughly 25/hr which is >50k/yr. It's pretty easy to work up to 35+/hr in just a few years. If you get into a foreman position, you can be making upwards of 90 per year and supervisor roles are typically 6 figures. I'd consider 75k/yr "high 5 figures" and this is extremely doable where I'm from. It's not a major metro, just an average industrial city near a port. Everyone in my family does factory work and has done so for 3 generations, I'm the only one in tech. There are indeed plenty of folks out there making less than 40/yr. They are almost exclusively temp/contract labors with poor work ethic. The people who are dependable typically get hired on full time which comes with a significant pay increase and full benefits.

long_time_gone 5y ago

Factory jobs are absolutely stressful (mentally and physically).

Kye 5y ago

The factory job will destroy your body before your 50s. What good is high five figures if you can't do anything with it other that pay for insurance that barely covers the physical therapy you'll need?

deelowe 5y ago
Factory jobs, not construction. Running a pulp machine doesn't destroy your body.
giantg2 5y ago
And a sedentary life at a keyboard could leave one in poor health. Every job has its tradeoffs. I would argue that a job with physical activity is better overall - I'd take joint replacement over heart surgery or diabetes.
- junipertea 5y ago
  You can always exercise with an office job. You can not just sit down in a factory/amazon warehouse/coal mine
  - giantg2 5y ago
    "You can always exercise with an office job." Not in a way that counter acts the effects. Plus, it doesn't address other health issues like eye strain. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/even-with-exercise-long-periods-spent-sedentary-are-deemed-a-health-risk/2011/07/07/gIQAicwRAI_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/even-with-...
- giantg2 5y ago
  Why so many downvotes?
  - deelowe 5y ago
    Because the vast majority of factory work is not backbreaking labor. It typically involves running machines, taking QC measurements, performing maintenance, manning estops, 5s etc. Yes, there are days that suck and they can be exhausting, but most factories don't have days like that very often. Everyone knows the ones that do and it's best to avoid those plants.
    - 5y ago