From a 'Mickey Mouse' degree to...

[dfrecore]

$200,000/Y sounds nice, until you realize it's 70-80 hours every week and then it starts making sense.

I know MANY, many, many people who make $200k a year or a lot more than that, and don't work anywhere close to 70-80 hours a week.  More than half work less than 40 hours a week, and the rest maybe 40-50, 60 max.

Some own their own businesses, some are mechanics in elevators, some are electrical contractors, some work in HVAC, some are doctors/dentists/NP's/PA's/PT's, some are in IT, some are in Sales.  Not a single one works in a cubicle, and probably never has.

Businesses have lots of overhead which can't be counted for as income. Once you decide to open up an LLC/S-Corp the business money and your money become independent, and can't be legally privately interconnected. This leads to a 30% tax rate to the company for anything you can't write off, and then that money is taxed a second time when you pay your own self as an employee at whatever salary rate you pick. It's tough, most people marry the business.
The elevator mechanic apprentice program exists near me, and they hire roughly 10 new candidates every 3-4 years. The top out pay after a 5 year, *not 4 year* apprenticeship to journey is $62hr, which is a far cry from 200k a year. HVAC? there's zero way. As for electrical contractor, it largely depends on the area and if you are a Master electrician, which requires 4 years of Journey level, before you can test. *The journey level requires 4 years of apprenticeship.* So, combined 8 years of effort. PA's/PT's, no. Within their field there's zero overtime possible, much like becoming a Pharmacist. PA's make $80hr, but usually only work 36-40 hours per week, and because it's in a clinic setting the overtime just isn't possible. NP's and Medical doctors/dentists, YES THEY DO lol. We're talking about advanced school, and highly competitive programs which 99% of people aren't ever going to do. There aren't accelerated Medical degree's or Nurse degrees. I know an ER Doctor who works 3 12's, and earns 400k a year. That's far from normal. But, a PEDS MD can earn as little as 150k-176k, because closed on the weekends. I mean just google "how many registered nurses are in the USA?" Less than 1% population. Then, google NP's, and it's 90% more small.

If you're chasing money, go RN bachelor, GO ICU for 3-4 years, and then go into a CRNA program. The CRNA's get 24 hour shifts and their own rooms to sleep in while being clocked in, earning $200-$250hr. It isn't abnormal to see one work 2-3 24's a week and gross $600k+, or even a million if you hit them up for bonuses.
I'll also share that a Graduate even from a Caribbean Medical School, which matches into a US residency, doesn't care about a Harvard Undergrad in English. The biggest bang for the buck was when Australia allowed UK medical doctors to work there. UK medical doctors enroll directly into medical school as an undergraduate degree "just like their law programs." The pay is trash though because of the taxes which the UK does. Anything over 51,000 is taxed at 40%, so it keep the medical doctors making less than someone who earns 50,000 taxed at 20%. Doctors were leaving to Australia in droves and making 400k+ in the market, but then it was rescinded because the UK got angry for losing doctors. Then they all went on strike as of recent. 


I don't know anyone earning 200k+ who isn't earning every penny, and Medical is the only W2 way to get it done 97% of the time. Sure, you can spend $65,000 in flight training, CFi for 2-3 years, fly for Ameriflight doing cargo for 3-5 years which is a feeder into UPS, and then make 200k as 2nd year first officer, but that's 12-14 years from Zero time which is similar to Medical school Etc... even CRNA is 4 year RN bachelor, 3-4 year ICU experience, 4 years CRNA School "which requires 3.0+ RN Bachelor, and is competitive as medical school if not more so."


If you all want to chase money, we can all combine our knowledge to the platinum guild and go on the quest haha.

I like how you know the people I know.  Hilarious.

- One friend who's a pilot makes $240k for something like 10 days of work a month.  W-2. He paid cash for his flight time, and was an instructor as soon as he could be, and came out in less than a year with zeo debt, and worked up to this salary.  As soon as he switches over to captain (when his kid graduates from HS), he'll make $400k starting salary.
- My other friend who's a pilot makes more, because he works more - oh, and he got his experience in the military after going to the AF Academy, so "free."
- The people in IT sales I know all make well over $200k (many make close to $1M a year).  I don't know anyone who makes LESS than $200k a year.  I know dozens of people in this arena.  I'll be my husband knows 200 people that make this amount. Probably more. All W-2.
- The commercial HVAC guy I know makes over $200k a year with overtime. W-2. Plus side-gigs.
- All of the elevator mechanics I know make $100-$200k with OT, but I know of more than a few who make over $200k.  I work at an elevator company and see what they make, and not only do they make plenty with overtime, they have company vehicles, free medical with no deductibles, all kinds of benefits.  We hire people on a pretty regular basis, maybe 1 guy every month or so.  One month last year we hired 6 guys.  Our program is a 4yr apprenticeship program, starting at $23/hr with zero experience, and pay tops out at about $52/yr w/o OT.  With OT, they are making bank.  W-2.
- The traveling nurse I know makes well over $200k/yr and only works part time.
- The electrical contractor I know owns his own business and makes millions.  I think his house is worth $10M right now.  Yeah, I'm sure he's real worried about it being something other than a W-2 gig. He said all of his guys with 10+ years of experience are earning $150-$250k with OT, all W-2.  That doesn't include any side gigs they have.

But go ahead and tell me that your experience is EXACTLY the same as mine, and that I am wrong on every count here.