A while back, we wrote about the various salaries people were earning from their work. Then, a TON of readers shared their own, and it was just as fascinating. Here are some of those responses:
1. “Automotive painter in a collision shop. Twenty-five years of experience, I make $140k a year. I worked my way up, I can do this in any shop, no student loan payments, a few tools required.”
—Anonymous, 46, NY
2. “I’m a registered nurse case manager for an insurance carrier in the Philadelphia area. My base salary is $108k/year with a lot of overtime if I’m able to work it.”
—Anonymous, 53
3. “I’m a data analyst for a large engineering company and make $165,000 a year after two years with the company, but 15+ years of experience.”
—Anonymous, Ohio
4. “I work as a paralegal, with just over 20 years of experience in the field and an associate’s degree in paralegal studies (degree obtained in a year and a half, and the loan was paid off many years ago). I work in a firm that provides full benefits (which keeps me from leaving). With overtime (which I don’t accrue as much of now as I used to, but I’m still subject to it occasionally) and bonuses, my gross pay comes in right around $100,000.”
—Anonymous, 58, Houston, Texas
5. “I am a retired NYPD sergeant and collect a pension of $140k a year and benefits.”
—Anonymous, 57, New York
6. “I hated school, dropped out, got my GED, and started working as a field service mechanic. I’m now the general manager of a company, and I earn a salary of $135,000 plus bonuses, which typically brings my annual compensation to $150,000 to $160,000. Not bad for a dropout, huh?”
—Anonymous, 62, Tampa, Florida
7. “I’m a property manager for a high-rise luxury apartment building with 400+ residential units and four commercial spaces. My base salary is $114k, but I usually make $135k–143k/yr with monthly bonuses. I have a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry.”
—Anonymous, 35, Atlanta
8. “I sell adult beverages. Twenty+ years of experience with a BA in communications. This year, my salary will be $160k. Twenty percent bonus opportunity annually. Work from home and visit customers every afternoon. It’s a great gig.”
—Anonymous, 59, Midwest
9. “Concrete foreman. I currently make $34 an hour. No degree. Great work ethic. Fifty hours a week. A hundred thousand dollars a year.”
—Anonymous, 37, Wisconsin
10. “Paralegal. Worked for lawyers for over 35 years, starting as a legal secretary. No degree, but you didn’t need one in the early ’90s. I’m now certified and with an excellent boutique firm. I make $69,000 plus bonuses. I’m respected and valued, and have worked in places where I made much less and didn’t even have that. It took a long time to get here, but I believe I’m where I’m supposed to be. The satisfaction and fulfillment I have in this job is like nothing I’ve had before.”
—Anonymous, 60, Northeast Ohio
11. “I’ve been teaching chemistry at the university level since the 1980s. I started at about $10k per semester. This year, I’ll earn about $100,000 while loving my job. It was the right choice for me!”
—Anonymous, 60, Delaware
12. “I make $102k base with a bonus based on revenue of anywhere from 0%–30% of my base salary (usually ends up being about 15%). I am a senior security engineer for a large corporation.”
—Anonymous, 35, Kansas City, Missouri
13. “I’m a physician still in training, I’m in my eighth year of medical training, fourth out of med school, and 13th year of training out of high school. I can work an average of 80 hours a week, averaged over four weeks, and I make $72,000/year, but I am $250k in debt to the US government. Honestly, it’s insulting when people say we do this for the money. I could’ve done so many other things if money were the point, but unfortunately, I like taking care of people, and medicine is the only thing I love.”
—Anonymous, 31, Pennsylvania
14. “Embedded systems programmer; $117,600 salary, plus another $15k in yearly stock options and quarterly bonuses, which vary. I’m also getting another $44k in Social Security, most of which is taxable.”
—Anonymous, 78, Phoenix
15. “I make $160,000 as the vice president of marketing and communications at a nationally ranked university.”
—Anonymous, 59, Detroit, Michigan
16. “I’m a tech pub specialist with a localization emphasis for a Fortune 100 company, $133,000/year.”
—Anonymous, 56, Southwestern Washington
17. “I work for a nonprofit and make $28 an hour as a licensed substance abuse therapist.”
—Anonymous, 66, Tulsa, Oklahoma
18. “I spent 20 years with one of the largest hospitality brands in the world and was only making $82k. I’ve moved to a different property, still in the same role, and I’m making $148k.”
—Anonymous, 43, Denver
19. “I work in technology at a large bank as a manager. I made $188,000, plus a bonus of $65,000, last year. And the benefits are great. The culture is a bit cutthroat, but if you can withstand it, it can be worth it.”
—Anonymous, 48, Charlotte, NC
20. “I’m a management analyst for a county government in the Bay Area. I make $154,000 annually plus a full pension and benefits. I only have a two-year degree, but I’ve been working my way up in local government for about 15 years.”
—Anonymous, 46, San Francisco, CA
21. “I work for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company, developing and testing various equipment. I earn $210,000 in base pay, and my yearly bonus and stock grants bring my total compensation to just over $300k a year. I’ve been doing this for over 40 years, worked my way up from the bottom, and been with my current company for 32 years.”
—Anonymous, 64, California
22. “I am a flooring salesperson. I literally sell floors for homes. I earn over $115,000/year. Company car, benefits, and I make my own schedule.”
—Anonymous, 35, Minnesota
23. “I’m a dentist. I’ve been out of school for about five years. I make around $270,000. Dental school cost is usually somewhere between $200k–300k, give or take, depending on the school.”
—Anonymous, 35, Oregon
24. “I’m an oncology drug representative with 30 years of experience. My salary is $167k plus bonus and benefits.”
—Anonymous, 60, Alabama
25. “After 10 years full-time, I just broke $60k as a librarian. I have a master’s degree and $100k in student debt.”
—Anonymous, 37, MA
26. “I’m an investment fund manager. My salary is $4 million.”
—Anonymous, 56, Washington, DC
27. “I make $120,000/year as an associate degree travel nurse with 10 years of nursing experience and travel nursing for seven years.”
—Anonymous, 62, Arizona
28. “I’m a network engineer with 30 years of experience currently working for a financial services company, and I gross $240,000 a year with bonuses.”
—Anonymous, 50, Southern CA
29. “I own a small salon with two part-time employees. I make $130,000 a year.”
—Anonymous, 45
30. “I work in international adoptions for the government. I have one year of experience and make $86k, get 104 sick hours and 156 annual leave hours, plus all federal holidays off.”
—Anonymous, 43, Kansas City
31. “I’m an airline captain at a major US airline. It pays hourly, so total annual compensation depends on the amount of work we do. I average between $400,000 and $550,000 a year before taxes.”
—Anonymous, 47, Washington DC
32. “I own my own company, starting up new water treatment equipment for cities and industrial customers. I pay myself between $100k–$300k per year, and net another $100,000 on a side gig selling chemicals. I travel the world and take about 16 weeks off per year. I love my work! I have an associate’s of science degree in water treatment technology.”
—Anonymous, 67, Portland, Oregon
33. “I clean carpet and hard floors. I make $200 an hour. About $300k a year.”
—Anonymous, 50, Utah
34. “I’m a clinic registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree with 21 years of experience. I make $155k per year. Benefits: six weeks vacation, pension, and retirement 457(b) plan, with full medical coverage after 25 years of service for retirement. Spousal coverage on medical when I retire. Unfortunately, the spousal coverage is no longer available for new employees.”
—Anonymous, 49, LA
35. Lastly, “I make $160,000. I work as an instructional coach and part-time with other academic programs. I have multiple master’s and work 42 hours per week between both jobs. I have paid holidays, eight to ten weeks of vacation. This is year 25.”
—Anonymous, 58, Chicago
What do you do for work? And how much do you get paid? Let us know (only if you’re comfortable) in the comments. Or, if you prefer to remain anonymous, leave your submission in the form below.
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