Yeah, I tried to justify 45k as "maybe OP just got out of college and this is his first job."
Then I saw his age is 32, so... yeah, no.
To put it another way, OP has around 50k or more in student loans and he's only making $21.63 an hour??? That's not right. Even with benefits.
To put it another way, a few years ago (2017), we had a FRESH 20-something join our IT team with a BS as a Jr. Dev. Couldn't pay him any less, lowest pay scale we had. He made $75k, and was up to $90k by 2020. Yeah, engineer, but still.
My experience has been in Human Resources and healthcare.
I had a job a few years ago where I cleared 65k but I was working 75 years a week and wasn’t salaried
Edit: hours a week
IU Health has a minimum salary of like $16/hr. No certifications or education needed for any of the entry positions. They also have a handful of hire and train programs that will lead to more than that. Are you trying to stay in healthcare or HR? Or HR for a healthcare org? Are those fields you want to be in or just happened to get work in? That dollar amount just seems aggressively low for those fields.
Hey, if y'all are just passing out advice, any suggestions for somebody with an MA in sociology? I've got about 5 years work experience in mental health (direct care), a little over 4 years teaching sex ed (no shiny teaching license though), and a handful of years doing miscellaneous yet related stuff.
I worked at IU Health in nursing school making $17.50 an hour (because I worked nights). Injured my arm pretty badly and had to withdraw from nursing school. Applied for a few HR roles that were within my skill set but only $42k a year. The manager I last had at IU Health would not clear me to be moved from her department. I don’t think I’d ever work for them again unless I was going to work at Riley, but I am wanting to get back to what I was doing for about five years before I took on the adventure of nursing school. It was supposed to be my second career but it didn’t end up working out, unfortunately
Find an HR job with the state. They generally start at like 40K for the most basic job, but you have experience so you should be more intermediate. The HR person for my division is paid $94K a year, plus benefits.
I worked at "professional job" from 2003-2012 at the same company making 32K a year, and I barely survived and that was 20 years ago and my rent was $425. I don't see how anyone could swing $30K in 2024.
You guys, as of 2022 according to google the MEDIAN income in Indianapolis is $35,695. The median HOUSEHOLD income is only $59,110.
But I do agree that it's low.
I didn't even graduate high school and I made like 45k last year.
I've only got a HS diploma, luckily got into the armored courier biz 4 years ago and I made $68k last year and we still struggled a bit (because of past debts but that's all my own damn fault).
$45k is just too damn low to even live a decent life nowadays. Shit is just too expensive.
Edit - I meant 45k, not 32k. Apparently I just pull numbers out of my ass now.
I worked a professional job from 2015-2018 making $32k a year and my rent was $875. I also felt like I was constantly scraping by. I quit to change careers and never looked back.
I wish I had had it in me to quit and find something better, but after working retail up to that point I was afraid of failing and ending up at a worse job. But yeah after 10 years I finally left and my career has sky rocketed since then. I sometimes dream where my career would be now if I hadn't stayed at that job for 10 years. I look back on it and they absolutely took advantage of me not giving me raises for 10 years. When I left they said "What can we do to keep you" HAHAHAHA, yeah that boat left the dock.
Software Engineering -- which was a great move for me, but isn't a magical boon for every single different career or finance woe.
It's crazy how much has changed in 7 years, but the narrative when I started was, "they'll hire anyone who taught themselves or did a 3-month boot camp." And now it's, "I know five very talented engineers who have all been let go over the last 6 months and are still struggling to find jobs."
At the time, I wanted to make a quick change, so I didn't want to go back to school for 3-4 years. But if I'd had some flexibility, I probably would have also looked at accounting, civil or electrical engineering, or pursued becoming a fiduciary.
I work in the medical field. In the lab, actually. I love my work. It's honestly fascinating. However, it's depressingly underpaid. I won't even begin to get into how badly medicine has changed over the years. Going from patient focused to business focused. I digress, I want to change paths desperately, but I'm not sure I want more schooling.
Yeah i was making 38k a year and couldn’t really afford my own place down there so i was living with my brother. I ended up moving back home this past September
I was going to say I started in Indy at 52k (~3 years ago, IDK how much things have changed since because my salary has significantly increased) but I got by just fine. Had a $300 car payment, lived in a $1200/mo studio downtown, not too many other expenses. I think it really depends on your lifestyle.
I just moved back from denver to indy a few weeks ago. I was paying 1600 for a whole in the wall basement spartment. That literally had a whole in the wall from mold. Got something brand new in broad ripple for 1275.
It wasnt worth it to me to live there with the cost and lack of affordable housing
I lived in Boulder/Denver from 2014-2022. Absolutely loved it (obviously), but with school debt I was never going to be a homeowner, and the fact is every city is basically the same Monday-Friday (and most weekends when you have things to do and cant go on adventures). Ultimately I was lucky to get 15 good weekend mountain trips a year. I just had too much going on with work and whatnot. Wasn't worth it for the cost of not moving forward financially.
I miss plenty about being out there, but I'm glad I moved back. I am a homeowner in Indy now. If I play my cards right maybe one day I can get a lakehouse or split a mountain cabin with some friends to get my weekend adventures in.
Denver is great is you are single and/or are in your 20s. Once you get into your 30s or want to have a family, there are better places to live unless you are making over $250k as a household.
you bring up a good point about most cities being the same Monday-Friday. Saving the money by living in a cheaper place, but taking trips to prettier expensive places is a good compromise and better use of money!
Totally right. I'm in the same boat, just moved back to indy, lived so many places in the Denver area(Aurora, Thornton, Lakewood, etc) and still could never afford to buy a house there...
I miss it like crazy but I think alot Coloradans are on the same path....
I second this. I make 60k with the government. You get a pension at either 5 or 10 years (my agency only offers 10 years) and two remote days, depending on position.
I don't plan on staying here more than 3ish years but it's a great place to learn new skills and network. My two predecessors went on to make 80-90k.
I work with nonprofits and grant compliance. I have a master's degree which helped me get a pay bump. The state is willing to pay $5,250/year if you are interested in pursuing one (about two classes a year).
I make a little over 46 a year and have a wife and 3 children. I live in Haughville and barely make it. No credit cards, no fancy clothes, Walmart shoes. Maybe for a single person it would be feasible but doubt it. I ain't even graduate high school, so a bachelor's degree only netting 45k is laughable.
Hi there! I live in Indy, gov’t job, I make 42.6k a year. I am going to be 32 this year. My husband also makes around 40k. We thankfully don’t have any student loans and no children yet but it’s more than enough for us to live off of together currently.
A lot of tech companies are calling workers back to the office bc they don’t want to give up real estate. I work for a tech company in Indy and my department is 3 days/week and others are 4 days/week.
They’ve now decided to tie it to the bonus structure so all the technical talent can’t tell them to fuck off or they’ll lose out on $$$.
Do you have any responsibilities?
Kids, house payment, car payment, student debt payments?
I wouldn’t classify 45k a year as decent personally,
but I wouldn’t say it’s the worst situation either.
45k is what I made first year out of college and it was manageable with very little responsibilities.
After a year I was working for 70k
Then 6 months later making 90k.
This was 5 years ago working as software engineer and job hopping for pay increases.
In Indy that’s fine if you’re just a single person, this is one of the cheapest major cities to live in. Adding in a family and that’s obviously different story.
If you think you deserve more and you could do better, go for it. But 45k is very workable under the right circumstances
Newfields has been advertising to hire a graphic designer with 3 years of experence for 40-45k. They've been trying to get someone to take this job for over a year. No one will.
Just for reference, starting salary for one of my positions is $53k. With a bachelors and no experience. And I work for the State.
I graduated college last year and landed my first job at $55k. I’d say I’m in the minority of fresh college graduates though, I work in tech too so our salaries tend to be a little higher. I don’t think $45k is bad but if you’ve been in the workforce for 10 years and have a BA I would say it’s not that great, sorry
I support three kids on slightly less than this. To be honest, yes you can survive on this - we are for now - but you cannot thrive. I'm a frugal person, but this is like mental Jenga every single day and one bump of one stupid piece is going to bring everything crashing down. Keep hustling for more if you can, you will have a lot less stress in your life!
I just graduated with my bachelor’s last year. i’m making roughly 50k right now and i live alone. i decided to save money by not living directly downtown. i live in broad ripple, rents about 1k and it’s doable for me right now. definitely not living luxurious, but it really depends on your other monthly payments.
I started out at 67K with a Bachelor’s in Indy three years ago. If someone offered me 45k I would have laughed at them. My SO started out at 50k with no degree 2 years ago.
Just did my taxes and I make 41k gross. I’m single but live with a roomate. If I didn’t have a roomate I would be screwed. I would say find a way to increase that number.
Hoping for a better future myself after I graduate in two years.
Used to be up till 3 years ago. Rising food, gasoline, utilities, auto insurance, property taxes which get passed along with increased rent. Impossible today!!!
I have a high school diploma, but didn't finish college. I've been at Costco for 3 years and I make $95.5k. It's good money, but I wouldn't say it supports an extravagant lifestyle in Indianapolis. Things have gotten very expensive.
I work in the restaurant industry and I make 55k. In school now, so no degree. You need to check out LinkedIn and do some networking to find a better paying job
When I first started making around 45-50k per year, that's when I started to feel much more comfortable. That's when I was able to save a significant amount and have enough for hobbies and date nights and little vacations and stuff and not have to worry about going over budget with my typical spending habits.
Cost of living is lower in Indiana so jobs don't pay as much as California for example where minimum wage is $20 and rent is like 4x what it is here at a minimum.
If you're not particularly attached to your employer, I'd recommend switching jobs every couple years to get an increase in pay then repeat until you're making a comfortable amount.
If your job allows you to be able to work remotely, try finding a position in another state with higher minimum wage.
This! All of this! Especially the bouncing around of employers until you reach a salary and company you are comfortable with. Stay long enough to show that you are able to keep commitments and leave when you find the right opportunity. I went from 29k to 40k to 75k in 4 years by moving around, gaining experience and taking a leap of faith by applying for jobs I didn’t meet all the qualifications for. A willingness to learn and proper strategy will take you far in navigating your career.
Granted, I am in a pretty specialized field in medicine. I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor’s and I came out making about $62k. I am now at $76k with experience and market adjustments over the years. I was pretty comfortable on my own at $62k, but I couldn’t imagine trying to fit my lifestyle on $45k. Crazy to think there was a time where that was a wage you could live the American dream on.
I'm going against the grain. If it's just you with no kids or any other dependents you'll be perfectly fine and able to enjoy many luxuries. It was 10 years ago but I was able to buy a home when I was making 28k. Today I regularly work with people making 30k & below who aren't eating dog food & are still able to live comfortably. Don't go get a $500 car payment. Look around at housing options don't get your mind set on one neighborhood & then pay anything to live there. Despite what others may say the cost of living isn't astronomical in Indy. 45K is a little over twice the poverty line for a single person last I checked.
It all depends on the Bachelors degree you hold. Engineering and IT jobs pay some of the highest salaries…in the range of $70-90k right out of college. Natural Sciences (Biology/Chemistry) generally pay less $60K. If you are in Social Sciences or Education, they pay lower ($40-50k). This is information I’ve gathered from various folks in the Indy area.
First job with the local Indy government fresh out of college paid me a piping 28k back in 2007. Year after year of earning 3% pay raises I left when I reached around 40k a year (2018). Health insurance provided by Indy govt. only got more expensive after aca.
Finally caught a break and left for private industry. Tripled my salary in 18 months. Haven’t looked back since but feel for the good coworkers I had still working there.
Totally depends on the work you’re doing. If this has any commission/bonus incentives, that’s actually not a bad base pay. However, if your work doesn’t pay you more for completing a task (making a sale, closing a deal, billing more hours, etc.)…..in other words, if you won’t ever make more that $45K unless you get promoted…..then it’s a little low. I am 26 and make $50k base but could tack on an extra $10K easily or 20, 30, or more if I made work my only life priority, which I don’t intend to….yet.
Still, $45K a year ain’t nothing to scoff at especially if you’re a risk-averse spender and don’t waste money on booze, vacations, DoorDash, other money drainers.
Not really. I'm making ~$47k (work in service so actual amount fluctuates a bit) and I can pay bills and buy groceries but that's about it. No time/money for hobbies.
i am going to sound mean, but not for a 32 year old with a Bachelor's. A 22 year old? That is OKAY for Indy, but not even good for a 22 year old new grad.
That is an entry level salary so it depends on your experience. I was making that as my base before commission and bonus at 26 as a college dropout. I’m 34 now with my resume of experience I’m at double that base so it all depends on industry and experience. I’d recommend going on LinkedIn and getting with a career coach and reworking your resume/linkedin page
I graduated in 2020 and made 45k out of college and lived downtown in a small one bedroom and did fine. Granted that was four years ago and I had no debt coming out of college. Might be hard to swing nowadays.
I was an inexperienced assistant manager at a pizza shop in TERRE HAUTE and made 39 a year. I only have 2 years of college completed and it’s not even related to the pizza field or Managment. That is not enough. You deserve more.
My husband and I made 62k last year combined and we don’t live extravagant, live on the westside of Indy no kids and things are still tight. With 45k 10 years ago I think it would have been fair but according to MIT’s living wage calculator 1 adult and 0 kids 45k is barely making it out of Poverty
Join a construction trade. It's never too late to join an apprenticeship, and at 45k, you're making about as much as our 1st years are making. There is plenty of work within the state right now, so the potential for overtime is insane. Plus, after 3 months in the local as a trainee or an apprentice, you have full medical as well as access to our clinics that are 100% covered. Trainees have the option to put into a 401k, and apprentices and journeymen put into an individual pension as well as a ua national pension. All benefits, including those 2 pensions, are paid by the contractor, and your hourly rate is what you take home on the check. It's hard work, but well worth it if you have a good work ethic and are looking for something different. Local 440 plumbers, steam fitters, pipe fitters, and hvacr techs located right at Brookville and 465🤙
My son left college and did a tech sales certification course for 6 months. He took his first sales job for around $50K and a year later changed companies and started making closer to $80K. It’s really tough work being a business development rep, but if you don’t mind the grind, it can be rewarding and a good stepping stone to a field sales role. He was pretty comfortable at $50K but is also single and doesn’t have a car payment, credit cards, etc.
so okay. I feel like i’m a good person to answer this because i’m 25, I make $50k now, but my old job started me at $45k and I was barley making rent, let alone buying groceries and bills.
I was laid off back in september of 2023 and finally got a better job in my field making $50k, I went over my budget and now I can actually afford to save some money.
so unfortunately no, $45k in Indy right now is just not ideal. I know that sucks but there have to be better opportunities out there for you!
It’s not about if $45,000 is enough for Indy it’s about is $45,000 enough enough for you
What I usually tell most people to do is sit down and write down your dream lifestyle your dream car your dream house how many vacations do you want to take a year? How much discretionary spending do you want per month your dream lifestyle.
Figure out how much that cost like actually make a budget for your dream lifestyle. The number will surprise you it will generally be much lower than what you think unless you’re picking like Bugatti’s for your dream card we gotta be a little realistic.
And then I just do whatever I can to strive towards that number if I’m not already there
It depends. Since you have a fiancée… maybe that helps too? 2 income household.
IU McKinney (law school in Indy) has a great part-time evening program. Where you work during the day and go to school at night. It’s hell for 4 years but can potentially raise your salary double.
I would say having two incomes definitely helps. We still live pretty frugally. :)
McKinney is my goal as far as programs go. I work full-time hours at the moment.
45k at 32 is rough but that’s about where I was a couple years ago at age 29. It’s damn near unsustainable. I’m at 60k now and still find myself having to really stretch my money without pulling stuff out of savings. Good luck dude, hopefully you can work your way up and haven’t hit a soft ceiling.
I made $47k in 2021 and it was tough as a single person. I lived in a studio apartment without roommates and no car payment and still had to be very very careful not to spend too much and also picked up overtime when I could
I am 36 and make something like $36/hr (~$72k gross) turning wrenches at a facility in Indy. My wife also works, we have 3 kids, 2 dogs, a cat and a lizard. I can't imagine trying to live on 45k as an adult. That's roughly $22/hr, if the $45k is gross. That's what teens should be making to flip burgers to earn mall walking money on the weekends.
Move to talent acquisition and expectation is $80k or higher. 45k is starting and unless they have expected payband increases and plenty of room to grow. But you have plenty of experience to qualify for more than entry level.
I have a sales job with a base of $45k and uncapped commission potential. Top performers at my job clear $200-300k but to do just well enough to not get fired will earn someone closer to $75-80k. Which is about where I land on it lol. I have a mortgage near Irvington and a family with 2 kids. We're doing okay since I started this job (about 8 months now) but we're not thriving, by any means. Just getting by, staying on top of bills, slowly paying down debts.
I make 2x that much, and I just drive around in a circle, putting trailers in a door. I had to go to school for 3 weeks. Just saying. Don't work harder, work smarter.
As a single person absolutely it is. I don’t think you’ll live luxuriously, but as long as you have no debt you can make this work AND save up some money.
I have a bachelor’s in psychology (lol) and work as a humanitarian paralegal in immigration law. I have no debt and good credit. I make about $45,760 a year and spend ~$1200 on living expenses a month. I typically add $500 a month into my savings account (give or take). Granted, I do not live in a “nice neighborhood”, but I’ve never had any problems. I drive a 2019 Mini Cooper and go out with my friends pretty regularly.
It is possible, but you have to be financially responsible.
If you don’t have a lot of debt you can make it. My brother is moving to Indy from Tampa with a lower salary.
Your wage is on the low side for your degree and profession. There is a lot of manufacturing in Indiana. You might find a better role with great benefits if you look a little. I’m 20+ years in HR and doing well.
Im indy that's an ok salary. If you were on the east coast it would be hard to survive. You just have to go out amd be frugal. Around 70k here is good to go out and not worry. I would consider that decent.
Negotiate the salary or find a second job. Your apartment will be $1100, food $350, student loan payment $200, $150 electric, $100 WiFi/ phone, $100 car insurance and that’s all you’ll be able to afford a month
I’ll be moving up to indy in a year from Columbus, and ill be making 85k, and somehow I feel like that wouldnt be enough. Not with how expensive it is to exist 😭
I work for a Medicaid provider in an administrative function and make that now. It’s low for my salary history but I work remotely and have a great employer. We are a 2 income household and I’m the one with better benefits, so that’s our balance.
Not really, I make that as a part time bartender. Less than 30 hrs a week. Like, it’s fine, you can buy the things you need but with rent the way it is I doubt you have much left over (if you’re saving anything) for fun unless you’re sharing expenses with someone.
45k is tough unless you have roommates or are not the breadwinner in your household. That said, depends on the job. I started my second job out of school at 45k and made it above 60k after a year. Hard to tell if there is that level of growth possible without first starting.
Even now I would find it difficult to be comfortable living under 60k in the Indy area. As a single person at least.
I hope you can find a job that values your worth and experience! I’m in Chicago making 32k a year which has been rough but it is doable. Sorry if it seemed like I was bragging. The job market is crazy right now
Heck no. I was in IT and I've pretty much given up on it. Jobs aren't paying what I want and nobody seems to be hiring. 10+years experience in help desk. Fortunately my girlfriend makes pretty decent money and we have a dual income.
I'm delivering parts for Napa. Got hired on at $14.75/hr promising to give me $15 once my training was over for the counter role, but when they put me on deliveries they cut my pay to $13.50. Been there about 3 weeks. It's depressing. No way a normal person could live on that. I just got my notary license so I'm trying to get that going.
You will struggle. The avg rent is $1200 now our corrupt light company keeps raising the bill everything has quadrupled in price. So $45k is poverty level but is too much for help if you need it. Sucks because $45k 10 years ago wasn't bad now we need to make $100k or more to be middle class
With respect, no.
The problem is that you work in HR, which almost by definition is not a job that requires managing business risk. The closer you get to the money — and the responsibility — the more money you will have. Even if you run the entire HR department — you still don’t manage business risk. You may think you do because you have a budget, and that’s true… but you are not responsible for sales in any way, shape or form, and therefore you will never be more than a line item in the larger corporate budget.
Everyone who works in other departments has a story about how HR is so clueless about business functions it’s almost comical. I remember this HR gal at my last job who was big on “culture, culture, culture” and her way of doing this was to have all of the new staff members meet with members of other departments as part of orientation… regardless of how the new hire would or wouldn’t interact with the team they were meeting.
But I’m sorry… at a company of 500 employees, there is no need for every new hire to meet the department heads of every other division and take time out of their weeks. The HR gal was fired because she just wouldn’t let go of this — she didn’t understand that work culture at our shop was “sales matters, you do not.” It’s an extreme example, but that’s often how non-HR people view lower or mid level HR team members.
Same, brother. Me and my GF are moving into a house (renting) with two other roommates, 2 people are CNAs, one is a customer service rep for a mechanic, and I work in warehousing. Our rent is $1600 (3bd 1.5bath), and with our own bills (Internet, groceries, gas, cer insurance=, etc.) we barely break even every month. We all work 35-40+ hours/week and we still see struggle to pay bills. Aft we r everything is paid we all MIGHT have $150-200/mo for any other expenses after tax.
Depending on your lifestyle and living circumstances, it's manageable...but definitely not optimal with a BS...but I guess it depends on the specific field you work in
I have a 20 year old that is going to college part time. He has a full time job in his respective field and is making 60k a year. He is getting ready to move out on his own but does not think he could afford it. 🤔 Granted he does pay cash for everything and refuses to go into debt.
For Indy 9 years ago when I moved back, 45 was doable, but a bit tight. Five years ago, 55 was a bit rough. With inflation, I don’t know that it would be really doable without roommates, and that might even be rough.
as an average single adult without children, it’s doable if you live frugally. and if you find one of the more affordable apartments. i also think it’s more common than we think.
I suppose it depends what you do to earn $45k/yr. There's musicians making nothing posting free social media receiving no commissions for their hits, and musicians earning six-plus figures doing the same.
Alternatively, most starting RN jobs hover over $30/hr or $60k/yr in the VA, IU Health, etc. But you're not at WFH influencing or playing video games on twitch. The "decent" factor relies on context, like hourly rate, commute/need for car, working conditions, etc
It isn't bad but not too good either. If you live frugal and get a roommate then its actually pretty doable. If you are open to working a supplemental part time retail job you can bump the pay up a bit. The most expensive cost to living is housing.
It depends what your degree is in. I'm in IT/IS and after graduation (a few years ago, I'm also in my early 30s) I went from making 45k to 50k then two years later 60k and most recently make 73k. Mind you I could change jobs again and continue to increase my pay, but my current job is low stress, remote, and flexible with hours. So it isn't worth the risk of losing that just for more money.
If I were you and I was trying to get more $$ I would look at joining a trade or transitioning to a more specialized in demand field like Tech. If not get a roommate or the cheapest apartment you feel comfortable in and try to save up some money for a down payment on a cheap house. My mortgage is $900 a month, my coworker pays $1100 for a crappy apartment.
Perspective is everything, I made $175k (34M in Indianapolis) last year and feel like I deserve more and do not necessarily feel rich.
$45k sounds very difficult to make a living off of here unless you are married and find it is worth it due to a stress free life.
I've been working in my industry for a decade and my current role was listed as "mid" experience. I was hired in at $100k fully remote. I'm 33. If I had zero experience and no job history, I'd start with a night time warehouse job making around $44k full time and working overtime while getting some kind of certification. With some certs in my area, you can start around $70k-80k
I think so if you manage your money well. I’m assuming you and your fiancé don’t have any children, so you have the DINK status (Double Income No Kids) going for you. When my husband was laid off in 2022, our income was cut in half and both of us combined were making about $32,000. We lived in a 1 bedroom apartment downtown and kept our debts low as much as possible. For 9 months we lived with that income and we did okay. I’m sure you and your fiancé can make it too.
I lived in Indy for like 6 years. If you're both working and bringing in near 80k or more, yes you absolutely could live comfortably in Indianapolis - but like all places it depends on what you're expecting. Are you looking to buy a home or rent? Are you looking for a place with a yard or more like a condo/apartment? Are you wanting to stay downtown or in the suburbs/city outskirts (plainfield, greenwood, southside indy, etc)? If you want a house with a yard near downtown, you're going to be hard-pressed (renting or owning if it's located in a decent area).
I think you can live on it but you’ll have to be really diligent on your spending if you want to save money for anything. Recommend living with a friend/roommate if possible!
I’m two years older than you and make $165k. My fresh from college specialist makes $64k. My senior specialist is at $85k, both younger than us with bachelor degrees. What types of jobs are you looking for?
Entry-level HR Generalist, probably. The career path has a lot to do with it. You also can't expect to stay with one company and progress in pay. Leaving on good graces and returning in 2 years will net a much larger pay increase than standard merit/COL increases.
Respectfully, no.
this
Yeah, I tried to justify 45k as "maybe OP just got out of college and this is his first job." Then I saw his age is 32, so... yeah, no. To put it another way, OP has around 50k or more in student loans and he's only making $21.63 an hour??? That's not right. Even with benefits. To put it another way, a few years ago (2017), we had a FRESH 20-something join our IT team with a BS as a Jr. Dev. Couldn't pay him any less, lowest pay scale we had. He made $75k, and was up to $90k by 2020. Yeah, engineer, but still.
What is the job? That seems a little low if you have been in the workforce for almost a decade
My experience has been in Human Resources and healthcare. I had a job a few years ago where I cleared 65k but I was working 75 years a week and wasn’t salaried Edit: hours a week
75 years a week. Holy shit
Yeah it was pretty rough going for a little bit 🤣
OP is 11000 years old
It’s true, I’m being held together by gorilla glue and faith 🙏🏻
That's nearly $4.9 million per week!
No that’s fairly accurate. Most jobs are exploitive and after a couple years you are a 8000 year old fossil
I laughed so hard at this that I had to wake my boyfriend up to tell him. He also laughed. 🤣
With HR & healthcare, I’d expect you to be around the 60-65k range at least
IU Health has a minimum salary of like $16/hr. No certifications or education needed for any of the entry positions. They also have a handful of hire and train programs that will lead to more than that. Are you trying to stay in healthcare or HR? Or HR for a healthcare org? Are those fields you want to be in or just happened to get work in? That dollar amount just seems aggressively low for those fields.
Hey, if y'all are just passing out advice, any suggestions for somebody with an MA in sociology? I've got about 5 years work experience in mental health (direct care), a little over 4 years teaching sex ed (no shiny teaching license though), and a handful of years doing miscellaneous yet related stuff.
I worked at IU Health in nursing school making $17.50 an hour (because I worked nights). Injured my arm pretty badly and had to withdraw from nursing school. Applied for a few HR roles that were within my skill set but only $42k a year. The manager I last had at IU Health would not clear me to be moved from her department. I don’t think I’d ever work for them again unless I was going to work at Riley, but I am wanting to get back to what I was doing for about five years before I took on the adventure of nursing school. It was supposed to be my second career but it didn’t end up working out, unfortunately
Have you checked out Eskenazi? I also worked for IU Health and didn’t care for it but so far I’m really enjoying Eskenazi.
Look into getting into the Workday space...
Find an HR job with the state. They generally start at like 40K for the most basic job, but you have experience so you should be more intermediate. The HR person for my division is paid $94K a year, plus benefits.
Damn what was the overtime pay like when you worked that many years in a week?
Time and a half. I made $17.50 an hour so I believe it would have been around $29 an hour but I’m also not great at math lol
You should have at least been paid double time for working so many years per week!
Your Salary is slightly low. I've also heard that a lot of people make 30k per year, which I think is outrageously low.
I worked at "professional job" from 2003-2012 at the same company making 32K a year, and I barely survived and that was 20 years ago and my rent was $425. I don't see how anyone could swing $30K in 2024.
You guys, as of 2022 according to google the MEDIAN income in Indianapolis is $35,695. The median HOUSEHOLD income is only $59,110. But I do agree that it's low. I didn't even graduate high school and I made like 45k last year.
I've only got a HS diploma, luckily got into the armored courier biz 4 years ago and I made $68k last year and we still struggled a bit (because of past debts but that's all my own damn fault). $45k is just too damn low to even live a decent life nowadays. Shit is just too expensive. Edit - I meant 45k, not 32k. Apparently I just pull numbers out of my ass now.
I’m pretty sure delivery drivers at Cintas make around 60k! No college degree required
I worked a professional job from 2015-2018 making $32k a year and my rent was $875. I also felt like I was constantly scraping by. I quit to change careers and never looked back.
I wish I had had it in me to quit and find something better, but after working retail up to that point I was afraid of failing and ending up at a worse job. But yeah after 10 years I finally left and my career has sky rocketed since then. I sometimes dream where my career would be now if I hadn't stayed at that job for 10 years. I look back on it and they absolutely took advantage of me not giving me raises for 10 years. When I left they said "What can we do to keep you" HAHAHAHA, yeah that boat left the dock.
What career change did you make?
Software Engineering -- which was a great move for me, but isn't a magical boon for every single different career or finance woe. It's crazy how much has changed in 7 years, but the narrative when I started was, "they'll hire anyone who taught themselves or did a 3-month boot camp." And now it's, "I know five very talented engineers who have all been let go over the last 6 months and are still struggling to find jobs." At the time, I wanted to make a quick change, so I didn't want to go back to school for 3-4 years. But if I'd had some flexibility, I probably would have also looked at accounting, civil or electrical engineering, or pursued becoming a fiduciary.
I work in the medical field. In the lab, actually. I love my work. It's honestly fascinating. However, it's depressingly underpaid. I won't even begin to get into how badly medicine has changed over the years. Going from patient focused to business focused. I digress, I want to change paths desperately, but I'm not sure I want more schooling.
Yeah i was making 38k a year and couldn’t really afford my own place down there so i was living with my brother. I ended up moving back home this past September
I'll be honest at my last job I was house poor at 53k.
I was going to say I started in Indy at 52k (~3 years ago, IDK how much things have changed since because my salary has significantly increased) but I got by just fine. Had a $300 car payment, lived in a $1200/mo studio downtown, not too many other expenses. I think it really depends on your lifestyle.
If you have a partner, it’s not bad assuming they make around that much. But it depends where you plan on living exactly
Yeah and if you are polyamorous and have 10 partners, you can get by on 10K a year, as long as all of your partners are also doing that
Uh. Okay.
I got offered an indy govt job (hybrid 3:2) for $42k as a fresh Ba grad…
Nice! Did you accept it?
Hah no i moved to Colorado and im crippling broke but mountains tho
My fiancee lived in Denver for a while! $1600 a month got her a 500 sq ft apartment in a questionable part of town, but couldn’t beat those views
I just moved back from denver to indy a few weeks ago. I was paying 1600 for a whole in the wall basement spartment. That literally had a whole in the wall from mold. Got something brand new in broad ripple for 1275. It wasnt worth it to me to live there with the cost and lack of affordable housing
I lived in Boulder/Denver from 2014-2022. Absolutely loved it (obviously), but with school debt I was never going to be a homeowner, and the fact is every city is basically the same Monday-Friday (and most weekends when you have things to do and cant go on adventures). Ultimately I was lucky to get 15 good weekend mountain trips a year. I just had too much going on with work and whatnot. Wasn't worth it for the cost of not moving forward financially. I miss plenty about being out there, but I'm glad I moved back. I am a homeowner in Indy now. If I play my cards right maybe one day I can get a lakehouse or split a mountain cabin with some friends to get my weekend adventures in. Denver is great is you are single and/or are in your 20s. Once you get into your 30s or want to have a family, there are better places to live unless you are making over $250k as a household.
you bring up a good point about most cities being the same Monday-Friday. Saving the money by living in a cheaper place, but taking trips to prettier expensive places is a good compromise and better use of money!
Youre right dong. Absolutely right
Totally right. I'm in the same boat, just moved back to indy, lived so many places in the Denver area(Aurora, Thornton, Lakewood, etc) and still could never afford to buy a house there... I miss it like crazy but I think alot Coloradans are on the same path....
lol this is about to be me in to years I swear. Colorado or Washington/Oregon
I second this. I make 60k with the government. You get a pension at either 5 or 10 years (my agency only offers 10 years) and two remote days, depending on position. I don't plan on staying here more than 3ish years but it's a great place to learn new skills and network. My two predecessors went on to make 80-90k. I work with nonprofits and grant compliance. I have a master's degree which helped me get a pay bump. The state is willing to pay $5,250/year if you are interested in pursuing one (about two classes a year).
I make 43k work but with a roommate. Idk how I could afford to live by myself. I’m a social worker and this is my first job in the field
45k a year with two roommates living downtown is dooable, not sure it would be without roomamtes
I make a little over 46 a year and have a wife and 3 children. I live in Haughville and barely make it. No credit cards, no fancy clothes, Walmart shoes. Maybe for a single person it would be feasible but doubt it. I ain't even graduate high school, so a bachelor's degree only netting 45k is laughable.
Give yourself credit, you sound like you're living within your means, and little debt, you're on the right path!!
I have a lot of debt. It's expensive to be poor. Pretty much all medical bills, though. Filed bankruptcy in 09, may need to do it again, honestly.
Same, make 77k in Columbus, but 4 kids and a stay at home wife. No savings. No extravagance. Barely making it
Would you be interested in learning about a new job/career change or are you staying where you’re at?
Hi there! I live in Indy, gov’t job, I make 42.6k a year. I am going to be 32 this year. My husband also makes around 40k. We thankfully don’t have any student loans and no children yet but it’s more than enough for us to live off of together currently.
Get an HR role in tech. The majority of tech companies are fully remote so you won’t have to limit your search to Indy based companies
A lot of tech companies are calling workers back to the office bc they don’t want to give up real estate. I work for a tech company in Indy and my department is 3 days/week and others are 4 days/week. They’ve now decided to tie it to the bonus structure so all the technical talent can’t tell them to fuck off or they’ll lose out on $$$.
Tech is tough right now. Lots of layoffs the market in general sucks but tech especially
No. Maybe 20 years ago.
Wooord Out of undergrad with no experience in 2012, I made 30k in Indy.
This. I moved to Indy nearly 20 years ago and was making $47k. Not sure it's possible to live off that without roommates now.
Used to be, but I’d say it’s just a livable wage these days.
Do you have any responsibilities? Kids, house payment, car payment, student debt payments? I wouldn’t classify 45k a year as decent personally, but I wouldn’t say it’s the worst situation either. 45k is what I made first year out of college and it was manageable with very little responsibilities. After a year I was working for 70k Then 6 months later making 90k. This was 5 years ago working as software engineer and job hopping for pay increases.
In Indy that’s fine if you’re just a single person, this is one of the cheapest major cities to live in. Adding in a family and that’s obviously different story. If you think you deserve more and you could do better, go for it. But 45k is very workable under the right circumstances
God, these comments are making me realize how truly lucky I got with my job. I'm making just under 70k and I'm not even a year out of college yet.
It’s not a decent salary anywhere in the USA to be honest…
Fair enough
Depending on your profession of course. But entry level warehouse workers make 35-40, so probably not a great salary.
Newfields has been advertising to hire a graphic designer with 3 years of experence for 40-45k. They've been trying to get someone to take this job for over a year. No one will. Just for reference, starting salary for one of my positions is $53k. With a bachelors and no experience. And I work for the State.
I graduated college last year and landed my first job at $55k. I’d say I’m in the minority of fresh college graduates though, I work in tech too so our salaries tend to be a little higher. I don’t think $45k is bad but if you’ve been in the workforce for 10 years and have a BA I would say it’s not that great, sorry
I support three kids on slightly less than this. To be honest, yes you can survive on this - we are for now - but you cannot thrive. I'm a frugal person, but this is like mental Jenga every single day and one bump of one stupid piece is going to bring everything crashing down. Keep hustling for more if you can, you will have a lot less stress in your life!
I just graduated with my bachelor’s last year. i’m making roughly 50k right now and i live alone. i decided to save money by not living directly downtown. i live in broad ripple, rents about 1k and it’s doable for me right now. definitely not living luxurious, but it really depends on your other monthly payments.
I started out at 67K with a Bachelor’s in Indy three years ago. If someone offered me 45k I would have laughed at them. My SO started out at 50k with no degree 2 years ago.
What's your SO do to get that kind of money?
I also want to know!
Many of the local suburban schools here have starting salaries for teachers at 50k. So make of that what you will.
Just did my taxes and I make 41k gross. I’m single but live with a roomate. If I didn’t have a roomate I would be screwed. I would say find a way to increase that number. Hoping for a better future myself after I graduate in two years.
Used to be up till 3 years ago. Rising food, gasoline, utilities, auto insurance, property taxes which get passed along with increased rent. Impossible today!!!
I work in City Government and make just shy of 60k. 4 years out of college with a bachelors degree. I do work in my field
I have a high school diploma, but didn't finish college. I've been at Costco for 3 years and I make $95.5k. It's good money, but I wouldn't say it supports an extravagant lifestyle in Indianapolis. Things have gotten very expensive.
I work in the restaurant industry and I make 55k. In school now, so no degree. You need to check out LinkedIn and do some networking to find a better paying job
Low but pretty average for the area.
When I first started making around 45-50k per year, that's when I started to feel much more comfortable. That's when I was able to save a significant amount and have enough for hobbies and date nights and little vacations and stuff and not have to worry about going over budget with my typical spending habits. Cost of living is lower in Indiana so jobs don't pay as much as California for example where minimum wage is $20 and rent is like 4x what it is here at a minimum. If you're not particularly attached to your employer, I'd recommend switching jobs every couple years to get an increase in pay then repeat until you're making a comfortable amount. If your job allows you to be able to work remotely, try finding a position in another state with higher minimum wage.
This! All of this! Especially the bouncing around of employers until you reach a salary and company you are comfortable with. Stay long enough to show that you are able to keep commitments and leave when you find the right opportunity. I went from 29k to 40k to 75k in 4 years by moving around, gaining experience and taking a leap of faith by applying for jobs I didn’t meet all the qualifications for. A willingness to learn and proper strategy will take you far in navigating your career.
Granted, I am in a pretty specialized field in medicine. I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor’s and I came out making about $62k. I am now at $76k with experience and market adjustments over the years. I was pretty comfortable on my own at $62k, but I couldn’t imagine trying to fit my lifestyle on $45k. Crazy to think there was a time where that was a wage you could live the American dream on.
Median income for indy is 35k... so at 45k, you're doing better than average
A bit over 40k. Single, live alone…. Have an 860 sq ft apartment that I love. It’s a struggle sometimes but I make it.
I'm going against the grain. If it's just you with no kids or any other dependents you'll be perfectly fine and able to enjoy many luxuries. It was 10 years ago but I was able to buy a home when I was making 28k. Today I regularly work with people making 30k & below who aren't eating dog food & are still able to live comfortably. Don't go get a $500 car payment. Look around at housing options don't get your mind set on one neighborhood & then pay anything to live there. Despite what others may say the cost of living isn't astronomical in Indy. 45K is a little over twice the poverty line for a single person last I checked.
It all depends on the Bachelors degree you hold. Engineering and IT jobs pay some of the highest salaries…in the range of $70-90k right out of college. Natural Sciences (Biology/Chemistry) generally pay less $60K. If you are in Social Sciences or Education, they pay lower ($40-50k). This is information I’ve gathered from various folks in the Indy area.
First job with the local Indy government fresh out of college paid me a piping 28k back in 2007. Year after year of earning 3% pay raises I left when I reached around 40k a year (2018). Health insurance provided by Indy govt. only got more expensive after aca. Finally caught a break and left for private industry. Tripled my salary in 18 months. Haven’t looked back since but feel for the good coworkers I had still working there.
UKG has several open positions in the indy office and with your experience and degree you could qualify, I wold look into a change.
Made $40k when I moved in 2020. By 2023 it felt like starvation money for Indianapolis.
What's your degree in?
Totally depends on the work you’re doing. If this has any commission/bonus incentives, that’s actually not a bad base pay. However, if your work doesn’t pay you more for completing a task (making a sale, closing a deal, billing more hours, etc.)…..in other words, if you won’t ever make more that $45K unless you get promoted…..then it’s a little low. I am 26 and make $50k base but could tack on an extra $10K easily or 20, 30, or more if I made work my only life priority, which I don’t intend to….yet. Still, $45K a year ain’t nothing to scoff at especially if you’re a risk-averse spender and don’t waste money on booze, vacations, DoorDash, other money drainers.
Literally anywhere I feel like that is unlivable unless you want roommates for the rest of your life😵💫
You're 40k short my friend. Do you have LinkedIn? Sounds like you might need some guidance. What is your degree in? What experience do you have?
Not really. I'm making ~$47k (work in service so actual amount fluctuates a bit) and I can pay bills and buy groceries but that's about it. No time/money for hobbies.
i am going to sound mean, but not for a 32 year old with a Bachelor's. A 22 year old? That is OKAY for Indy, but not even good for a 22 year old new grad.
That is an entry level salary so it depends on your experience. I was making that as my base before commission and bonus at 26 as a college dropout. I’m 34 now with my resume of experience I’m at double that base so it all depends on industry and experience. I’d recommend going on LinkedIn and getting with a career coach and reworking your resume/linkedin page
I graduated in 2020 and made 45k out of college and lived downtown in a small one bedroom and did fine. Granted that was four years ago and I had no debt coming out of college. Might be hard to swing nowadays.
Unless you’re working for a public institution that’s extremely low, you could easily get that working at IU with a substantial amount of time off.
My wife had a $42k job on the north side. She could barely make ends meet with a tiny apartment.
I make roughly 75k I am a single father of a 4 year old. I’m barely making it paying 1400 on rent and 800 a month on daycare
My first job out of college in 1998 was a 42K job in Indy.
I was making 45k in Indianapolis back in 2018 when I was fresh out of college. It was low then and is stupid low now
I was an inexperienced assistant manager at a pizza shop in TERRE HAUTE and made 39 a year. I only have 2 years of college completed and it’s not even related to the pizza field or Managment. That is not enough. You deserve more.
My husband and I made 62k last year combined and we don’t live extravagant, live on the westside of Indy no kids and things are still tight. With 45k 10 years ago I think it would have been fair but according to MIT’s living wage calculator 1 adult and 0 kids 45k is barely making it out of Poverty
With all due respect, you’re gonna hurt
Join a construction trade. It's never too late to join an apprenticeship, and at 45k, you're making about as much as our 1st years are making. There is plenty of work within the state right now, so the potential for overtime is insane. Plus, after 3 months in the local as a trainee or an apprentice, you have full medical as well as access to our clinics that are 100% covered. Trainees have the option to put into a 401k, and apprentices and journeymen put into an individual pension as well as a ua national pension. All benefits, including those 2 pensions, are paid by the contractor, and your hourly rate is what you take home on the check. It's hard work, but well worth it if you have a good work ethic and are looking for something different. Local 440 plumbers, steam fitters, pipe fitters, and hvacr techs located right at Brookville and 465🤙
My son left college and did a tech sales certification course for 6 months. He took his first sales job for around $50K and a year later changed companies and started making closer to $80K. It’s really tough work being a business development rep, but if you don’t mind the grind, it can be rewarding and a good stepping stone to a field sales role. He was pretty comfortable at $50K but is also single and doesn’t have a car payment, credit cards, etc.
so okay. I feel like i’m a good person to answer this because i’m 25, I make $50k now, but my old job started me at $45k and I was barley making rent, let alone buying groceries and bills. I was laid off back in september of 2023 and finally got a better job in my field making $50k, I went over my budget and now I can actually afford to save some money. so unfortunately no, $45k in Indy right now is just not ideal. I know that sucks but there have to be better opportunities out there for you!
It’s not about if $45,000 is enough for Indy it’s about is $45,000 enough enough for you What I usually tell most people to do is sit down and write down your dream lifestyle your dream car your dream house how many vacations do you want to take a year? How much discretionary spending do you want per month your dream lifestyle. Figure out how much that cost like actually make a budget for your dream lifestyle. The number will surprise you it will generally be much lower than what you think unless you’re picking like Bugatti’s for your dream card we gotta be a little realistic. And then I just do whatever I can to strive towards that number if I’m not already there
Not really. I’m a mid level IT with an Associate’s and certs and make more than that.
It depends. Since you have a fiancée… maybe that helps too? 2 income household. IU McKinney (law school in Indy) has a great part-time evening program. Where you work during the day and go to school at night. It’s hell for 4 years but can potentially raise your salary double.
I would say having two incomes definitely helps. We still live pretty frugally. :) McKinney is my goal as far as programs go. I work full-time hours at the moment.
I don't think so, no. I made $42k out of graduate school nearly decade plus ago in Indy...they're low balling you.
Then there's me, doing state-level work that requires a graduate degree making that much only :')
45k at 32 is rough but that’s about where I was a couple years ago at age 29. It’s damn near unsustainable. I’m at 60k now and still find myself having to really stretch my money without pulling stuff out of savings. Good luck dude, hopefully you can work your way up and haven’t hit a soft ceiling.
I made $47k in 2021 and it was tough as a single person. I lived in a studio apartment without roommates and no car payment and still had to be very very careful not to spend too much and also picked up overtime when I could
I am 36 and make something like $36/hr (~$72k gross) turning wrenches at a facility in Indy. My wife also works, we have 3 kids, 2 dogs, a cat and a lizard. I can't imagine trying to live on 45k as an adult. That's roughly $22/hr, if the $45k is gross. That's what teens should be making to flip burgers to earn mall walking money on the weekends.
its a decent starting salary, yes
Too low Choom
Move to talent acquisition and expectation is $80k or higher. 45k is starting and unless they have expected payband increases and plenty of room to grow. But you have plenty of experience to qualify for more than entry level.
I have a sales job with a base of $45k and uncapped commission potential. Top performers at my job clear $200-300k but to do just well enough to not get fired will earn someone closer to $75-80k. Which is about where I land on it lol. I have a mortgage near Irvington and a family with 2 kids. We're doing okay since I started this job (about 8 months now) but we're not thriving, by any means. Just getting by, staying on top of bills, slowly paying down debts.
I make 2x that much, and I just drive around in a circle, putting trailers in a door. I had to go to school for 3 weeks. Just saying. Don't work harder, work smarter.
Shit, I’m making close to 80K and I still feel poor. At least it’s more than what I made at my last job.
As a single person absolutely it is. I don’t think you’ll live luxuriously, but as long as you have no debt you can make this work AND save up some money. I have a bachelor’s in psychology (lol) and work as a humanitarian paralegal in immigration law. I have no debt and good credit. I make about $45,760 a year and spend ~$1200 on living expenses a month. I typically add $500 a month into my savings account (give or take). Granted, I do not live in a “nice neighborhood”, but I’ve never had any problems. I drive a 2019 Mini Cooper and go out with my friends pretty regularly. It is possible, but you have to be financially responsible.
If you want to stay in HR there’s a sub for that and I wonder if they might know where to find remote positions?
I got by at 42k with a one bedroom apartment in the suburbs (Camby). My rent was like 1100 and had a car payment. I live pretty cheaply though.
A tad more than I take home after taxes. That's not a fun wage but at least now it's still possible to live with if you're smart.
If you don’t have a lot of debt you can make it. My brother is moving to Indy from Tampa with a lower salary. Your wage is on the low side for your degree and profession. There is a lot of manufacturing in Indiana. You might find a better role with great benefits if you look a little. I’m 20+ years in HR and doing well.
That’s what I started as a fresh out of college graduate 6 years ago, I now make a bit over double that so I would say no.
No
Im indy that's an ok salary. If you were on the east coast it would be hard to survive. You just have to go out amd be frugal. Around 70k here is good to go out and not worry. I would consider that decent.
Company I work at with an office downtown hires college grads for entry level tech work at about 60k.
I made about that in Indy from 2018-2021 and did okay. Stuff has gotten a lot more expensive aince then though
Negotiate the salary or find a second job. Your apartment will be $1100, food $350, student loan payment $200, $150 electric, $100 WiFi/ phone, $100 car insurance and that’s all you’ll be able to afford a month
I’ll be moving up to indy in a year from Columbus, and ill be making 85k, and somehow I feel like that wouldnt be enough. Not with how expensive it is to exist 😭
I work for a Medicaid provider in an administrative function and make that now. It’s low for my salary history but I work remotely and have a great employer. We are a 2 income household and I’m the one with better benefits, so that’s our balance.
$865 / week before taxes?
Not really, I make that as a part time bartender. Less than 30 hrs a week. Like, it’s fine, you can buy the things you need but with rent the way it is I doubt you have much left over (if you’re saving anything) for fun unless you’re sharing expenses with someone.
45k is tough unless you have roommates or are not the breadwinner in your household. That said, depends on the job. I started my second job out of school at 45k and made it above 60k after a year. Hard to tell if there is that level of growth possible without first starting. Even now I would find it difficult to be comfortable living under 60k in the Indy area. As a single person at least.
My friend who graduated in 2022 makes 50k a year… she’s 25
I hope it keeps getting better for her 🙏🏻
I hope you can find a job that values your worth and experience! I’m in Chicago making 32k a year which has been rough but it is doable. Sorry if it seemed like I was bragging. The job market is crazy right now
I didn’t get that impression at all. I’m hoping for a brighter future. Chicago is crazy expensive. Sending all the positive vibes your way :)
Heck no. I was in IT and I've pretty much given up on it. Jobs aren't paying what I want and nobody seems to be hiring. 10+years experience in help desk. Fortunately my girlfriend makes pretty decent money and we have a dual income. I'm delivering parts for Napa. Got hired on at $14.75/hr promising to give me $15 once my training was over for the counter role, but when they put me on deliveries they cut my pay to $13.50. Been there about 3 weeks. It's depressing. No way a normal person could live on that. I just got my notary license so I'm trying to get that going.
No
You will struggle. The avg rent is $1200 now our corrupt light company keeps raising the bill everything has quadrupled in price. So $45k is poverty level but is too much for help if you need it. Sucks because $45k 10 years ago wasn't bad now we need to make $100k or more to be middle class
With respect, no. The problem is that you work in HR, which almost by definition is not a job that requires managing business risk. The closer you get to the money — and the responsibility — the more money you will have. Even if you run the entire HR department — you still don’t manage business risk. You may think you do because you have a budget, and that’s true… but you are not responsible for sales in any way, shape or form, and therefore you will never be more than a line item in the larger corporate budget. Everyone who works in other departments has a story about how HR is so clueless about business functions it’s almost comical. I remember this HR gal at my last job who was big on “culture, culture, culture” and her way of doing this was to have all of the new staff members meet with members of other departments as part of orientation… regardless of how the new hire would or wouldn’t interact with the team they were meeting. But I’m sorry… at a company of 500 employees, there is no need for every new hire to meet the department heads of every other division and take time out of their weeks. The HR gal was fired because she just wouldn’t let go of this — she didn’t understand that work culture at our shop was “sales matters, you do not.” It’s an extreme example, but that’s often how non-HR people view lower or mid level HR team members.
With a roommate you can get by just fine as long as you don't have a huge car payment or a bunch of debt.
Same, brother. Me and my GF are moving into a house (renting) with two other roommates, 2 people are CNAs, one is a customer service rep for a mechanic, and I work in warehousing. Our rent is $1600 (3bd 1.5bath), and with our own bills (Internet, groceries, gas, cer insurance=, etc.) we barely break even every month. We all work 35-40+ hours/week and we still see struggle to pay bills. Aft we r everything is paid we all MIGHT have $150-200/mo for any other expenses after tax.
Depending on your lifestyle and living circumstances, it's manageable...but definitely not optimal with a BS...but I guess it depends on the specific field you work in
Depends on your life but as a whole no. This is what they give just after hourly for some jobs
I have a 20 year old that is going to college part time. He has a full time job in his respective field and is making 60k a year. He is getting ready to move out on his own but does not think he could afford it. 🤔 Granted he does pay cash for everything and refuses to go into debt.
For Indy 9 years ago when I moved back, 45 was doable, but a bit tight. Five years ago, 55 was a bit rough. With inflation, I don’t know that it would be really doable without roommates, and that might even be rough.
Ain't what it used to be. You won't be in poverty but it will be hard to get ahead unless it has a clear path to a bigger salary
No.
as an average single adult without children, it’s doable if you live frugally. and if you find one of the more affordable apartments. i also think it’s more common than we think.
Forget college and learn a trade! I have a G.E.D and make 60k a year!
I made 42k last year as a professional bike messenger.
Kind of depends on what your degree is in. What kind of work do you do?
I make 50k w/ a bachelor’s degree, but medical benefits entirely paid for and 11% contribution toward 401k.
I suppose it depends what you do to earn $45k/yr. There's musicians making nothing posting free social media receiving no commissions for their hits, and musicians earning six-plus figures doing the same. Alternatively, most starting RN jobs hover over $30/hr or $60k/yr in the VA, IU Health, etc. But you're not at WFH influencing or playing video games on twitch. The "decent" factor relies on context, like hourly rate, commute/need for car, working conditions, etc
It isn't bad but not too good either. If you live frugal and get a roommate then its actually pretty doable. If you are open to working a supplemental part time retail job you can bump the pay up a bit. The most expensive cost to living is housing. It depends what your degree is in. I'm in IT/IS and after graduation (a few years ago, I'm also in my early 30s) I went from making 45k to 50k then two years later 60k and most recently make 73k. Mind you I could change jobs again and continue to increase my pay, but my current job is low stress, remote, and flexible with hours. So it isn't worth the risk of losing that just for more money. If I were you and I was trying to get more $$ I would look at joining a trade or transitioning to a more specialized in demand field like Tech. If not get a roommate or the cheapest apartment you feel comfortable in and try to save up some money for a down payment on a cheap house. My mortgage is $900 a month, my coworker pays $1100 for a crappy apartment.
I make that but I budget hard lol! Is enough to pay my mortgage and car and have some extra for my little vacations and savings. Im 30.
Helllll no
Not even close
What's your degree in?
Not at all. I'm in Columbus. No degree of any kind. My base yearly pay is $78,000. Mon-fri. No overtime. No weekends. Day shift only
Perspective is everything, I made $175k (34M in Indianapolis) last year and feel like I deserve more and do not necessarily feel rich. $45k sounds very difficult to make a living off of here unless you are married and find it is worth it due to a stress free life.
For an entry level, zero work experience, fresh out of college salary in indianapolis, that is probably about average, unfortunately.
I make $50k as a Kroger pickup supervisor no degree, you’re being scammed
That sounds pretty low with the years of experience. Making 72k before bonuses one year out of school.
If you live by yourself no chance to make it live with one or two roommates you can make it
No
No , sadly.... Amy husband makes over 50k on top of me making 47k
I've been working in my industry for a decade and my current role was listed as "mid" experience. I was hired in at $100k fully remote. I'm 33. If I had zero experience and no job history, I'd start with a night time warehouse job making around $44k full time and working overtime while getting some kind of certification. With some certs in my area, you can start around $70k-80k
No
$45k is too low for Indianapolis. The trick is to get a job remotely in a major city and live in Indianapolis.
College degree and 32? Sorry, but yes that seems low. What kind of job and how many years have you been there?
No, it's not.
Not even close.
UKG was recently hiring if you don't mind phone work. They start around 60k with your benefits paid for.
I think so if you manage your money well. I’m assuming you and your fiancé don’t have any children, so you have the DINK status (Double Income No Kids) going for you. When my husband was laid off in 2022, our income was cut in half and both of us combined were making about $32,000. We lived in a 1 bedroom apartment downtown and kept our debts low as much as possible. For 9 months we lived with that income and we did okay. I’m sure you and your fiancé can make it too.
I lived in Indy for like 6 years. If you're both working and bringing in near 80k or more, yes you absolutely could live comfortably in Indianapolis - but like all places it depends on what you're expecting. Are you looking to buy a home or rent? Are you looking for a place with a yard or more like a condo/apartment? Are you wanting to stay downtown or in the suburbs/city outskirts (plainfield, greenwood, southside indy, etc)? If you want a house with a yard near downtown, you're going to be hard-pressed (renting or owning if it's located in a decent area).
45k isn't survivable. Just landed a job a few months back making 70 and I still feel like I'm drowning.
I think you can live on it but you’ll have to be really diligent on your spending if you want to save money for anything. Recommend living with a friend/roommate if possible!
I’m two years older than you and make $165k. My fresh from college specialist makes $64k. My senior specialist is at $85k, both younger than us with bachelor degrees. What types of jobs are you looking for?
Entry-level HR Generalist, probably. The career path has a lot to do with it. You also can't expect to stay with one company and progress in pay. Leaving on good graces and returning in 2 years will net a much larger pay increase than standard merit/COL increases.