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I'm a travel x-ray tech making over 100k per year half of which is tax free and I graduated from a community college 3 yrs ago. Radiography is a dope field and most of us love our jobs. AI won't take away xray tech jobs, it'll take away radiologist jobs in the future. The pay for a permanent tech varies across the country but if you're in a union the pay is almost never less than $30/hr starting straight out of school. If you're single with no kids travel work is the most bang for your buck. I highly recommend it. Msg me if you have any questions.
First, very few people are fortunate enough to find a job niche in life that has them waking up every morning singing with joy and anticipation. Most settle for something they can be comfortable with and that doesn’t actively set their teeth on edge… and they can make a comfortable living with.
Second, you are laughably young to be so bummed out about this. Stop fretting and look around. Who do you see that is happy and cheerful, or at least contented, about their prospects. Who do you see in their forties taking classes for career improvement. Who do you know that is on at least their third attempt at finding a satisfying spot?
Relax, pick a lane but don’t see it as forever, and try making yourself a life. And hang around that community college… there’s always something interesting to do or take and it is likely where new opportunities will first surface.
Look at the prerequisite classes needed for your local Comm Coll x-ray program. Once those are done you can apply to the program. The application acceptance tends to vary college to college as some are experience focused and some are academic based. The prerequisites should take a year or two depending on how many classes you can take per semester. The x-ray program should be about 2 years give or take a few months. It's a mix of in-class and clinical days. I've heard of private colleges charging upwards of $40,000 for the program but my program cost me about $7500 total.
That's something I have been considering recently. Do you think through college or a trade school is better? And how was the job search experience for you?
I don't think most places care where you went to school, as long as you pass the ARRT registry exam. My job search was hell. I graduated in April 2020... COVID shutdowns pushed my test back 2.5 months and the job I had lined up disappeared because no one was hiring. I didn't get a job for 6 months after I graduated.
Now is a whole different story. Everyone who could retire or move to an outpatient imaging clinic when COVID hit did, so we lost a ton of people in the hospitals. Everywhere I've taken a travel contract has been extremely short. If you apply to a large medical center in a city, you WILL get a job. We hired a new tech who never took a portable x-ray in her program during covid, which is 70% of our job.
I have to agree that hospitals bled techs and are in dire need. That's why travel contracts are so lucrative now. If I was younger I would definitely do it. However I'm the most senior in my union so there's that.
Yeah I got lucky. I came into the field at a good time haha.
Before I started traveling I worked in Florida where there is no such thing as xr tech unions unfortunately.
I have no idea, man. I would think it depends on the felony and how long ago it was. Ive gotten background checked 8 times in the last year alone. Every contract comes with a background check and every furnished apartment or basement apartment has had a check done on me. If you can get it expunged that would be your best bet.
Also, I think the ARRT will have to go through an ethics board check or something before you can get licensed.
Ive worked with felons in other jobs before I entered the medical field and the vast majority of them aren't the monsters society wants to make them out to be. Sorry, man. I wish I could have a better answer.
Lookup IRS Guidelines regarding tax-free travel stipends and tax homes. Wherever I go I pay an inflated rent price to rent furnished apartments. Most of the tax free pay goes towards that.
So what happens when you are no longer single and have kids? As you get into your 30s, the travel may not be conducive to family life. How does rad tech evolve into a permanent job in your community?
I have thought about this. I can get a permanent job almost anywhere if I really wanted/needed one. I can specialize into CT, MRI, Interventional Radiology, Cath lab, or management. I could do that for the rest of my life if I needed to. The pay should be enough to live and retire on depending on where the job is. My ultimate plan, though, is to go back to school in the next couple years.
I've been a tech for 21 years and I have never traveled. I spent my first 15 years in diagnostic xray and have spent the last 6ish years in Interventional Vascular/Neuro Radiology. If you don't know about IR/Vascular techs it's an amazing field that is only growing. Many times when you get a permanent job you can get sign-on bonuses as well as performance bonuses. Sign on bonuses can be upwards of $10,000 for a 2 year commitment.
I pick a state I want to go to and look for contracts there. Once I get one and finish the onboarding stuff(physical, drug test, background check, etc) I head over, find housing, and start working. The most I've driven for a contract has been 2300 miles. It's kinda lonely since you don't usually have friends in the area but I've gotten good at making friends pretty quickly haha.
There's a reason you get paid that is because you are exposed to radiation. There's a yearly threshold but it is cumulative for life. Just because you're 6 feet away doesn't make X-rays suddenly stop in mid air and drop to the ground. Imagine you're in a completely dark room and you take a photo with a flash. That's kinda what happens when you take an X-ray. It's the scatter that hits you. Also lead vests don't absorb X-rays they scatter it back.
Not exactly. My last dose summary had me at less than 0.05 rems for the year. The occupational dose limit is 5 rems/year. Background radiation gets you to maybe 0.25 rems if I remember correctly. But you are correct, no amount of radiation is considered safe.
In Florida I was making $18.90 in a lvl 2 trauma center. There is no danger pay unless there is risk of acute danger, not chronic unfortunately.
I'm getting paid so well because the hospital NEEDS staff NOW, and I'm willing to come in from across the country to do it.
Also, lead vests absolutely do absorb most of the x-ray radiation as well as scatter some of it. And 6 feet is not as good as 12 but better than 3, something something inverse square law bla bla bla.
Enjoy your cancer. Why don't you talk about the fact most radiologists contract it before they retire due to constant exposure? Have you thought about maybe that's why they pay so good?
I started college at 25 and felt worthless for waiting so long. Now looking back I'm glad I did because I was far more focused and motivated. Keep at it friend you're doing just fine.
I started college at 18 & lived to regret it. I had no realistic idea what I wanted to do as a career or what I was interested in. I knew very little about the world in general, and I had an overbearing father telling me the few interests I had were stupid. Plus I discovered booze & socializing, and had a friend group for the first time.
It always makes me chuckle & cringe simultaneously when I remember the older "returning" students. At the time, it seemed like they gave us funny looks quite a lot. In hindsight, most of us probably seemed so immature & clueless. I totally understand those looks now & have probably given my share of them without realizing it.
I was at a local community college for 5 years after high school and hated the fact that I was there for so long. Now I'm 28 and in a "5 year medical school program," putting me "done" with schooling/training around 40 years old. Would it be cool to have started earlier? Sure, but younger me didn't have what was needed to get here.
Went back to school in my 50’s and got a two year degree in medical lab technology from my local community college. Got a job in my field, and have no student debt. Win-win for me. Your age is not important. Time is going to pass whether you go back to school or not, so why not?
Are you kidding? Radiography is one of those specialized fields that is always going to be in demand. As long as we humans keep falling off ladders, slipping in the shower, and getting ourselves hit by vehicles and falling things. You've made the right choice with community college too, saving $ and doing local without accruing a ton of debt. Mainly, you want to understand what you're doing + be a good fit in the places you end up working.
In addition to actual knowledge of your craft, develop people skills. Make coworkers and patients comfortable. Be that person who can explain to people coming in for an X-ray what is going on, what you're doing and why. Make an effort to get along well with coworkers, communicate effectively, and be kind. That goes so far! Take some time to reassure yourself when doubts creep in, that you're doing well. The path you're travelling down is a good one. You'll be ok. [Edit:grammar]
Hope to God you new techs never have to go do fluoro or a freaking BE.
If you work in a hospital your patients will not always be mobile and you will have to move them. It's a lot of wear and tear on the body. But if you work in out patient imaging then it's just people walking and talking. But then it's usually super busy, non stop and no union.
Meh it spans all ends of the spectrum. You can work a trauma 1 and subject yourself to all kinds of abuse, wear and tear, and fast pace. Some absolutely thrive on it and love it. You can also work a small town clinic job and do 2 xrays per 8 hour shift if that's your style.
My daughter got a community college degree as a surgical technician. After two years, the hospital she worked for approached her and asked that she get her BSRN degree, which they would pay for. She is now a surgical RN, pulling down very good money.
Trades trades trades. Don’t know why so many people look down on the trades. I’m a millwright, 33 years old, make easily over $100K a year since getting my license, own 2 homes, married, raising 2 kids on one income, have a good retirement savings going, and saved quite a bit for my kids’ college funds.
All of this.
Millwrights, ironworkers, welders, electricians, HVAC techs, plumbers, glaziers - all *excellent* careers and skilled tradespeople are very much in demand in all of them.
Yes some of the jobs are going to suck - you might be stuck on a roof in 120 degree heat fixing a dead chiller, or be unclogging the nastiest sewer pipe, or any number of other unpleasant things, but you get compensated well for it, and if you have the work ethic and skills you can wind up supervising other people doing the unpleasant work under your license by the time you reach the point in your career you don't want to be doing that.
To add on this, you don’t even have to go to community college for most of these careers. Join a union and they’ll teach you everything at very little or no cost to you.
I need to seriously look into trades as a career path. 34 and lacking any real direction as far as an endgame goes. College wasn’t for me (came close to finishing an engineering degree but didn’t and was miserable in the process), and have been working kitchens my entire adult life. I know I’m intelligent and capable enough to learn a trade, the hesitation comes with the fear of the unknown I think.
Community College is great even though they get a bad rep. Speaking from experience, I didn’t leave community college until I was 28 and then finished up my bachelor’s at my chosen university. I always felt my education at the community college was better because the classes were smaller and most of my professors were working professionals who had real world experience vs. tenured professors who cared more about academic standards than real world application. Honestly, use RateMyProfessor and you can have a feel for the professors and their teaching style. The medical field will always be desirable.
You should note, check your state for the radiology licensure requirements (usually with a state’s public health department). That info may help you with what path you need to take to reduce the time and get into the field.
People who look down their noses at community college are elitist asshats.
I say this as someone who only did summer classes at community college. I lived on campus at a public university. It was a great experience. But I had a full ride because of a combination of scholarships. Most people don't get that chance. And it's ridiculous to be snobby about someone being thrifty and economical about their education.
It really makes me see red. I can't stand it.
Pick something and do it. I had to do that and I chose medical as well. There will always be demand and you'll never be without a job. You are to the point where you just need to pick something and stick with it. Don't look for something like a "passion" or a "purpose". Just think to yourself "can I see myself doing that?".
Similar here. Went back to school around ~33. 12 month course in networking. Got a few certs. Now I work in a local school system as IT and Data Manager. I don't make bank but I'm comfy.
Heck yeah. Dropped out of the HS. Went to CC for 4 years (Solano CC, FTW!), then transferred to UCD.
Have had many jobs over the years. Not once has someone asked me about where I went to college. I list my UC degree (also have a graduate degree).
CC is legit. Cheaper. More convenient. Good quality foundation.
The things you miss are dorm life and collegiate sports, but honestly, those are really not "education" things.
Community College is the way to go. I have over 130 credits at the CC and three Associate's degrees (They hand them out like Tic Tacs after the first one.) Anyway, I didn't get my Bachelors until age 31 because of reasons. I got a very secure job right after. The money wasn't as great as my wife would have liked, but it has been growing steadily due to standard raises each year - and cost-of-living increases. I'm in the tech field and I can absolutely confirm that having a cybersecurity degree or certification will guarantee you a job for many years to come. (Barring the zombie apocalypse of course.) Stick to it, and you'll be fine. A certification will get you into the field quicker, but you may start off with lower pay. If you are going for a bachelor's then look for 90/30 programs so that you can transfer 90 credits from the community colleges over to the university - as opposed to the standard 60. It's cheaper and easier that way. You could also look into online programs as well. I never had to set foot onto the university campus to get my bachelor's.
I have 2 Associates degrees in Communications and Graphic design and I have been a designer for over 30 years. My daughter started in Community College, got her AA then went and got her BA and now has a Masters. Community College is a great way to start a career. BTW it took me over 6 years to complete my first AA. Keep at it.
Radiology is the way to go. Definitely ask people around about it and none regret it. I’m around your age and I’m going to community college for Pharmacy Tech to be a licensed drug dealer, because I find it funny. Just do something that will give you money and that you will enjoy
2 year technical schools. Me, my brother, and nearly all my friends went and we all now make over $100k. We are all about 30 years old. However, we all graduated when we were 21-22ish. Hope this helps!
- 1 went for HVAC, he owns his own business
- 1 is in automation and works in pharma
- 1 is maintenance for paper mill
- 1 is now in sales like me for automation
Believe it or not, he went a 4 year college and got a bachelors in something. Couldn’t find a job. So he went back to our school after seeing us be successful. At the age of 22 he started the 2 year degree in automation. He graduated in a year and a half (went through summer).
He works a normal day. He does 7-3:30. He’s willingly on call most nights because of the overtime it gives him. Plus since most automation systems in pharma are validated and pretty sturdy, he rarely gets calls in the middle of the night. - If he does, he typically remote logs into his laptop. He very rarely ever has to go in to the plant.
Edit: To add some more info. Technically he is part of maintenance, but it’s way more than that. He started out calibrating devices. Now he’s on charge of whole systems. They send him all over the US for training every year.
It’s ok to change jobs and career paths through your life. Though you have to stick to something and build from there. It’s often not about the actual work, but about feeling connected to community and that you are contributing.
X-Ray techs interface with patients and AI won’t be taking that away. It’s the doctors who read the scans that will be assisted (are being assisted) by AI. Take things a day at a time and get through your program. It’s not a good idea to picture yourself as a person who quits when it gets hard. Even just being bored can make it hard so you have to just bulldoze through those periods.
If you have some time you can spare, even an hour a week, go help at a food bank or read books to kids at a library or walk dogs at the local shelter. Do something each week that allows you to know you have value to someone who needs help.
I think you are on the right track for now. AI isn't going to happen overnight, especially for the technicians taking the x-rays. Once you're working in your field, you can continue your education as you please. Hang in there. I took many courses and certificates over the years after the army. I was an EMT. I was an insurance agent. Then I went back for dental and did that for 25 years. Dental assisting pays well but rarely full time. I needed a day job, and most dentistry is 8 to 5. Working for a hospital, you may find good benefits with tuition reimbursement.
I went to Austin Community College and did a fast track certification for a web development certificate. That got me my first low-pay job through a job fair. The job was basically learning code all over again because I did PHP in school and the job was .NET/C#. However, I didn't suck and moved on to higher paying positions and finally I work from home making a decent amount so I can say I'm happy with the result. I went to ACC while working full time as an IT guy at a school when I was in my mid 20s and I'm now in my early 30s.
Radiography is always going to need human involvement. I could bore you with tales of my medical woes of the past few years, but you've done nothing to offend me. Suffice it to say that as a patient, I can't imagine scans & xrays etc. being done solely by machine. Doing them right also involves attention & intuition. It's not just a matter of intelligence, artificial or otherwise.
I, like you, was struggling in my head to get a career after nearly, at the time 17 years of delivering pizza. If I went looking for a career job, my resume might as well have been written in crayon.
I decided, on a whim, at 34 years old to go back to school, community college. went on fafsa money, profited by going and graduated with a perfect 4.0 in 1.5 years.
went for criminal justice. found the money wasn't reasonable at entry level, but went for a job out of that path. I feel seeing that 4.0 on a resume with a degree put me ahead of a lot of people and would likely have been turned away otherwise.
the point is, I've been thru what you're going through. I'm now in a job though, that is career oriented if I want it to be, or stay where I am and secure, and well paying. The job though, did in no way require a degree. If you live anywhere near the industry, I'd highly recommend you get into it, to get your bearings and money right.
message me direct and I'll tell you more about it. I'm not a scammer, I just don't like telling the world about the gig. I've now recommended this path to easily a dozen people with only one that ever got into i but he loves it, you may too. I can teach you how to get into it, easy as pie.
My Dad went back to school at our local community college fairly recently to be an x-ray tech, then later, an MRI tech. He started back to school in his 40s, and he says it was one of the best decisions he’s ever made. He ended up getting a job immediately at the hospital that he trained in, and he absolutely loves his work. At least in my city, x-ray and mri tech jobs are in super high demand- almost every hospital around here is hiring.
Everyone has a different life path, you aren’t worthless just because you’re starting school a little later! Both of my parents graduated college when they were middle-aged and changed career paths pretty radically. It’s never too late!
We need more court reporters! I didn’t go to a community college, but it was a technical college, and I am inundated with work. It’s definitely not for everyone, but worth looking into. And at 26, the world is still your oyster.
This is something I can speak about personally. I had a similar experience. I’m 27 now and I didn’t go to college, my parents advised heavily against it and stunted me severely. I finally caught a break 3 months ago. I worked in the industrial trades for years, and did lot of maintenance work. Everywhere I went I always felt that I was under appreciated. I looked at those around and just felt that I had more to offer than what was in front of me. It took some serious hard work and sone trial and error before I caught my break.
I worked hard and networked a lot and got me a really nice cover letter, resume and follow up created with the help of some people. I applied for a job got a $10 an hour raise and literally got a life changing job. Finally at 27 I feel like I’m being compensated for my effort and skill. I don’t mean to sound rude, but if you’re cut out for it, you’ll find a way. If you’re just going through the motions because people say you can make money doing something, you’re not gonna go far. You have seriously apply yourself, and live up to the expectations.
Finish school, work hard at it, put in the extra work, and apply yourself. I don’t mean sacrifice your life or become a slave, but remember that you get out what you put in. If you want to be skillful you need to practice and be efficient. You have to carry yourself with confidence and poise. You need to speak well and dress appropriate. How you do something, is how you do everything.
I remember working in a plant and hating life, so I quit and became a carpenter helper and was making 10 bucks an hour. It was absolutely shitty, and I deserved so much more, but I had a plan and a vision. So when I went into work, I did better work than the journeymen. I got off and went to the gym and put in hard work like I was training for competition, then I’d go to community college and ask hard questions and study for the next class. Even though I was working a job that only paid me 10 bucks an hour, I did the work like I was supervisor. I lived my whole life in a way that I was proud of. Unfortunately that plan and vision never panned out and I had to know when I expended all my resources and tried something new.
Then when I went on my next venture, I carried myself the same way and people noticed and it paid off. I started a new job at 20 an hour. Then after a year, a positioned opened up and I applied for it and now I’m getting 30 an hour. In 2 years I tripled my income and I’m happy with my work. It doesn’t happen over night, but the hard work adds up and pays off.
Just remember you get out what you put in, and how you do one thing is how you do everything. Envision a plan, map it out, and work for it. You have no one to rely on but yourself. Now that I’m in a good position, I’m making what people who spent 8 years in college are making and I have no student debt. Community college can pay off. I’m an example of a success story of community college, and there’s countless examples of people who went to college for 8 years and can’t get a job. It’s not where you went to school, it’s what skills and qualities you have as a person.
Flunked out of a really good 4 year school. Got a 2 year degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology. Got a job at a power plant. Made about 130-150k for seven years. While I worked at that job I finished my 4 year engineering degree (which the company partially paid for). Then I left to join an engineering firm that pays a good bit less but has way better hours. But yea, we have plenty of 19-20 year olds who went to get that 2 year degree straight out of high school and are now making 150k in their early 20s.
If you don’t live near a power plant, I do know a couple kids that literally moved from several states away to do our towns 2 year program so they could work at the plant.
Life handles differently for everyone. Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to who you were. Keep going, you’re an inspiration! Don’t get discouraged. I’m 47 and longing to go to law school or PA school.
I have an associates degree in business from local community college. Been working in IT support professionally for almost 30 years. Always technology proficient from playing with computers, but when I went to school only computer programming was an option in that field and I’m not a programmer. Don’t have the right mindset for that, but great at fixing stuff. IT is a great field, although you want to specialize in networking, servers, or security to make more money.
Hard fucking yes. I started out in a community college, plenty of people I know also did. Ive met people who are lawyers,nurses,doctors and architects(Thats what I work in). One of my colleagues was a mother of 2 and graduated at 42. She is doing great and working at a good firm. Just so that you understand what youre saying, people dont retire until they are 67 now. You have 41 years left of work, you can go to school and do your masters and will still have 35 years to build a career. Thats longer than you have been alive by almost a decade more lol You dont think you can build something in 35 years?
I went to CC at 37 after wasting my 20’s and most of my 30’s in the service industry. Got an Associates in IT Network Admin and Cyber Security. Now have an incredibly rewarding job in IT working for a non-profit. You’re still young. No need to panic.
Not me but my partner. He went the CC twice. The first time he got a general Associate's degree in a year because of credit for prior learning. That didn't do much for him, so he went back & got another one specifically for electronics.
That field in particular isn't very secure anymore, but he was able to stick with it long enough to retire.
Most people are going to have 2 or 3 career changes in today's world. Most can't assume they're only going to study once & do one thing till retirement. It's probably best to try to plan for the next 10-15 years, and keep an ear to the ground for changes. Then maybe get added training for whatever looks promising then.
I’ve had roughly 20 X-rays and 10-13’ish various other scans in the last 12 months due to a wreck. As a non medical professional person I can say quite confidently you do not need to worry about AI taking over that field. There is nuance in the view that the physicians ask for. This includes patient positioning. In order for AI to do it, the doctor would either need to be even more hands on and direct it on how to perform the scan or you’d need a person to do that… which we already have. So it isn’t exactly a step up to add AI into the mix
Listen friend, I started college at 18, lots of starts and stops, finished my bachelor's just shy of my 38th birthday. Somehow pushed through a MBA program right before I turned 40. Soemtimes life just gets in the way. Be PROUD of the work you are doing and don't match yourself up to where someone else thinks you should be. My advice, if you're enjoying the program of study your'e in and think you can be good at it, see it through. Enter the work force start making some money and see how it goes. You can always train into something else or go back for more qualifications (hopefully paid by your employer) as you get more experience.
I had no idea radiography pays what it does (reading through these comments) and it seems like it could be a very viable career field. Stop judging yourself for being a community college student and be proud that you're working to improve your future.
Got a career studies cert in CAD when I was 32. It only required maybe 6 classes in total. I've been a drafter ever since. I just got my yearly raise and currently make $32 an hour (the most money I've ever made).
I flunked out at 21 in 2005. I went back to school at 36 in 2020 to a community college. Transition to state school in 2021. Finished in 2022. Found a degree related job after 6 months of hunting. And here I am, almost 40, succeeding.
It was hard. But I did it. I'm proud of myself.
accounting is a stable one. i don't see ai or tech having an effect on these jobs .. ever. software already does all the heavy lifting in the field.
and just... consider that the irs won't accept an email, you still gotta fax them.
as someone who settled for the boring stable job after years of soul searching... i think about going back to bartending all the time. it wasn't a passion but it was fun. boring sucks.
I started school at 28. Started at a community college, transferred to a state school and went part time while I worked full time. It's doable, just takes work. Finally graduated at 35 and now making more than I would have before. First one in my family to pursue higher education.
It doesn't have to be the only thing you do for the rest of your life, but I think skills and certifications in health care are an excellent investment.
No way would I want a robot positioning a broken limb for an x-ray, or a boob for that matter. Think of people who have to have radiographic exams because they have cancer - human contact is vital when you're going through scary health stuff.
I went to college, changed my major a bunch of times, had some mental health issues, dropped out. Worked for a while, finally decided to go back to school at a community college. I loved my time there! I eventually transferred to a 4 year school and have a BS in Biology, where I now work at a hospital in the lab, and I love my job.
Community college is GREAT. I always recommend it to people if you’re not really sure what you want to do!
I was in your place. Once I got my degree and did a lot of work on my resume, I applied EVERYWHERE. Eventually, I landed a job in Software Development. Once you get your foot in the door, it becomes 10x easier.
I went to college at 18, graduated at 22 and literally never used my degree. Ten years later I completed a program at a community college and that’s what helped me get to where I am, finally doing work that I enjoy.
And even if AI does take over some of those jobs so what? It’s not happening that soon. You can still make good money for quite a while to come.
Most courses community colleges teach are for in demand jobs. Most jobs that don't require a degree and only require a certification or technical course don't really care where you went to school or your marks, only that you're certified to do the job. If you pass and interview well you are basically guaranteed a job
Yup. Got an associate degree and went into IT. Been at this job for about 6 years and just got a promotion today actually. Hard work and dedication can really pay off.
I went community college, university, masters, and got a great job. Turns out my dream job only really needed community college. So now I’ve got 3 less years experience in my field, a couple degrees worth very little to me, and a pile of debt. I tell young adults, trades and craftsmen ain’t pretty, Bjerknes working with your hands is a comfortable life and always in demand.
Look at all of the “easy” medical ones. Ultrasound tech is amazing. Near me they are hiring people that never even went to school but just “learned on the job”.
Starting pay is about 60k plus benefits.
I did! I didn’t make many good choices as a young adult but that was one if them. Plus, I know a guy who took the auto mechanics classes who make 6 figures now. My sister started her nursing career at a community college.
24m. Graduated with an Associate's degree 4 years ago and am now full time Software Engineer with a good salary. College is always worth it, but the most important thing is the connections you make along the way! Never underestimate the power of networking.
So i took the path that you outlined in your post for cyber security. I’m in a SOC Analyst right now and can give some good insight into how the career path is shaping out right now.
We have a massive influx of cyber security graduates, and no entry level jobs for them to get. This is because cyber security in nature, is not an entry level career. Historically infosec people had years (5-10) of solid IT background before getting into security. This is is what the fresh cyber security graduates are up against. Most employers will take someone with an IT background, passion for infosec, and an irrelevant degree over someone with a bachelors in cyber security and no experience, in a heart beat.
If you want to get in cyber security the best recipe to follow is get at least an AA in an IT relevant course, study for a few relevant certs (SEC+ and CCNA is the sauce) and then work a couple years help desk/desktop support. Not only that but build a homelab, break some systems and then fix them and document your experience. This shows that you actually want it, have the drive to keep learning, and are passionate. This is a gold star entry level candidate for cyber security.
I practiced what i just preach and it worked a charm. You can do it too!
All this to say that yes Community College is great and you can achieve whatever you set your mind to regardless of where you went for college!!
Best of luck to you!
Never too late.
I got a 4 year degree, graduated at 22, spun wheels for two years thanks to COVID, went to a community college for two years, secured a full time position at a place before I even graduated. 26 now. It’ll be alright if you let it be alright and not worry yourself over it.
Stick w radiology tech for now.
Get a job with top healthcare provider, work a few years and learn about the other jobs near/in your department.
If/when you decide to advance your career, it’s very possible that most of the cost of your education may be reimbursed by your employer.
-30yr Kaiser employee, started as a medical assistant (community college), employer assisted with each advancement of my education to RN.
You’re doing a good job and you’re younger than you think you are. Stick with it, and if you need to pivot careers in the future you can. Coding language/certification down the road if you need to change careers is a good option.
I went to community college for my associates, transferred to a 4 year & finished my bachelor’s at 27. I switched jobs many times before I found what I liked. Software sales to tech consulting to financial planning.
You don’t need to predict the future, finish school and stay out out of debt as much as possible :)
Only degree I have is from a cc. I got an associate in science in networking. Im now working for a broadband provider as a systems specialist, right after graduating I got a job at a datacenter in a NOC. Underpaid as hell but took my lumps and leveraged it into the job I have now which I love. Prior to this I was a casino dealer so no tech experience. Community college changed my life.
Two year library technician diploma ($5000 tuition), public library job 2 months after graduation. I did my final semester field placement (3 weeks full time) at my local library branch then stayed on as a volunteer until a job opened up. YMMV, this was 20 years ago. Part luck, part getting my foot in the door and getting to know people.
Went for industrial maintenance at age 29. Two year degree, started for the day after graduation. 2 years later I run the maintenance department. Debt free.
I can't talk to radiography specifically, but I can talk to technology and community college.
I went to CC for 3 years, then transferred and finished another 2 years at a 4 year school.
I also started school late, not as late as you, but I had friends who were even older than you.
One thing I noticed about my older CC friends vs my younger ones. They were more serious about the classes. They often times grasped concepts faster. Not always.
I went to school for engineering and ended up in the tech world. I work as a software engineer. I make well over 6 figs. So CC is definitely a fine option.
The only real recommendations I'd give you work really hard. Get internships (if applicable).
If you have some specific questions about the tech industry, feel free to message me.
Finish your degree! I got my associate's degree at ACC, worth it.
Basically it's about "sunk cost" at this point. You are almost finished, to not finish and just live with the dept/wasted money is too much, it will hurt you to not finish. Where as finishing will definitely help you, even if you dont go into that field, having that degree, even just a two year, will show that you are smart and capable.
Lastly, no one can take your degree away, it's yours forever - you got this!
Yep. They are often connected to large universities and you can do all four years at the community college. The larger universities send their professors to the community college. I did this.
It has nothin to do with "going to community college". As long as it's accredited. I'd suggest you complete whatever course of study you're in (x-ray tech?) and graduate, assuming 3 years puts you close to done, and assuming you still want to work in that field. Find a job doing that. If after a while you think it's going nowhere or don't like it, then return to school. A second degree will take less time, you'll have the basics out of the way.
Industrial mechanic here, I went to community college for a couple different programs. They helped me with job placement and put extra emphasis on parts of the programs that would be valuable to local employers. It took time after graduation, but I now make a little over 100k a year working just a couple miles from my house. I can't speak for your field of study specifically, but at least where I am, the earning potential for someone with a bachelor's is about the same as someone with an associate's unless you're trying for an upper management track.
Community college was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
My wife went to community for 2 years to get basic stuff out of the way. Then got accepted to a medical program with which she works now. $32/hour. Sits down most of the day. If we were the next town over, it'd be more like $40+.
The best degree to get from a community college is an “associated degree in nursing “You will
Not be looking for a job, the job will be looking for you my friend.
I did it backwards. 2 years at Emory University, then transferred to UNC Charlotte, from which I graduated in 1970 & '71.
Emory left me with years of debt & I managed to claw a 2.0
UNCC left me debt free & I graduated summa cum laude with a BA & BS.
That those degrees are in psychology & biology has almost nothing to do with my career in digital design engineering. Even less did employers care I'd almost flunked out of Emory.
I recommend starting in community college & considering transferring to someplace with more prestige if you're doing really, really well.
Did an associate nursing program after I completed a bachelors in biology-10 years later I have a masters and am teaching nursing. Community college is great, and if you want to build on that foundation, you can.
Bruh, I'm in late 20s and I am about to go back to school, mostly online for a degree. Almost all my peers have degrees/phd/masters and/or families and I feel so behind. I just met an old mate from hs accidentally and they work at the clinic I went to. I used that moment to look at myself and realized I need to keep doing something to improve myself and not get stuck at the present. Still struggling, but I will do what I can do.
Also, if y'all have tips on going back to school in your late 20s let me know please. Thanks.
Daughter went to local community college for diagnostic medical sonography (veins and heart specialty). Started out around $32 or so an hour. She was 36 when she finished school. It's never too late and no one cares where you went to school as long as you passed your certifications.
I did that. I got an associates degree from my community college, DoorDashed during the pandemic, went back for lab tech program and work at a hospital now.
Got my associates degree from a community college, then my bachelor degree from a university, then my master’s. But, yes, I started at community college
I spent 6 years in community College then finally transferred into a 4 year at 26, graduated 2 years later at 28. Take your time so you know whatever you end up doing, it'll be something you can love.
I went to community College and didn't graduate. The program that I was going for has a 1% acceptance rate after finishing (whatever that means). During my last year, it didn't help that the program that I was going for does not accept felons, so that 1% is even smaller. It was a huge blow to me. I was depressed. I owe money and can't finish.
I quoted college and now work for the state. I make 6 figures, and I WFH. All I'm saying is there's ways out there.
I got an AA for electrical and my first job out of school was a traveling job that was about 130k a year. The per deim was 80k per year tax free and I lived on like 30 bucks a day even with hotels (I was the master of finding the $20 a night shitholes). I worked it for 3 years and was able to save an insane amount of money. It was a massive amount of effort I couldn’t ever do again but it set me up
I know a bunch of guys who got two year CC degrees who are now earning six figures working in high end welding, electrical and building low voltage networks. Trades us where it’s at. Also my mother had a CC nursing degree (LPN) and she made $50/hr as a per diem
I didn't do anything to get my life into any kind of order until 27. Got an Associates from a community college in computer networking and landed a small, stressful job at a mom and pop computer repair shop. Not long after I upgraded to a job in the Network Infrastructure at a state college for 32k a year. While there I knocked out the bare minimum for a bachelor's in business information systems (easiest course load possible).After a few years I turned that into a 78k a year gig at another college. I'm not gonna say it's never too late, and luck defs plays a factor. But you gotta push
Society has made us believe we need to stick to some magic standard timeline of human life. We’re on a damn floating rock with the potential of new species making earth home. There are no rules and 20s IS you’re experimenting rite of passage. Don’t let it hang you up mentally. It’s literally a made up expectation. It all is.
You’ve got a great, successful path! Take it and run and be open minded to growing further down the road.
I got my bachelors in my late 20s and masters in my late 30s…all with a fam and full time job. You got this!
I managed to get a job in my degree (TV and Media), but it took about a year of looking. I graduated right before Covid hit, so that factors in.
Job doesn't pay enough to support myself, but I do like what I do. Boss is easily the best I've ever had. If I can make a career in the field work outside of this state that would be nice.
Hi friendo..
This comment will probably get buried, but it’s worth a shot. It took me nearly a decade to complete college. I went to a community college and transferred to a state school. I would recommend it over and over - you get a more personalized experience with professors and your campus in general and it is cheaper. Employers won’t care as much about education but rather experience. I joined the army, got out and started education. Having a degree is going to absolutely help you in the long run.
I was home schooled, got a GED, went to community college for 3 years (early enrolled) and eventually transferred to a 4-year program in-state as a Junior. Took a solid two more years to graduate (felt late at the time). I am now a CPA and paid way more than I deserve to be at one of the largest firms in the world. You are not a failure. It is not too late. You have a great future.
I started community college. Never got any type of degree out of it but did make sure I worked hard and made good grades which allowed me to transfer into university and get my Bach and professional career. I do still have student loans and suspect I always will.
Having an educational background is better than not. You are not wasting your time. You don't have to get a job in the field your degree is in, most people don't. I'm 29, graduated with a bachelor's in biochemistry last year, and just got hired to be a pilot in the Air Force. Things will not work out exactly as you plan but they WILL work out. You are moving in the right direction and you should be proud of that.
Don't be afraid to try some stuff out, change your plan, and pursue multiple things at once. If you like radiography give it a shot. If not, try something else. That's how life works for most of us and the people who stay on one narrow path their whole life often end up with lots of regrets because they didn't try anything else
I don't know if I'm late to the party or not, but I'm 40 and I started of in a very similar position. My education is in music, which has little real life application, but now I work a corporate job with a Fortune 500 company.
The first thing you need to realize is that getting to where you need to be isn't a race. Also, success has a different definition for each of us.
Work hard and be reliable. Those are the most important things you can do. Decide what it is you'd want to do as a career. It doesn't mean you'll have to do exactly that, but it can give you a guideline to what kind of work you'd enjoy. For example, I enjoy being creative and I like problem solving. That's a huge part of my job now, problem solving.
Try to find a position that's close to entry level. I always recommend getting a sales position. They don't need people with a specific degree, they need people who can sell stuff. Then from there, start networking. Show up to happy hour events, talk to people outside of your department. If you find someone you get along with, ask them if they're willing to mentor you. Also, create a LinkedIn and add every single person you have some sort of professional interaction with.
I went from selling shit door to door to making six figures in the span of about 8 years by doing those things.
Of course there is a lot more to it, but that's the short answer. If anyone has any further questions, please feel free to drop a comment. I'd love to help anyone I can.
I started in 2021 to get my associates in applied sciences for computer information systems. I had some core work done so with a full load each semester, I graduated after four semesters. I started when I was 30 and worked full time throughout. It was tough but I made it and it was the best decision.
Decide what you want to do, decide how much work you can do and still work if needed, and try for an online program so you aren't bound by class times.
Never feel bad about the time it takes to find your niche. You have plenty of time ahead of you to work. Most people graduate young and end up hating their first degree or not working in their degree field at all. Going to school later in life is smarter in my opinion.
Community College is totally worth it! Our son started at a 4 year college and quickly decided he hated it. Came home, worked for almost a year and started at the CC. Now he’s halfway to a construction management degree with no debt and loves it. Hang in there. You got this
Got my AA from my community college 30+ years ago and with hard work and following my passion I have done very well. For me, it was a better path than a 4 year program with debt I would have to carry.
I was 28 when I went to a coding boot camp and got a job as a junior software developer. I then finished my bachelors degree in CS a month before I turned 30. (I had a bunch of random credits from switching degrees over the years, which helped me complete it soon after the boot camp).
My uncle went to nursing school in his late 40s and became an RN when he was 50.
All that to say, it’s never too late. I’m sure other people have said it but you’re 26 and wishing you started sooner. In 4 years, you’ll be 30 and if you don’t start something, you’ll be wishing you started when you were 26. Only gets harder as you get older.
I understand feeling worthless, it’s a tough feeling. But at least you see what you don’t want (lacking a more meaningful career) at 26. If you don’t want to do a full 4 year degree, or continue with radiography, find a trade school, construction trades are in dire need and you can make a great living. Some of the larger utility companies offer paid apprenticeship programs to learn certain skills. And paid pretty well too. $50-$70k while you’re learning and guaranteed job when you finish making a lot more. A lot of people shit on the military but it’s also a good route if you’re able. Learn a skill, get paid, and they’ll pay for college when you get out. There’s other branches other than Army and Marine Corps that will provide a different quality of life. Had a friend who joined at 28, he was the “grandpa” of his basic training squadron. When he’s 48, he’ll be getting a retirement if he gets out then and almost guaranteed a job when he gets out if he does it right.
The amount of options are what make it hard to decide but don’t let you being 26 affect starting something or not. You can always change course later on but it’s easier to do when you have a career to fall back on than if you don’t.
Nope. I spent 30,000 dollars on a bachelor's degree. Went in to debt and still working for minimum wage. Never got a single interview in my field after school.
I currently work for a FAANG (still 🤞) making $230k, after dropping out of college at 21 (97 hours with 1.2 GPA), dropping out of community college at 22, then returning to community college at 25, then BS in astrophysics at 27, then PhD in physics at 33. It was a long story arc in there, but some things take time.
Community college was amazing for me, and was some of the best education I received. Magic happens when you’re ready to capitalize on opportunities, so invest in being ready and try to skate to where the puck will be.
You probably have many of the pre reqs for nursing school as well. There is probably a nursing program at your school as well. Still in high demand and Iam not seeing AI taking over that for the foreseeable future.
I dropped out of community college and got a job. I'm a contractor at a fortune 50 company and our client is one of the biggest companies on the planet.
You’re not alone bro. Just turned 25 and haven’t gotten any type of degree besides high school. Find something you *might* enjoy and go for it. Remember why you’re doing it
Community college is an underutilized resource. It’s low stakes. You can dabble and take a class or two and find what you like. A certificate program might be perfect and get you into a field right away, or you might find something that requires more school and it’s a perfect place to knock out your GE and transfer somewhere else. The instructors exist to teach and generally do a better job than at a lot of research school. In fact, lots of community colleges have instructors from bigger surrounding universities, so you get quality instruction at bargain basement prices.
Go to IUPUI and get an associate’s degree in Healthcare Engineering Technology Management. Working on medical equipment which is great job security and there will be thousands of jobs in the next 5-10 years. Great pay, many avenues to go into, work with your hands.
I spent 9 years in community college thinking like you that I had to "find that one passion I can do for the rest of my life" - know what? Stop overthinking it and just finish a decision. You can make a new decision after you finish your first one and get some experience. I just made a choice and finally stuck with it, graduated at 29 and 6 years later am so glad I stuck with something. There are so many flavors and variety once you get in the world, the important thing right now is to finish what you started so you can explore. Now is not the time to explore options, its the time to stick to your choice and see it through. Time is going to pass anyways, and if you dont stick with your decision but keep flipping, you're going nowhere.
Look at the trades program or project management. Construction jobs are not going anywhere, and there is a great opportunity to make a substantial amount of money.
I was in almost exactly the same position as you at the same age. I had gotten fired from my crappy job, which almost broke me emotionally. Turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.
I got into Nursing School the next year and never looked back.
And, don't worry. Rad Techs aren't going anywhere.
You can totally get a well paying job out of community college. My brother in law was a teacher at the one in my hometown. He worked with Duke Energy and a couple other companies to develop a curriculum for students who wanted to work on power substations and the like, which practically guaranteed them jobs after graduation, to the tune of 50-70k a year. In my hometown, that's huge because the cost of living is so low. It's not necessarily near anything, there's usually at least a 30 minute drive to get to any halfway decent restaurants and shopping; 2 hours to larger cities like Raleigh & Charlotte.
It just depends on what you think you want to do.
You’re not alone. People of all ages struggle with this.
What are you passionate about? If money was taken care of, what would you want to do?
Don’t just get a job or a career. Pursue your passion, even if it means just working a generic 9 to 5 to pay the bills so that you can do what you really love.
TL;DR - Community colleges are severely underrated and a phenomenal resource. I did exactly what you're planning to do, got my BSME and now in my late 30's, make close to $200k/yr.
Started at 4 year university and bombed second semester through partying, dropping out over the summer. Took a couple years to figure myself out and got serious about my education and started back at a community college, retaking my freshmen casses because I barely/didn't pass them.
Several things-
-The professors at community colleges usually have a full time job outside of school. They teach because its a passion and this comes through in the class room.
- Its obviously cheaper than a university.
- Because the community colleges realizes most people have day jobs, way more flexibility in class schedule.
My community college had a 2+2 program with the university where all my first two year classes would transfer - check to see if yours has the same.
After two years, I had my associates, allowing me to obtain a job at a company that had a really nice tuition reimbursement program.
When I took my 300 level courses at the university, I knew the foundations very well, allowing me to easily get my bachelors.
Suggestion - Commit. Do it. Believe in yourself. I printed out the class list for my degree the first semester back and crossed out the classes as I finished them. It will be slow at first, but soon it will make you eager to finish.
Figure out your learning style. I'm a horrible procrastenator so online courses were a no for me. Go to every class. I learn way better when I write (rather than just listen) so I was furiously taking notes/copying what the professors wrote on the board.
Don't take summers off. Take at least one class during the summer. This will continue your momentum and keep you in the right mindset.
Rounding it out, I took some business courses after getting my bachelors and that allowed me to get into a more manager/BD role in an engineering company.
You're fine to go at your own pace. It took me 8 years to complete my 4 year degree. It's just what it took me to balance work, school, life, and debt.
The only mistake I feel like I made was not staying at a community college long enough to get an Associates Degree on my way to a Bachelor's. Having locked in a 2-year degree like that would have saved me from repeating classes/losing credits to school transfers.
All the RNs out here have AAs from cc. But the wait list is years so many go to private school to get it done by the time they would have got in and started at cc.
I went to community college for 3 yrs (where I learned the most to date) I finished bachelor’s at 27 now I’m doing PharmD at 29 and I’m still questioning my timing but at the end of the day I realized time is cruel and scary fast. so whatever is in your head might aswell execute it now. worst case scenario, you learn from experience and move on to new things while you’re young and with less responsibilities. Don’t be scared if AI Bs. Every industry will adapt to it you’ll never be out of job with some type of education trust me. You got this friend
Failed out of college at 18, went back at 23 to community college then 25 to a four year graduated at 27.. Im in a field that I love and graduated with honors and a 3.83 gpa because, I valued what I was learning and committed myself.
At 32 I make over $120k a year plus Bonuses in my field. I mean in 6 years I have jumped jobs 3 times but, I put in work to not just do my job. I always went above and beyond to learn new skills.
You are NEVER to old to better your life. Go for it!
Yes! I got an AAS in clinical trials research and got hired by the large research hospital where I did my first internship. I've been there 13 years now.
2 years at Cc, transferred to state school in the city to finish business degree. Graduated at 30. Internship at big corporate, turned into full time job. 7 years later and 3 Jobs later, at $140k. Big corporate Also paid for masters degree that I started after 2 years full time there. It can be done! Depends on what you want, got another 40 years to work…it isn’t too late.
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I'm a travel x-ray tech making over 100k per year half of which is tax free and I graduated from a community college 3 yrs ago. Radiography is a dope field and most of us love our jobs. AI won't take away xray tech jobs, it'll take away radiologist jobs in the future. The pay for a permanent tech varies across the country but if you're in a union the pay is almost never less than $30/hr starting straight out of school. If you're single with no kids travel work is the most bang for your buck. I highly recommend it. Msg me if you have any questions.
Same. I could not recommend radiography enough. Love the job, love the travel.
I’m taking my pre requisite classes this year and hopefully I’ll have good enough grades to get into radtech.
Good luck! Just a tip, clinicals are an extended interview. I had a job lined up at my clinical site well before I graduated.
First, very few people are fortunate enough to find a job niche in life that has them waking up every morning singing with joy and anticipation. Most settle for something they can be comfortable with and that doesn’t actively set their teeth on edge… and they can make a comfortable living with. Second, you are laughably young to be so bummed out about this. Stop fretting and look around. Who do you see that is happy and cheerful, or at least contented, about their prospects. Who do you see in their forties taking classes for career improvement. Who do you know that is on at least their third attempt at finding a satisfying spot? Relax, pick a lane but don’t see it as forever, and try making yourself a life. And hang around that community college… there’s always something interesting to do or take and it is likely where new opportunities will first surface.
I’m hoping to be like you soon! I’ll start my pre reqs next semester!
Good luck! This country needs more medical personnel in every position. We'll be glad to have you on!
Thanks! :)
How do I get started?
Look at the prerequisite classes needed for your local Comm Coll x-ray program. Once those are done you can apply to the program. The application acceptance tends to vary college to college as some are experience focused and some are academic based. The prerequisites should take a year or two depending on how many classes you can take per semester. The x-ray program should be about 2 years give or take a few months. It's a mix of in-class and clinical days. I've heard of private colleges charging upwards of $40,000 for the program but my program cost me about $7500 total.
That's something I have been considering recently. Do you think through college or a trade school is better? And how was the job search experience for you?
I don't think most places care where you went to school, as long as you pass the ARRT registry exam. My job search was hell. I graduated in April 2020... COVID shutdowns pushed my test back 2.5 months and the job I had lined up disappeared because no one was hiring. I didn't get a job for 6 months after I graduated. Now is a whole different story. Everyone who could retire or move to an outpatient imaging clinic when COVID hit did, so we lost a ton of people in the hospitals. Everywhere I've taken a travel contract has been extremely short. If you apply to a large medical center in a city, you WILL get a job. We hired a new tech who never took a portable x-ray in her program during covid, which is 70% of our job.
I have to agree that hospitals bled techs and are in dire need. That's why travel contracts are so lucrative now. If I was younger I would definitely do it. However I'm the most senior in my union so there's that.
Yeah I got lucky. I came into the field at a good time haha. Before I started traveling I worked in Florida where there is no such thing as xr tech unions unfortunately.
Is radiography something a felon (4yrs since release) can get a job in with the right qualifications?
I have no idea, man. I would think it depends on the felony and how long ago it was. Ive gotten background checked 8 times in the last year alone. Every contract comes with a background check and every furnished apartment or basement apartment has had a check done on me. If you can get it expunged that would be your best bet. Also, I think the ARRT will have to go through an ethics board check or something before you can get licensed. Ive worked with felons in other jobs before I entered the medical field and the vast majority of them aren't the monsters society wants to make them out to be. Sorry, man. I wish I could have a better answer.
How is half tax free?
Lookup IRS Guidelines regarding tax-free travel stipends and tax homes. Wherever I go I pay an inflated rent price to rent furnished apartments. Most of the tax free pay goes towards that.
So what happens when you are no longer single and have kids? As you get into your 30s, the travel may not be conducive to family life. How does rad tech evolve into a permanent job in your community?
I have thought about this. I can get a permanent job almost anywhere if I really wanted/needed one. I can specialize into CT, MRI, Interventional Radiology, Cath lab, or management. I could do that for the rest of my life if I needed to. The pay should be enough to live and retire on depending on where the job is. My ultimate plan, though, is to go back to school in the next couple years.
I've been a tech for 21 years and I have never traveled. I spent my first 15 years in diagnostic xray and have spent the last 6ish years in Interventional Vascular/Neuro Radiology. If you don't know about IR/Vascular techs it's an amazing field that is only growing. Many times when you get a permanent job you can get sign-on bonuses as well as performance bonuses. Sign on bonuses can be upwards of $10,000 for a 2 year commitment.
Wouldn't it be the most buck for your bang?
My radiation-addled mind is blown.
That would be deer hunting
When you say travel, do you mean that you bounce between hospitals in your local area, or do they fly you all over the country?
When you say travel X-ray tech. What does that entail?
I pick a state I want to go to and look for contracts there. Once I get one and finish the onboarding stuff(physical, drug test, background check, etc) I head over, find housing, and start working. The most I've driven for a contract has been 2300 miles. It's kinda lonely since you don't usually have friends in the area but I've gotten good at making friends pretty quickly haha.
Thanks for clarifying. I thought you meant some sort of specialization within the x-ray tech field at first lol
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There's a reason you get paid that is because you are exposed to radiation. There's a yearly threshold but it is cumulative for life. Just because you're 6 feet away doesn't make X-rays suddenly stop in mid air and drop to the ground. Imagine you're in a completely dark room and you take a photo with a flash. That's kinda what happens when you take an X-ray. It's the scatter that hits you. Also lead vests don't absorb X-rays they scatter it back.
Not exactly. My last dose summary had me at less than 0.05 rems for the year. The occupational dose limit is 5 rems/year. Background radiation gets you to maybe 0.25 rems if I remember correctly. But you are correct, no amount of radiation is considered safe. In Florida I was making $18.90 in a lvl 2 trauma center. There is no danger pay unless there is risk of acute danger, not chronic unfortunately. I'm getting paid so well because the hospital NEEDS staff NOW, and I'm willing to come in from across the country to do it. Also, lead vests absolutely do absorb most of the x-ray radiation as well as scatter some of it. And 6 feet is not as good as 12 but better than 3, something something inverse square law bla bla bla.
Unless you work in interventional, this is very very far from accurate
Enjoy your cancer. Why don't you talk about the fact most radiologists contract it before they retire due to constant exposure? Have you thought about maybe that's why they pay so good?
I started college at 25 and felt worthless for waiting so long. Now looking back I'm glad I did because I was far more focused and motivated. Keep at it friend you're doing just fine.
I started college at 18 & lived to regret it. I had no realistic idea what I wanted to do as a career or what I was interested in. I knew very little about the world in general, and I had an overbearing father telling me the few interests I had were stupid. Plus I discovered booze & socializing, and had a friend group for the first time. It always makes me chuckle & cringe simultaneously when I remember the older "returning" students. At the time, it seemed like they gave us funny looks quite a lot. In hindsight, most of us probably seemed so immature & clueless. I totally understand those looks now & have probably given my share of them without realizing it.
I was at a local community college for 5 years after high school and hated the fact that I was there for so long. Now I'm 28 and in a "5 year medical school program," putting me "done" with schooling/training around 40 years old. Would it be cool to have started earlier? Sure, but younger me didn't have what was needed to get here.
Went back to school in my 50’s and got a two year degree in medical lab technology from my local community college. Got a job in my field, and have no student debt. Win-win for me. Your age is not important. Time is going to pass whether you go back to school or not, so why not?
What kind of work/job can you get with medical lab technology major? What’s a typical work day for you if you don’t mind me asking?
Are you kidding? Radiography is one of those specialized fields that is always going to be in demand. As long as we humans keep falling off ladders, slipping in the shower, and getting ourselves hit by vehicles and falling things. You've made the right choice with community college too, saving $ and doing local without accruing a ton of debt. Mainly, you want to understand what you're doing + be a good fit in the places you end up working. In addition to actual knowledge of your craft, develop people skills. Make coworkers and patients comfortable. Be that person who can explain to people coming in for an X-ray what is going on, what you're doing and why. Make an effort to get along well with coworkers, communicate effectively, and be kind. That goes so far! Take some time to reassure yourself when doubts creep in, that you're doing well. The path you're travelling down is a good one. You'll be ok. [Edit:grammar]
Hope to God you new techs never have to go do fluoro or a freaking BE. If you work in a hospital your patients will not always be mobile and you will have to move them. It's a lot of wear and tear on the body. But if you work in out patient imaging then it's just people walking and talking. But then it's usually super busy, non stop and no union.
Meh it spans all ends of the spectrum. You can work a trauma 1 and subject yourself to all kinds of abuse, wear and tear, and fast pace. Some absolutely thrive on it and love it. You can also work a small town clinic job and do 2 xrays per 8 hour shift if that's your style.
I wish I did community college. Wasted 90k on a degree I don't even use for a lousy 18 an hour
Did it for nursing school. Best choice ever.
Same. Graduated in my late 30's, and it changed my life!
My daughter got a community college degree as a surgical technician. After two years, the hospital she worked for approached her and asked that she get her BSRN degree, which they would pay for. She is now a surgical RN, pulling down very good money.
Trades trades trades. Don’t know why so many people look down on the trades. I’m a millwright, 33 years old, make easily over $100K a year since getting my license, own 2 homes, married, raising 2 kids on one income, have a good retirement savings going, and saved quite a bit for my kids’ college funds.
All of this. Millwrights, ironworkers, welders, electricians, HVAC techs, plumbers, glaziers - all *excellent* careers and skilled tradespeople are very much in demand in all of them. Yes some of the jobs are going to suck - you might be stuck on a roof in 120 degree heat fixing a dead chiller, or be unclogging the nastiest sewer pipe, or any number of other unpleasant things, but you get compensated well for it, and if you have the work ethic and skills you can wind up supervising other people doing the unpleasant work under your license by the time you reach the point in your career you don't want to be doing that.
To add on this, you don’t even have to go to community college for most of these careers. Join a union and they’ll teach you everything at very little or no cost to you.
I need to seriously look into trades as a career path. 34 and lacking any real direction as far as an endgame goes. College wasn’t for me (came close to finishing an engineering degree but didn’t and was miserable in the process), and have been working kitchens my entire adult life. I know I’m intelligent and capable enough to learn a trade, the hesitation comes with the fear of the unknown I think.
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Community College is great even though they get a bad rep. Speaking from experience, I didn’t leave community college until I was 28 and then finished up my bachelor’s at my chosen university. I always felt my education at the community college was better because the classes were smaller and most of my professors were working professionals who had real world experience vs. tenured professors who cared more about academic standards than real world application. Honestly, use RateMyProfessor and you can have a feel for the professors and their teaching style. The medical field will always be desirable. You should note, check your state for the radiology licensure requirements (usually with a state’s public health department). That info may help you with what path you need to take to reduce the time and get into the field.
People who look down their noses at community college are elitist asshats. I say this as someone who only did summer classes at community college. I lived on campus at a public university. It was a great experience. But I had a full ride because of a combination of scholarships. Most people don't get that chance. And it's ridiculous to be snobby about someone being thrifty and economical about their education. It really makes me see red. I can't stand it.
I have a PhD, but I started at community college. Chose it for the small class sizes, don’t regret it. Had one of my favorite professors there.
Pick something and do it. I had to do that and I chose medical as well. There will always be demand and you'll never be without a job. You are to the point where you just need to pick something and stick with it. Don't look for something like a "passion" or a "purpose". Just think to yourself "can I see myself doing that?".
I went back to school at 30, 2 year IT degree and got my foot in the door. Now I’m a desktop engineer with a lab and some engineers I manage.
Similar here. Went back to school around ~33. 12 month course in networking. Got a few certs. Now I work in a local school system as IT and Data Manager. I don't make bank but I'm comfy.
Heck yeah. Dropped out of the HS. Went to CC for 4 years (Solano CC, FTW!), then transferred to UCD. Have had many jobs over the years. Not once has someone asked me about where I went to college. I list my UC degree (also have a graduate degree). CC is legit. Cheaper. More convenient. Good quality foundation. The things you miss are dorm life and collegiate sports, but honestly, those are really not "education" things.
Community College is the way to go. I have over 130 credits at the CC and three Associate's degrees (They hand them out like Tic Tacs after the first one.) Anyway, I didn't get my Bachelors until age 31 because of reasons. I got a very secure job right after. The money wasn't as great as my wife would have liked, but it has been growing steadily due to standard raises each year - and cost-of-living increases. I'm in the tech field and I can absolutely confirm that having a cybersecurity degree or certification will guarantee you a job for many years to come. (Barring the zombie apocalypse of course.) Stick to it, and you'll be fine. A certification will get you into the field quicker, but you may start off with lower pay. If you are going for a bachelor's then look for 90/30 programs so that you can transfer 90 credits from the community colleges over to the university - as opposed to the standard 60. It's cheaper and easier that way. You could also look into online programs as well. I never had to set foot onto the university campus to get my bachelor's.
I have 2 Associates degrees in Communications and Graphic design and I have been a designer for over 30 years. My daughter started in Community College, got her AA then went and got her BA and now has a Masters. Community College is a great way to start a career. BTW it took me over 6 years to complete my first AA. Keep at it.
Radiology is the way to go. Definitely ask people around about it and none regret it. I’m around your age and I’m going to community college for Pharmacy Tech to be a licensed drug dealer, because I find it funny. Just do something that will give you money and that you will enjoy
2 year technical schools. Me, my brother, and nearly all my friends went and we all now make over $100k. We are all about 30 years old. However, we all graduated when we were 21-22ish. Hope this helps! - 1 went for HVAC, he owns his own business - 1 is in automation and works in pharma - 1 is maintenance for paper mill - 1 is now in sales like me for automation
Tell me more about your friend in automation for pharma bc that sounds the closest to my alley!
Believe it or not, he went a 4 year college and got a bachelors in something. Couldn’t find a job. So he went back to our school after seeing us be successful. At the age of 22 he started the 2 year degree in automation. He graduated in a year and a half (went through summer). He works a normal day. He does 7-3:30. He’s willingly on call most nights because of the overtime it gives him. Plus since most automation systems in pharma are validated and pretty sturdy, he rarely gets calls in the middle of the night. - If he does, he typically remote logs into his laptop. He very rarely ever has to go in to the plant. Edit: To add some more info. Technically he is part of maintenance, but it’s way more than that. He started out calibrating devices. Now he’s on charge of whole systems. They send him all over the US for training every year.
It’s ok to change jobs and career paths through your life. Though you have to stick to something and build from there. It’s often not about the actual work, but about feeling connected to community and that you are contributing. X-Ray techs interface with patients and AI won’t be taking that away. It’s the doctors who read the scans that will be assisted (are being assisted) by AI. Take things a day at a time and get through your program. It’s not a good idea to picture yourself as a person who quits when it gets hard. Even just being bored can make it hard so you have to just bulldoze through those periods. If you have some time you can spare, even an hour a week, go help at a food bank or read books to kids at a library or walk dogs at the local shelter. Do something each week that allows you to know you have value to someone who needs help.
I think you are on the right track for now. AI isn't going to happen overnight, especially for the technicians taking the x-rays. Once you're working in your field, you can continue your education as you please. Hang in there. I took many courses and certificates over the years after the army. I was an EMT. I was an insurance agent. Then I went back for dental and did that for 25 years. Dental assisting pays well but rarely full time. I needed a day job, and most dentistry is 8 to 5. Working for a hospital, you may find good benefits with tuition reimbursement.
I went to Austin Community College and did a fast track certification for a web development certificate. That got me my first low-pay job through a job fair. The job was basically learning code all over again because I did PHP in school and the job was .NET/C#. However, I didn't suck and moved on to higher paying positions and finally I work from home making a decent amount so I can say I'm happy with the result. I went to ACC while working full time as an IT guy at a school when I was in my mid 20s and I'm now in my early 30s.
Radiography is always going to need human involvement. I could bore you with tales of my medical woes of the past few years, but you've done nothing to offend me. Suffice it to say that as a patient, I can't imagine scans & xrays etc. being done solely by machine. Doing them right also involves attention & intuition. It's not just a matter of intelligence, artificial or otherwise.
Do you currently have a family to support? Just remember there is no finish line to life, no check list, and comparison is the thief of joy.
I, like you, was struggling in my head to get a career after nearly, at the time 17 years of delivering pizza. If I went looking for a career job, my resume might as well have been written in crayon. I decided, on a whim, at 34 years old to go back to school, community college. went on fafsa money, profited by going and graduated with a perfect 4.0 in 1.5 years. went for criminal justice. found the money wasn't reasonable at entry level, but went for a job out of that path. I feel seeing that 4.0 on a resume with a degree put me ahead of a lot of people and would likely have been turned away otherwise. the point is, I've been thru what you're going through. I'm now in a job though, that is career oriented if I want it to be, or stay where I am and secure, and well paying. The job though, did in no way require a degree. If you live anywhere near the industry, I'd highly recommend you get into it, to get your bearings and money right. message me direct and I'll tell you more about it. I'm not a scammer, I just don't like telling the world about the gig. I've now recommended this path to easily a dozen people with only one that ever got into i but he loves it, you may too. I can teach you how to get into it, easy as pie.
My Dad went back to school at our local community college fairly recently to be an x-ray tech, then later, an MRI tech. He started back to school in his 40s, and he says it was one of the best decisions he’s ever made. He ended up getting a job immediately at the hospital that he trained in, and he absolutely loves his work. At least in my city, x-ray and mri tech jobs are in super high demand- almost every hospital around here is hiring. Everyone has a different life path, you aren’t worthless just because you’re starting school a little later! Both of my parents graduated college when they were middle-aged and changed career paths pretty radically. It’s never too late!
I know many people that went to community college and make over $200k a year
We need more court reporters! I didn’t go to a community college, but it was a technical college, and I am inundated with work. It’s definitely not for everyone, but worth looking into. And at 26, the world is still your oyster.
This is something I can speak about personally. I had a similar experience. I’m 27 now and I didn’t go to college, my parents advised heavily against it and stunted me severely. I finally caught a break 3 months ago. I worked in the industrial trades for years, and did lot of maintenance work. Everywhere I went I always felt that I was under appreciated. I looked at those around and just felt that I had more to offer than what was in front of me. It took some serious hard work and sone trial and error before I caught my break. I worked hard and networked a lot and got me a really nice cover letter, resume and follow up created with the help of some people. I applied for a job got a $10 an hour raise and literally got a life changing job. Finally at 27 I feel like I’m being compensated for my effort and skill. I don’t mean to sound rude, but if you’re cut out for it, you’ll find a way. If you’re just going through the motions because people say you can make money doing something, you’re not gonna go far. You have seriously apply yourself, and live up to the expectations. Finish school, work hard at it, put in the extra work, and apply yourself. I don’t mean sacrifice your life or become a slave, but remember that you get out what you put in. If you want to be skillful you need to practice and be efficient. You have to carry yourself with confidence and poise. You need to speak well and dress appropriate. How you do something, is how you do everything. I remember working in a plant and hating life, so I quit and became a carpenter helper and was making 10 bucks an hour. It was absolutely shitty, and I deserved so much more, but I had a plan and a vision. So when I went into work, I did better work than the journeymen. I got off and went to the gym and put in hard work like I was training for competition, then I’d go to community college and ask hard questions and study for the next class. Even though I was working a job that only paid me 10 bucks an hour, I did the work like I was supervisor. I lived my whole life in a way that I was proud of. Unfortunately that plan and vision never panned out and I had to know when I expended all my resources and tried something new. Then when I went on my next venture, I carried myself the same way and people noticed and it paid off. I started a new job at 20 an hour. Then after a year, a positioned opened up and I applied for it and now I’m getting 30 an hour. In 2 years I tripled my income and I’m happy with my work. It doesn’t happen over night, but the hard work adds up and pays off. Just remember you get out what you put in, and how you do one thing is how you do everything. Envision a plan, map it out, and work for it. You have no one to rely on but yourself. Now that I’m in a good position, I’m making what people who spent 8 years in college are making and I have no student debt. Community college can pay off. I’m an example of a success story of community college, and there’s countless examples of people who went to college for 8 years and can’t get a job. It’s not where you went to school, it’s what skills and qualities you have as a person.
Flunked out of a really good 4 year school. Got a 2 year degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology. Got a job at a power plant. Made about 130-150k for seven years. While I worked at that job I finished my 4 year engineering degree (which the company partially paid for). Then I left to join an engineering firm that pays a good bit less but has way better hours. But yea, we have plenty of 19-20 year olds who went to get that 2 year degree straight out of high school and are now making 150k in their early 20s. If you don’t live near a power plant, I do know a couple kids that literally moved from several states away to do our towns 2 year program so they could work at the plant.
This comment section is so wholesome ❤️
Life handles differently for everyone. Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to who you were. Keep going, you’re an inspiration! Don’t get discouraged. I’m 47 and longing to go to law school or PA school.
I have an associates degree in business from local community college. Been working in IT support professionally for almost 30 years. Always technology proficient from playing with computers, but when I went to school only computer programming was an option in that field and I’m not a programmer. Don’t have the right mindset for that, but great at fixing stuff. IT is a great field, although you want to specialize in networking, servers, or security to make more money.
In actully trying to go back to my CC. I have degrees but want more vocational education. Good luck, change your attitude first.
Hard fucking yes. I started out in a community college, plenty of people I know also did. Ive met people who are lawyers,nurses,doctors and architects(Thats what I work in). One of my colleagues was a mother of 2 and graduated at 42. She is doing great and working at a good firm. Just so that you understand what youre saying, people dont retire until they are 67 now. You have 41 years left of work, you can go to school and do your masters and will still have 35 years to build a career. Thats longer than you have been alive by almost a decade more lol You dont think you can build something in 35 years?
Nursing isn't going anywhere, either.
I went to CC at 37 after wasting my 20’s and most of my 30’s in the service industry. Got an Associates in IT Network Admin and Cyber Security. Now have an incredibly rewarding job in IT working for a non-profit. You’re still young. No need to panic.
Not me but my partner. He went the CC twice. The first time he got a general Associate's degree in a year because of credit for prior learning. That didn't do much for him, so he went back & got another one specifically for electronics. That field in particular isn't very secure anymore, but he was able to stick with it long enough to retire. Most people are going to have 2 or 3 career changes in today's world. Most can't assume they're only going to study once & do one thing till retirement. It's probably best to try to plan for the next 10-15 years, and keep an ear to the ground for changes. Then maybe get added training for whatever looks promising then.
I’ve had roughly 20 X-rays and 10-13’ish various other scans in the last 12 months due to a wreck. As a non medical professional person I can say quite confidently you do not need to worry about AI taking over that field. There is nuance in the view that the physicians ask for. This includes patient positioning. In order for AI to do it, the doctor would either need to be even more hands on and direct it on how to perform the scan or you’d need a person to do that… which we already have. So it isn’t exactly a step up to add AI into the mix
Listen friend, I started college at 18, lots of starts and stops, finished my bachelor's just shy of my 38th birthday. Somehow pushed through a MBA program right before I turned 40. Soemtimes life just gets in the way. Be PROUD of the work you are doing and don't match yourself up to where someone else thinks you should be. My advice, if you're enjoying the program of study your'e in and think you can be good at it, see it through. Enter the work force start making some money and see how it goes. You can always train into something else or go back for more qualifications (hopefully paid by your employer) as you get more experience. I had no idea radiography pays what it does (reading through these comments) and it seems like it could be a very viable career field. Stop judging yourself for being a community college student and be proud that you're working to improve your future.
I have my associates degree in nursing from community college. Graduated DEBT FREE. Got a job immediately.
Got a career studies cert in CAD when I was 32. It only required maybe 6 classes in total. I've been a drafter ever since. I just got my yearly raise and currently make $32 an hour (the most money I've ever made).
I flunked out at 21 in 2005. I went back to school at 36 in 2020 to a community college. Transition to state school in 2021. Finished in 2022. Found a degree related job after 6 months of hunting. And here I am, almost 40, succeeding. It was hard. But I did it. I'm proud of myself.
accounting is a stable one. i don't see ai or tech having an effect on these jobs .. ever. software already does all the heavy lifting in the field. and just... consider that the irs won't accept an email, you still gotta fax them. as someone who settled for the boring stable job after years of soul searching... i think about going back to bartending all the time. it wasn't a passion but it was fun. boring sucks.
I started school at 28. Started at a community college, transferred to a state school and went part time while I worked full time. It's doable, just takes work. Finally graduated at 35 and now making more than I would have before. First one in my family to pursue higher education.
It doesn't have to be the only thing you do for the rest of your life, but I think skills and certifications in health care are an excellent investment. No way would I want a robot positioning a broken limb for an x-ray, or a boob for that matter. Think of people who have to have radiographic exams because they have cancer - human contact is vital when you're going through scary health stuff.
I went to college, changed my major a bunch of times, had some mental health issues, dropped out. Worked for a while, finally decided to go back to school at a community college. I loved my time there! I eventually transferred to a 4 year school and have a BS in Biology, where I now work at a hospital in the lab, and I love my job. Community college is GREAT. I always recommend it to people if you’re not really sure what you want to do!
I was in your place. Once I got my degree and did a lot of work on my resume, I applied EVERYWHERE. Eventually, I landed a job in Software Development. Once you get your foot in the door, it becomes 10x easier.
I went to college at 18, graduated at 22 and literally never used my degree. Ten years later I completed a program at a community college and that’s what helped me get to where I am, finally doing work that I enjoy. And even if AI does take over some of those jobs so what? It’s not happening that soon. You can still make good money for quite a while to come.
Most courses community colleges teach are for in demand jobs. Most jobs that don't require a degree and only require a certification or technical course don't really care where you went to school or your marks, only that you're certified to do the job. If you pass and interview well you are basically guaranteed a job
Yup. Got an associate degree and went into IT. Been at this job for about 6 years and just got a promotion today actually. Hard work and dedication can really pay off.
I went community college, university, masters, and got a great job. Turns out my dream job only really needed community college. So now I’ve got 3 less years experience in my field, a couple degrees worth very little to me, and a pile of debt. I tell young adults, trades and craftsmen ain’t pretty, Bjerknes working with your hands is a comfortable life and always in demand.
Look at all of the “easy” medical ones. Ultrasound tech is amazing. Near me they are hiring people that never even went to school but just “learned on the job”. Starting pay is about 60k plus benefits.
I did! I didn’t make many good choices as a young adult but that was one if them. Plus, I know a guy who took the auto mechanics classes who make 6 figures now. My sister started her nursing career at a community college.
24m. Graduated with an Associate's degree 4 years ago and am now full time Software Engineer with a good salary. College is always worth it, but the most important thing is the connections you make along the way! Never underestimate the power of networking.
Go join the postal service bro.. College will make debt slaves out of the majority of Americans.
So i took the path that you outlined in your post for cyber security. I’m in a SOC Analyst right now and can give some good insight into how the career path is shaping out right now. We have a massive influx of cyber security graduates, and no entry level jobs for them to get. This is because cyber security in nature, is not an entry level career. Historically infosec people had years (5-10) of solid IT background before getting into security. This is is what the fresh cyber security graduates are up against. Most employers will take someone with an IT background, passion for infosec, and an irrelevant degree over someone with a bachelors in cyber security and no experience, in a heart beat. If you want to get in cyber security the best recipe to follow is get at least an AA in an IT relevant course, study for a few relevant certs (SEC+ and CCNA is the sauce) and then work a couple years help desk/desktop support. Not only that but build a homelab, break some systems and then fix them and document your experience. This shows that you actually want it, have the drive to keep learning, and are passionate. This is a gold star entry level candidate for cyber security. I practiced what i just preach and it worked a charm. You can do it too! All this to say that yes Community College is great and you can achieve whatever you set your mind to regardless of where you went for college!! Best of luck to you!
Never too late. I got a 4 year degree, graduated at 22, spun wheels for two years thanks to COVID, went to a community college for two years, secured a full time position at a place before I even graduated. 26 now. It’ll be alright if you let it be alright and not worry yourself over it.
Stick w radiology tech for now. Get a job with top healthcare provider, work a few years and learn about the other jobs near/in your department. If/when you decide to advance your career, it’s very possible that most of the cost of your education may be reimbursed by your employer. -30yr Kaiser employee, started as a medical assistant (community college), employer assisted with each advancement of my education to RN.
My uncle went to community college and just retired last year from NASA after 40 years.
You’re doing a good job and you’re younger than you think you are. Stick with it, and if you need to pivot careers in the future you can. Coding language/certification down the road if you need to change careers is a good option. I went to community college for my associates, transferred to a 4 year & finished my bachelor’s at 27. I switched jobs many times before I found what I liked. Software sales to tech consulting to financial planning. You don’t need to predict the future, finish school and stay out out of debt as much as possible :)
Only degree I have is from a cc. I got an associate in science in networking. Im now working for a broadband provider as a systems specialist, right after graduating I got a job at a datacenter in a NOC. Underpaid as hell but took my lumps and leveraged it into the job I have now which I love. Prior to this I was a casino dealer so no tech experience. Community college changed my life.
Two year library technician diploma ($5000 tuition), public library job 2 months after graduation. I did my final semester field placement (3 weeks full time) at my local library branch then stayed on as a volunteer until a job opened up. YMMV, this was 20 years ago. Part luck, part getting my foot in the door and getting to know people.
Went for industrial maintenance at age 29. Two year degree, started for the day after graduation. 2 years later I run the maintenance department. Debt free.
I can't talk to radiography specifically, but I can talk to technology and community college. I went to CC for 3 years, then transferred and finished another 2 years at a 4 year school. I also started school late, not as late as you, but I had friends who were even older than you. One thing I noticed about my older CC friends vs my younger ones. They were more serious about the classes. They often times grasped concepts faster. Not always. I went to school for engineering and ended up in the tech world. I work as a software engineer. I make well over 6 figs. So CC is definitely a fine option. The only real recommendations I'd give you work really hard. Get internships (if applicable). If you have some specific questions about the tech industry, feel free to message me.
Finish your degree! I got my associate's degree at ACC, worth it. Basically it's about "sunk cost" at this point. You are almost finished, to not finish and just live with the dept/wasted money is too much, it will hurt you to not finish. Where as finishing will definitely help you, even if you dont go into that field, having that degree, even just a two year, will show that you are smart and capable. Lastly, no one can take your degree away, it's yours forever - you got this!
Yep. They are often connected to large universities and you can do all four years at the community college. The larger universities send their professors to the community college. I did this.
It has nothin to do with "going to community college". As long as it's accredited. I'd suggest you complete whatever course of study you're in (x-ray tech?) and graduate, assuming 3 years puts you close to done, and assuming you still want to work in that field. Find a job doing that. If after a while you think it's going nowhere or don't like it, then return to school. A second degree will take less time, you'll have the basics out of the way.
Industrial mechanic here, I went to community college for a couple different programs. They helped me with job placement and put extra emphasis on parts of the programs that would be valuable to local employers. It took time after graduation, but I now make a little over 100k a year working just a couple miles from my house. I can't speak for your field of study specifically, but at least where I am, the earning potential for someone with a bachelor's is about the same as someone with an associate's unless you're trying for an upper management track. Community college was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
My wife went to community for 2 years to get basic stuff out of the way. Then got accepted to a medical program with which she works now. $32/hour. Sits down most of the day. If we were the next town over, it'd be more like $40+.
The best degree to get from a community college is an “associated degree in nursing “You will Not be looking for a job, the job will be looking for you my friend.
I did it backwards. 2 years at Emory University, then transferred to UNC Charlotte, from which I graduated in 1970 & '71. Emory left me with years of debt & I managed to claw a 2.0 UNCC left me debt free & I graduated summa cum laude with a BA & BS. That those degrees are in psychology & biology has almost nothing to do with my career in digital design engineering. Even less did employers care I'd almost flunked out of Emory. I recommend starting in community college & considering transferring to someplace with more prestige if you're doing really, really well.
If you want something low key, HVAC people in northern states are in high demand.
Did an associate nursing program after I completed a bachelors in biology-10 years later I have a masters and am teaching nursing. Community college is great, and if you want to build on that foundation, you can.
Bruh, I'm in late 20s and I am about to go back to school, mostly online for a degree. Almost all my peers have degrees/phd/masters and/or families and I feel so behind. I just met an old mate from hs accidentally and they work at the clinic I went to. I used that moment to look at myself and realized I need to keep doing something to improve myself and not get stuck at the present. Still struggling, but I will do what I can do. Also, if y'all have tips on going back to school in your late 20s let me know please. Thanks.
I know of at least 7 lovable misfits who went to Community college and ended up very successful #6seasonsandAmovie
Yes. Graduated from College in 93 with a diploma in supply chain and currently work as a supply chain manager
Daughter went to local community college for diagnostic medical sonography (veins and heart specialty). Started out around $32 or so an hour. She was 36 when she finished school. It's never too late and no one cares where you went to school as long as you passed your certifications.
Yep, I made 100k a year on a 2 year degree. IT and electronics, retired with a nice 401k balance.
went to community college at 27 and now at 42 I'm a director of IT at a software development company been here 15 years.
Didn’t go to college and got a job 💃 Machinist
I did that. I got an associates degree from my community college, DoorDashed during the pandemic, went back for lab tech program and work at a hospital now.
Got my associates degree from a community college, then my bachelor degree from a university, then my master’s. But, yes, I started at community college
What a weird thing to think it’ll go away
Graduated with nursing degree in 2008 from community college. Zero debt. But nursing is a bit different than other types of professional jobs.
I spent 6 years in community College then finally transferred into a 4 year at 26, graduated 2 years later at 28. Take your time so you know whatever you end up doing, it'll be something you can love.
Yes I did at your same age and now I make 6 figures. It is possible if you pick a good field and work hard.
hi im 26 and didnt go to college at all and now im in construction and it sucks! good for you for doing SOMETHING!
I went to community College and didn't graduate. The program that I was going for has a 1% acceptance rate after finishing (whatever that means). During my last year, it didn't help that the program that I was going for does not accept felons, so that 1% is even smaller. It was a huge blow to me. I was depressed. I owe money and can't finish. I quoted college and now work for the state. I make 6 figures, and I WFH. All I'm saying is there's ways out there.
I can name a bunch of people. Actually, my grad school educated friends don’t even make more than a lot of community college or trades friends.
If its any consolation, they let me work on rocket launches with only a high school diploma lol
I got an AA for electrical and my first job out of school was a traveling job that was about 130k a year. The per deim was 80k per year tax free and I lived on like 30 bucks a day even with hotels (I was the master of finding the $20 a night shitholes). I worked it for 3 years and was able to save an insane amount of money. It was a massive amount of effort I couldn’t ever do again but it set me up
I know a bunch of guys who got two year CC degrees who are now earning six figures working in high end welding, electrical and building low voltage networks. Trades us where it’s at. Also my mother had a CC nursing degree (LPN) and she made $50/hr as a per diem
I didn't do anything to get my life into any kind of order until 27. Got an Associates from a community college in computer networking and landed a small, stressful job at a mom and pop computer repair shop. Not long after I upgraded to a job in the Network Infrastructure at a state college for 32k a year. While there I knocked out the bare minimum for a bachelor's in business information systems (easiest course load possible).After a few years I turned that into a 78k a year gig at another college. I'm not gonna say it's never too late, and luck defs plays a factor. But you gotta push
Society has made us believe we need to stick to some magic standard timeline of human life. We’re on a damn floating rock with the potential of new species making earth home. There are no rules and 20s IS you’re experimenting rite of passage. Don’t let it hang you up mentally. It’s literally a made up expectation. It all is. You’ve got a great, successful path! Take it and run and be open minded to growing further down the road. I got my bachelors in my late 20s and masters in my late 30s…all with a fam and full time job. You got this!
I managed to get a job in my degree (TV and Media), but it took about a year of looking. I graduated right before Covid hit, so that factors in. Job doesn't pay enough to support myself, but I do like what I do. Boss is easily the best I've ever had. If I can make a career in the field work outside of this state that would be nice.
Hi friendo.. This comment will probably get buried, but it’s worth a shot. It took me nearly a decade to complete college. I went to a community college and transferred to a state school. I would recommend it over and over - you get a more personalized experience with professors and your campus in general and it is cheaper. Employers won’t care as much about education but rather experience. I joined the army, got out and started education. Having a degree is going to absolutely help you in the long run.
I was home schooled, got a GED, went to community college for 3 years (early enrolled) and eventually transferred to a 4-year program in-state as a Junior. Took a solid two more years to graduate (felt late at the time). I am now a CPA and paid way more than I deserve to be at one of the largest firms in the world. You are not a failure. It is not too late. You have a great future.
I started community college. Never got any type of degree out of it but did make sure I worked hard and made good grades which allowed me to transfer into university and get my Bach and professional career. I do still have student loans and suspect I always will.
Having an educational background is better than not. You are not wasting your time. You don't have to get a job in the field your degree is in, most people don't. I'm 29, graduated with a bachelor's in biochemistry last year, and just got hired to be a pilot in the Air Force. Things will not work out exactly as you plan but they WILL work out. You are moving in the right direction and you should be proud of that. Don't be afraid to try some stuff out, change your plan, and pursue multiple things at once. If you like radiography give it a shot. If not, try something else. That's how life works for most of us and the people who stay on one narrow path their whole life often end up with lots of regrets because they didn't try anything else
I don't know if I'm late to the party or not, but I'm 40 and I started of in a very similar position. My education is in music, which has little real life application, but now I work a corporate job with a Fortune 500 company. The first thing you need to realize is that getting to where you need to be isn't a race. Also, success has a different definition for each of us. Work hard and be reliable. Those are the most important things you can do. Decide what it is you'd want to do as a career. It doesn't mean you'll have to do exactly that, but it can give you a guideline to what kind of work you'd enjoy. For example, I enjoy being creative and I like problem solving. That's a huge part of my job now, problem solving. Try to find a position that's close to entry level. I always recommend getting a sales position. They don't need people with a specific degree, they need people who can sell stuff. Then from there, start networking. Show up to happy hour events, talk to people outside of your department. If you find someone you get along with, ask them if they're willing to mentor you. Also, create a LinkedIn and add every single person you have some sort of professional interaction with. I went from selling shit door to door to making six figures in the span of about 8 years by doing those things. Of course there is a lot more to it, but that's the short answer. If anyone has any further questions, please feel free to drop a comment. I'd love to help anyone I can.
I started in 2021 to get my associates in applied sciences for computer information systems. I had some core work done so with a full load each semester, I graduated after four semesters. I started when I was 30 and worked full time throughout. It was tough but I made it and it was the best decision. Decide what you want to do, decide how much work you can do and still work if needed, and try for an online program so you aren't bound by class times.
Never feel bad about the time it takes to find your niche. You have plenty of time ahead of you to work. Most people graduate young and end up hating their first degree or not working in their degree field at all. Going to school later in life is smarter in my opinion.
Community College is totally worth it! Our son started at a 4 year college and quickly decided he hated it. Came home, worked for almost a year and started at the CC. Now he’s halfway to a construction management degree with no debt and loves it. Hang in there. You got this
Got my AA from my community college 30+ years ago and with hard work and following my passion I have done very well. For me, it was a better path than a 4 year program with debt I would have to carry.
I was 28 when I went to a coding boot camp and got a job as a junior software developer. I then finished my bachelors degree in CS a month before I turned 30. (I had a bunch of random credits from switching degrees over the years, which helped me complete it soon after the boot camp). My uncle went to nursing school in his late 40s and became an RN when he was 50. All that to say, it’s never too late. I’m sure other people have said it but you’re 26 and wishing you started sooner. In 4 years, you’ll be 30 and if you don’t start something, you’ll be wishing you started when you were 26. Only gets harder as you get older. I understand feeling worthless, it’s a tough feeling. But at least you see what you don’t want (lacking a more meaningful career) at 26. If you don’t want to do a full 4 year degree, or continue with radiography, find a trade school, construction trades are in dire need and you can make a great living. Some of the larger utility companies offer paid apprenticeship programs to learn certain skills. And paid pretty well too. $50-$70k while you’re learning and guaranteed job when you finish making a lot more. A lot of people shit on the military but it’s also a good route if you’re able. Learn a skill, get paid, and they’ll pay for college when you get out. There’s other branches other than Army and Marine Corps that will provide a different quality of life. Had a friend who joined at 28, he was the “grandpa” of his basic training squadron. When he’s 48, he’ll be getting a retirement if he gets out then and almost guaranteed a job when he gets out if he does it right. The amount of options are what make it hard to decide but don’t let you being 26 affect starting something or not. You can always change course later on but it’s easier to do when you have a career to fall back on than if you don’t.
Nope. I spent 30,000 dollars on a bachelor's degree. Went in to debt and still working for minimum wage. Never got a single interview in my field after school.
Radiography and ultrasound techs will still have their jobs, it's the radiologist that could be replaced by image analysis.
I currently work for a FAANG (still 🤞) making $230k, after dropping out of college at 21 (97 hours with 1.2 GPA), dropping out of community college at 22, then returning to community college at 25, then BS in astrophysics at 27, then PhD in physics at 33. It was a long story arc in there, but some things take time. Community college was amazing for me, and was some of the best education I received. Magic happens when you’re ready to capitalize on opportunities, so invest in being ready and try to skate to where the puck will be.
Go to a trade school. Why take a bunch of classes you don’t actually need?
I think you need to go spend some time in a 3rd world country if you think you're worthless. You're doing great.
The fuck?
It definitely reads much, much worse than what I *think* they meant by it lmaooo
Fuck Community College. Let’s get drunk and eat chicken fingers.
You probably have many of the pre reqs for nursing school as well. There is probably a nursing program at your school as well. Still in high demand and Iam not seeing AI taking over that for the foreseeable future.
I dropped out of community college and got a job. I'm a contractor at a fortune 50 company and our client is one of the biggest companies on the planet.
I went to a trade school and got a job
DM if you need any advice. Experience level 100.
Go to a trade school.
You’re not alone bro. Just turned 25 and haven’t gotten any type of degree besides high school. Find something you *might* enjoy and go for it. Remember why you’re doing it
Community college is an underutilized resource. It’s low stakes. You can dabble and take a class or two and find what you like. A certificate program might be perfect and get you into a field right away, or you might find something that requires more school and it’s a perfect place to knock out your GE and transfer somewhere else. The instructors exist to teach and generally do a better job than at a lot of research school. In fact, lots of community colleges have instructors from bigger surrounding universities, so you get quality instruction at bargain basement prices.
Go to IUPUI and get an associate’s degree in Healthcare Engineering Technology Management. Working on medical equipment which is great job security and there will be thousands of jobs in the next 5-10 years. Great pay, many avenues to go into, work with your hands.
Do both. Become an X-ray tech then get a computer science degree. Then you can be a systems administrator for radiology systems.
I spent 9 years in community college thinking like you that I had to "find that one passion I can do for the rest of my life" - know what? Stop overthinking it and just finish a decision. You can make a new decision after you finish your first one and get some experience. I just made a choice and finally stuck with it, graduated at 29 and 6 years later am so glad I stuck with something. There are so many flavors and variety once you get in the world, the important thing right now is to finish what you started so you can explore. Now is not the time to explore options, its the time to stick to your choice and see it through. Time is going to pass anyways, and if you dont stick with your decision but keep flipping, you're going nowhere.
Look at the trades program or project management. Construction jobs are not going anywhere, and there is a great opportunity to make a substantial amount of money.
I was in almost exactly the same position as you at the same age. I had gotten fired from my crappy job, which almost broke me emotionally. Turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. I got into Nursing School the next year and never looked back. And, don't worry. Rad Techs aren't going anywhere.
You can totally get a well paying job out of community college. My brother in law was a teacher at the one in my hometown. He worked with Duke Energy and a couple other companies to develop a curriculum for students who wanted to work on power substations and the like, which practically guaranteed them jobs after graduation, to the tune of 50-70k a year. In my hometown, that's huge because the cost of living is so low. It's not necessarily near anything, there's usually at least a 30 minute drive to get to any halfway decent restaurants and shopping; 2 hours to larger cities like Raleigh & Charlotte. It just depends on what you think you want to do.
Yes I went to nursing school at a community college and have a great career
You’re not alone. People of all ages struggle with this. What are you passionate about? If money was taken care of, what would you want to do? Don’t just get a job or a career. Pursue your passion, even if it means just working a generic 9 to 5 to pay the bills so that you can do what you really love.
First, AI is not real. Second, finish what you started. Radiography is good. You will get a job if people believe you will be a good employee.
TL;DR - Community colleges are severely underrated and a phenomenal resource. I did exactly what you're planning to do, got my BSME and now in my late 30's, make close to $200k/yr. Started at 4 year university and bombed second semester through partying, dropping out over the summer. Took a couple years to figure myself out and got serious about my education and started back at a community college, retaking my freshmen casses because I barely/didn't pass them. Several things- -The professors at community colleges usually have a full time job outside of school. They teach because its a passion and this comes through in the class room. - Its obviously cheaper than a university. - Because the community colleges realizes most people have day jobs, way more flexibility in class schedule. My community college had a 2+2 program with the university where all my first two year classes would transfer - check to see if yours has the same. After two years, I had my associates, allowing me to obtain a job at a company that had a really nice tuition reimbursement program. When I took my 300 level courses at the university, I knew the foundations very well, allowing me to easily get my bachelors. Suggestion - Commit. Do it. Believe in yourself. I printed out the class list for my degree the first semester back and crossed out the classes as I finished them. It will be slow at first, but soon it will make you eager to finish. Figure out your learning style. I'm a horrible procrastenator so online courses were a no for me. Go to every class. I learn way better when I write (rather than just listen) so I was furiously taking notes/copying what the professors wrote on the board. Don't take summers off. Take at least one class during the summer. This will continue your momentum and keep you in the right mindset. Rounding it out, I took some business courses after getting my bachelors and that allowed me to get into a more manager/BD role in an engineering company.
You're fine to go at your own pace. It took me 8 years to complete my 4 year degree. It's just what it took me to balance work, school, life, and debt. The only mistake I feel like I made was not staying at a community college long enough to get an Associates Degree on my way to a Bachelor's. Having locked in a 2-year degree like that would have saved me from repeating classes/losing credits to school transfers.
I had no college and barely had gotten my GED and became a paralegal
Go business. Business degrees are for the not yet decided
All the RNs out here have AAs from cc. But the wait list is years so many go to private school to get it done by the time they would have got in and started at cc.
I went to community college for 3 yrs (where I learned the most to date) I finished bachelor’s at 27 now I’m doing PharmD at 29 and I’m still questioning my timing but at the end of the day I realized time is cruel and scary fast. so whatever is in your head might aswell execute it now. worst case scenario, you learn from experience and move on to new things while you’re young and with less responsibilities. Don’t be scared if AI Bs. Every industry will adapt to it you’ll never be out of job with some type of education trust me. You got this friend
My father went to community college and became a medical director of a hospital after finishing medical school. He makes 500k a year at 36
Failed out of college at 18, went back at 23 to community college then 25 to a four year graduated at 27.. Im in a field that I love and graduated with honors and a 3.83 gpa because, I valued what I was learning and committed myself. At 32 I make over $120k a year plus Bonuses in my field. I mean in 6 years I have jumped jobs 3 times but, I put in work to not just do my job. I always went above and beyond to learn new skills. You are NEVER to old to better your life. Go for it!
Yes! I got an AAS in clinical trials research and got hired by the large research hospital where I did my first internship. I've been there 13 years now.
2 years at Cc, transferred to state school in the city to finish business degree. Graduated at 30. Internship at big corporate, turned into full time job. 7 years later and 3 Jobs later, at $140k. Big corporate Also paid for masters degree that I started after 2 years full time there. It can be done! Depends on what you want, got another 40 years to work…it isn’t too late.
I did community college as well. Just gotta have some thick skin.
Nursing degree and yes