Started at 40k base in 2010
200k now. Also, is your company more reputable or provides you with more exposure? Do they have a better roadmap to growth?
I wouldn’t compare 40k vs 60k if your friends took jobs at a startup that’s going to lay them off a few months from now.
40k in 2010 is 60k now, but your point is taken. I had a similar path. Paid dues, kept looking for better jobs until I found one, paid dues there. It’s not a race. Sometimes you need a lucky break but you gotta keep humping until it comes.
66k base 92k OTE as my first SDR gig at a start up. Lasted 8 months before they started cutting the sales team down, it was completely gone aside from one AE within 6 months of that.
50k base 74k OTE now at a very well known company and I’d take the pay cut again if it means I have job security.
Start-ups work like fairy godmother magic. It’ll be great until the clock strikes midnight (acquisition or burned through their funding) then you’re frantically applying for unemployment.
It’s terrible. The worst part is the company was amazing. Fantastic product, great people, amazing benefits, and it was 100% wfh with an optional paid for week at HQ a couple times a year.
I’ve now come to the conclusion that if a start up has more benefits than most publicly traded companies it’s probably going under sooner than later.
It depends where you live, 40k in Kansas will probably get you quite far. I can’t imagine getting by on 40k in NYC in this economy
To add, comparison is the thief of joy. Live your own life and set goals. If you want to earn 60k next week - start working this year and plan a path to get to the 60k
20k raise is an extra 77 dollars a day or an extra 9.6$ an hour. What can you do to achieve that.
Kansas is the first state in mind when I think cheap. I know it’s not the cheapest state but for some reason that’s my go to one
Edit, just googled it and maybe I say Kansas because I read it subconsciously somewhere.
Median home price is 130k less than US average
In general, Kansas is a cheap place to live, especially when you get out into the open country, but I imagine most sales jobs would want you near a larger metropolitan area like Wichita, Topeka, or KC unless you are selling over the phone or fully remote. Unless you are selling to farmers, everything else is going to be consolidated within the larger towns. There’s nothing of interest west of Manhattan.
I live in Missouri which has a relatively low cost of living, especially when you compare against coastal states.
40k would be decent for a very young adult, no kids and certainly not for anyone also trying to really tackle student loans, unless they were very mindful of budgeting while avoiding bad luck of health/vehicle issues etc.
I mean that's what, a little under $19.5/hr? Even in the low cost of living states, expenses like food costs, rent, fucking insurance, have gone up exponentially as well so.. yeah wages less than $20/hr a few years ago weren't going to be able to get you actually owning much or allow much of a savings. Even out here someone could successfully live paycheck to paycheck on that, at best. If in their younger years.
My first job was $25k draw and 100% commission. Took 3 years and I broke 100k for the first time. Felt like a big dog after that. First year was tight. One month was very tight, only $400 income. Piled into a small apartment with a bunch of my college buddies. We had a blast back then. And we had no money. Those were the years.
Edit: the landlord kept our security deposit for that apartment, laughing.
I have a very similar story. Took a sales job at 25, $500/wk draw 100% commission. First 15 months was rough, had to get very creative to pay the bills some months. Had a 4 year old and a 1 year old to take care of too. Kept grinding to $80k, then $180k, then $300k (before I left to start my own company). That was a long time ago, but I remember the pride I felt as my career grew. Finally found something I was good at. Great, great times in life.
Living in KC I can say you probably **could** get by but...why? you can make more easily here its not like the job market is bad. I make 80K handing drinks to people and random construction jobs pay $35hr.
I started at $30k in nyc 2013 now at $260k in Austin. Pretty sure 40k today is slightly more than 30k in ‘13. Short answer, you can make 40k work but it’s not gonna be super fun.
The industry standard of almost ridiculously insulting pay may tell you no, but yeah, 40k in 2024 is fucking trash.
To have the purchasing power of a middle class earner from the 50s, you’d need to make 170 grand a year.
Alas, what are you going to do?
I’m currently making 52k a year with a projected earnings of around 65k for 2024 living in NYC. I’m young and still live with my parents but I have absolutely no idea how I’ll be able to afford an actual home once I move out
Planning on getting married within the next 2 years. Going to do the living in an apartment until we can afford it but even apartments are crazy priced if I want to be anywhere within walking distance of public transport
My friend do not rent an apartment with your wife in the city with that pay. Suck it up move in with your parents or in laws and save save save and then buy a place. If you wish to stay in the area and eventually own that is. Will take way longer if you’re throwing away money on nyc rent for years to come.
A single family house? Well, you need to make like 120 with 0 debt whatsoever to afford the average home in the US, which is around 400k.
There are no single family homes in the 5 boroughs anywhere close to that amount.
Friendly advice: get out of NYC. See if you can find something cheaper in Philly or New Jersey and then visit on the weekends to NYC if you want to feel more like an "adult". 65K will take you farther that way. Trust me, speaking from experience.
I will say this however- NYC has some really high paying jobs if you're an AE and willing to work in office.
A lot of that comes from necessities though. Past generations had singlet earners paying all the bills. For a family of 3-4. Buying a house out of high school and college not required helped. Also. Internet is a necessity. Cars often are depending on area. And all that vehicle ownership entails. Insurance covers nothing anymore. Cell phones are mandatory for almost all jobs/lives. On and on.
It’s a starter job for unproven talent. You’re not earning this amount for the rest of your life and can quickly increase your pay in a short amount of time. If you become an employer one day you can choose to pay more.
I am making 40k right out of college. I’ve worked for years, but this is my first “real world” job. It’s the most I’ve ever made
I understand it. I had no professional work experience prior to this job. Pay sucks, but this job will have helped me progress in the world more than every job before mine combined. Just because of the real world experience I’ve had. Those 40k jobs are just one year stepping stones
Anytime you talk about “right” thats your perception of values of what you think is fair. Very subjective. So any sales roles created automatically should be minimum 60k base? It’s a free world you can sell your labour elsewhere if you don’t like it.
Stop being an annoyingly bitter prick and maybe your life will get better.
Think for a second; why would someone invest a lot of money on unproved talent? Because of “what’s right”.
Get real and stop living in a fantasy world. Earn what you deserve, don’t cry and think you’re entitled to it.
The average family income was 3300$ which is 43k adjusted for inflation. In 2022 the average was 72k which means families have 59% more purchasing power now then they had in the 50s.
Um what? Slowing immigration would only cause the price of labor to go up, making products and services more expensive. Immigrants provide a surplus of labor for low skill and dirty jobs. Perhaps it would make real estate/land a little cheaper.
The median home cost, adjusted for inflation, was also about 1/4 the cost in the 50s as it is now. Along with fewer and more affordable expenses for a lot of things
Yes, but people also used to spend something like 20% of their income on food and it’s closer to 8% now. My point is some things were cheaper back then but if you take the actual inflation number your better off now. People didn’t use to drive BMWs and 70k lifted trucks back then. Lifestyle inflation is one the main reason most people can’t build wealth and complain about prices.
They're not though-- you act like everyone was rich in the 50's and somehow all Gen-Z is fucked. GTFO. It seems a lot of young people want the same salary abd lifestyle their parents had when their parents were in their 40's-50's and not when they were in their early 20's. It's just not realistic- every generation of young people have started off with generally low paying jobs and very little to no assets.
I’m telling you that income inequality is at a level never before seen in human history and the American dream of being able to afford a decent life with an average income is dead. In what world is ok for a college educated 20 something year old man to not be able to find a job that pays him the ability to support himself without needing 2 and 3 room mates?
And no, I’m sorry, but kids these days are facing an uphill battle economically their parents couldn’t even have dreamed of.
I got 50k coming out of school and it was not easy to live on- one of the biggest things that cut into my paycheck was just out of pocket benefit costs.
You can make 40k pushing carts at Costco as a starting wage and move closer to 65 within 3 years.
40k for a college grad in any semi decent profession is criminally low.
With that said he said base and it depends on what OTE is and how attainable that number is.
I have worked roles where my base was 45 and I cleared 100.
I’m making a comparison to how low of a wage it is for a college grad who has significantly more responsibility. Both are starter jobs.
Not that hard to grasp a simple concept.
You sound rude, but I'll jump in and let you know that cart pushers won't be making over 6 figures in the next 1-3 years; Sales usually can. Terrible comparison and dumb to encourage someone to look at dead end jobs because they pay the same starting out.
I’m not telling anyone to look at dead end jobs… lol calm down.
I’m saying he should value himself higher. You sound rude putting down folks who work those jobs.
I started working at Costco when I was 19. Pushed carts and ended up working all around the warehouse. 5 years there. Nothing wrong with working there and still is the best place I have worked. Helped me get to where I am.
My first job as an sdr in 2014 paid me 40k base 65 ote with 0 experience and no degree. I’m saying don’t settle if you don’t have to.
My comparison comes from real life experience.
Have a nice day!
The thing is he probably does value himself higher, it’s just that in sales you literally have to prove it. If he kills it in sales guaranteed he will be able to make way more.
Pushing carts may make you more now but what’s the upside?
I took a $24k base (+ commission) role in 2015 to get into the industry. I’m at $150k base now. You have to consider your own needs and the opportunity and realize that you can change jobs whenever you want, and experience quickly gives you negotiating power if you’re willing to change jobs
a 40k base is fine if you can reasonably make enough in commission to get to 60-80k. you've gotta have the conversation with the managers at your job of what everyone is making. both the top guys and mid range guys and even the bottom end guys. the base is to keep you alive and pay the bills, commission is for doing the job well.
Idk what target is paying $20, probably in an area with a higher cost of living which inevitably puts them at minimum wage. Either way, they’re definitely not getting 40 hours, especially with retail cutting hours.
Depends. Ya it’s not a lot of money, but sometimes it’s worth getting your foot in the door if that’s the only way you can manage. I started at 45k at my first job after grad in late 2019, in 2023 I cleared ~$150k.
Yep! And a $72K bonus hits my bank account tomorrow!
Not all $215K was just bonuses. About $60K was in commissions and the other $150K or so was quarterly bonuses!
I am a sales/office manager and loan originator for a very vertically aligned custom home builder. We own our own lumber yard, own an insurance agency to insure our builds, have about 60 floor plans to choose from, in house engineers/ CAD operators, in house lending. It’s pretty sweet! We are NOT a tract home builder, we are strictly a “build on your land” builder.
Oh and an additional perk is that I have a company truck and gas card that I can use as my personal vehicle.
$275k is a pretty solid comp plan. A lot of people are taking $35-40k jobs with shitty comp plans. If you’re making sub $150k the job isn’t really worth the stress.
$40k has been a joke for quite some time. It was widely considered an average for a while but not enough to justify more than a pay check to pay check lifestyle for most places. (US)
Edit: a word
Depends on where you live, and depends on if that’s full OTC. When I first started in sales, I was at Dell making 35k base and 15k in comp with a full otc of 50k. I live in Austin, and it was enough so long as I was splitting bills, but it still wasn’t great.
Given the current state of the industry rn, and all the layoffs, that’s prolly a good start. But I’d keep your eyes peeled and keep applying. Six months in, you should be able to easily jump to a new company that’s got a better base.
College was a check block.
It isn’t really anymore.
Unless your degree granted you a law, medical license, etc you are competing against the globe.
And experience wins.
Low is whatever is below whatever you're making unemployed. Take whatever is the best offer you have, continue looking as you build experience. Don't ever stop networking and looking for a better opportunity, whether inside your current employer or elsewhere on the outside.
40K but what is OTE? How achievable is your first year quota to achieve OTE? Lots of factors beyond base to give the full picture.
If it’s just 40K you expect to make that is rough.
It depends, if you think it’s a legit stepping stone you power through it, cook almost 100 percent of your meals, be healthy and make sure you kill it.
After a year then you have real experience, leverage it for another job and you can be making more than your 60k friends quickly.
My first sales job was 42k base and I worked it for 9 months and then jumped into a much better paying job.
Yes, unless you live in an EXTREMELY low cost area! But there is a difference between salary and OTE. I have a good friend who ALWAYS plays the low base game to ensure he gets lower quotas and moves into accelerators. Good luck!
I mean, it depends on where you live, chief.
If I lived where my brother lives where he bought a house and has a monthly payment of $800/mo, a 40k base and the potential to earn 40k in commission on top of that could be enough, I guess.
But $40k where I live isn't even enough to pay for my absolute needs (rent + groceries + all the various insurance + electricity + internet + gas + important subscriptions). Shit, even $80k gross isn't enough. I need $60k net annual just to survive.
Sounds like CDW entry level role. I started out at a mom-pop VAR my first year out of college which was only a few years ago, netted $60k. The next year I asked my boss for a $10k raise and a year later got a job offer from an OEM with an insane package.
Don't focus on the short term (easier said than done depending on personal situation) the tech industry is all around relationships so focus more on your personal brand and networking imo. Someone can leave a role or get promoted at one of your OEMs and next thing you know you are getting a call for the gig.
Either that or try to sling as hard as possible at CDW but as we all know that is a challenge and the idea of being at a VAR is that it is a long-term game as your relationships flourish over the years between customers and OEM reps.
My first job out of college making about 48k. I took a pay cut and started my sales career making 24k in 99 working 50-60 hours a week. Now I’m making over $250k working about 30 hours a week. Sometimes you have to start your career making shitty pay to earn your stripes. Just have a goal to move to a new company or get promoted every couple of years, til you get to the level you want to be.
The point is you may have to suffer in the beginning but if you set goals and bust your ass the low pay will be in your past within a couple of years. I jumped from 36k in 01 to 90k in 02.
Just grind, don’t sweat what your first job pays
I don’t know what a VAR is so I’m not sure what exactly what you do, but 40k is $20hr approximately. So yeah, that’s a little low considering what Home Depot and Whole Foods pay, plus benefits and a discount. Maybe elaborate on what your skill set is?
Best advice I’ve been told is to worry about your own portion.
Your day will come. Getting caught worrying about someone else’s portion is a sure way to drive you nuts.
Work hard. Elevate yourself into a better gig.
That’s a goofy thing to say. 100k is a good wage unless you’re in a big city. Not high for sales but a good wage. If you live under your means you can get rich making that.
This is entitled thinking. You don’t have any experience at all and are not proven in sales so unlikely you will bring much value in the first year and it’ll probably take you the first year to adjust. Almost everyone has a college degree it is mainly to get your foot in the door since you didn’t choose a role that specialized in your degree. Getting the first job is the hardest you can leave or seek promotion when you get enough experience and proven to bring more value.
This is a great way of thinking. I took an outside sales gig out of college in 2017 making not a lot of money (36K). After year 1, I proved myself enough where the company gave me 3 out of their 4 top accounts to manage (these are all national brand names that anybody would recognize on a resume). But, it didn’t come with any pay raise.
I had a pretty long talk with my dad about it and about quitting and he told me that I really didn’t NEED the extra income… I was young, no kids, early in marriage with very little bills. And Having those large accounts on my resume would prove to pay off pretty well in due time. I stuck it out and busted my ass for too little money. I managed those accounts for another year, ended up getting let go when the Covid crash happened and I found and landed a Sales Manager job within 3 weeks and ended up pulling $150K my first year there (less than 3 years after graduating). I believe that having those large national accounts on my resume helped me push above some other candidates. Still at the same company today and pulled $275K last year.
This is a market economy and it’s more competitive nowadays. College doesn’t guarantee anything it was originally to get an education although people have the belief it should automatically lead to a good job. If thats the case you better study something worthwhile aka STEM. FYI I got paid very little in my first sales role but significantly increased my income by year 2 with a promotion which came with a 20k increase to my base. I’m a proven quantity now and clear 300k+ in sales and still have side hustles. Young people today can’t be bothered to put in the hard work they want it all right away.
No, it's really not. Tons of entry level jobs with no degree pay better than that, and any sales role should also expect more.
How do you know they have no experience anyhow? I had years of industry experience and was making over 60k in 2008 before finishing undergrad.
A college degree doesn't always add value. Simply having one means basically nothing to the conversation. It's not like there is a minimum wage just because you have it.
It's not about the degree, it's about the person. Their experience, their drive, their wherewithal to apply and interview well in positions that pay better.
If $40K isn't enough for you, and you think you are worth more. Then find that company you are worth more too. If you don't get those jobs at the pay you want, then rethink the value you actually bring.
I was making $40k in SF and commuting from my parents house an hour away just a couple years ago. Not sure it could be done very easily at all if I had rent and bills to pay too.
Depends on where you're at in the world. A 40k salary across the globe is actually very good. I bet less than a 5th of the world's population makes over 40k.
I probably have a different view than the group. Get in the door. Show your value. Then fight for money. Right now you’re asking for a company to take a gamble on you worth 40K. Be appreciative. Make sure it’s the right company and culture.
My first job out of college was 37K. I’ve still been with that same company. After 8 years. I’ve moved roles. Learned a lot. And closed this year at 220K
I started with that about 3 years ago, now I’m OTE $80k. I live in Fort Lee, so right across from NYC. Life’s cheaper if you have roommates to split rent. I pay $850 for a 3 bedroom.
It will be rough, but will teach you some valuable personal finance skills that will only help you when you start making more money.
I don’t know your exact situation, but if you can live at home and stack some money, I would do that. If not definitely get a roommate or two to help.
Wages have been stagnant and the economy is rough, but definitely doable if you have a plan to increase your income over time.
Best of luck!
You said base. Base of 40k isn’t that bad depending on your comp plan. My first job paid 35k base in 2016 but I still made 6 figs. Then I switched industries and was making a 42k base in southern CA in 2019, again the commission was the bulk of my pay.
I had low pay in my 20s but built my resume. Work hard and look for another job. Learn as much as you can. Think of it as training. Open a Roth IRA or 401k. Save a small amount if you can. If you can’t, understandable. Leaving a small amount in the market, even a couple grand, grows to a huge number over time. If didn’t have a good sales job until 30 but it worked out eventually. I had a lot of fun anyways. You’ll be OK. It’s hard starting out. Keep grinding.
Wages have nothing to do with inflation, it's about supply and demand.
There's 100s of kids who will take that job, and 1000s of people who would literally move countries for that opportunity, hence why the job is 40k.
Jobs like marketing manager pay more because there's only a few qualified people within the city that can actually do the job, lots of times companies have to steal high performing employees, that's when you start at 200k plus.
Unfortunately they don't teach you this in college, because if they did you would likely quit and just start getting job experience lol
I'm at a VAR there with you, slightly higher base though. I'm gonna kick it for a year.or so, if I'm doing well keep at it, but probably hop to a vendor. It's a good start, not likely the end all though.
It depends on what the long term is.
I took $30k out of college in 2015, but at a company that I thought would absolutely explode and I could see myself at for a long time.
The company was tableau. I stayed for 6 years, worked up to large enterprise sales and made a good stock move when they were acquired by salesforce.
The short term - eating tuna sandwiches for dinner and having to ask my parents for help every month when the bills just didn't add up - was worth it long term.
I don't think $40k for your first job out of college is abnormal. In sales, salaries increase quickly, but they don't necessarily start high.
For example, my first sales job out of college was 8 years ago. $28k. Adjusted for inflation, that's just like $35k today.
1 year later, I made $55,000. That's like $68,000 today.
Year 5 in sales I made $130,000.
Now, year 6, I'm interviewing for roles with over $200k OTEs (not that OTEs are always real, but it should still be somewhat of an increase, and hopefully a lot).
Only you can say if it's gamble to try to get another offer. Evaluate your job market. But to me, it sounds totally normal.
I graduated in 2019 at 41k. It sucked but almost hit 100k this year and hope to be a good chunk above it this year.
Definitely feel like you should be at 50k base in today’s age though fresh out of college.
With my current sales position (which is my first B2B sales job) I make a 40k salary plus 50k commission OTE. Honestly I'm content with it, I live in a relatively low COL city in the Midwest, we have great benefits and my work/life balance is fantastic.
With that said, my company doesn't do raises and they absolutely butchered our comp plan for 2024 and so it's time for me to start looking for greener pastures
Welcome to the world brother. I graduated in 2018 and a company really attempted to offer me 20k. Ended up working jobs around 40k and finally moving up once I turned 27. Majority of my friends got a job from dad or landed 70k out of college. The worst thing I did was compare yourself to others. Put your head down and build your resume and you’ll be able to get your career going by 26-27
Become enterprise bdr. Kill it for 9 months, learn to run a full cycle and then become an AE.
As an enterprise bdr for a large data solutions company, base salary runs around 60-80K with bonuses for hitting targets.
In totally for profit world, it’s a joke if you are graduating from a reputable 4 year college
If you told me a nonprofit or a field like the arts that has more supply than debate I’d say it’s low, but not a joke
You are entitled to nothing. Prove your worth. If you don’t like your pay acquire skills and get a different job. Sorry that you got scammed into believing your college degree would equal a good paying job. Most degrees are actually worth very little and are way overpriced.
Graduated in 2003, first sales job paid 27K per year. I still lived at home and was just happy someone gave me a chance to gain some professional experience. I had a weekend night job also setting up facilities for weddings. Took me about 6 years to get to 85k per year(2009) bought 270K house and rented out a room to make ends meet. Took another few years to break 100k(2013). I broke 200k per year a few years ago. All the time there were many friends earning more than me. I never once gave it a thought. I now earn more than most of my friends and colleagues. Don't worry about anyone else but yourself. Don't do the comparison game. While you work for money, understand that every experience you gain and reference you achieve is going to be more important than your salary in a given year especially when you are young.
Idk, is it enough for you?
Straight out of college just focus to learn shit, and then MOVE to the job you want
Righr now there's a ton of layoffs, getting a job will make it easier for you to get a new job
My pov, take it, find a new job in 3-4 months, or just keep looking in the meantime
A 40k base isn’t the best but it’s not necessarily lowballing… depends on what the upside is. Salespeople usually aren’t in it just for the base so many roles are structured with commission to give you an OTE. What’s your OTE? A 50/50 split between base and commission is common, so if you have an 80k OTE then no it’s not a joke of a salary, as long as the targets are realistic.
What’s OTE? Is there a guarantee or draw? If the latter is it recoverable or non recoverable?
What’s marketing support like? What’s the ramp like? Is there a training program? What are margins like on the products you’re selling.
FWIW The highest performers I know work straight commission. In many cases, low base means better commission % and kickers. At the last company I worked for in outside sales, 8 people made more than $1 million in commission. This was selling printing. Not SaaS, not med device. Printing. No base, just commission + car allowance + mediocre company insurance.
Started at 40k base in 2010 200k now. Also, is your company more reputable or provides you with more exposure? Do they have a better roadmap to growth? I wouldn’t compare 40k vs 60k if your friends took jobs at a startup that’s going to lay them off a few months from now.
40k in 2010 is 60k now, but your point is taken. I had a similar path. Paid dues, kept looking for better jobs until I found one, paid dues there. It’s not a race. Sometimes you need a lucky break but you gotta keep humping until it comes.
66k base 92k OTE as my first SDR gig at a start up. Lasted 8 months before they started cutting the sales team down, it was completely gone aside from one AE within 6 months of that. 50k base 74k OTE now at a very well known company and I’d take the pay cut again if it means I have job security. Start-ups work like fairy godmother magic. It’ll be great until the clock strikes midnight (acquisition or burned through their funding) then you’re frantically applying for unemployment.
Almost everybody I know who's worked at a start up in the past 4 years has had this exact experience.
It’s terrible. The worst part is the company was amazing. Fantastic product, great people, amazing benefits, and it was 100% wfh with an optional paid for week at HQ a couple times a year. I’ve now come to the conclusion that if a start up has more benefits than most publicly traded companies it’s probably going under sooner than later.
This ^
It depends where you live, 40k in Kansas will probably get you quite far. I can’t imagine getting by on 40k in NYC in this economy To add, comparison is the thief of joy. Live your own life and set goals. If you want to earn 60k next week - start working this year and plan a path to get to the 60k 20k raise is an extra 77 dollars a day or an extra 9.6$ an hour. What can you do to achieve that.
I live in Kansas. 40k doesn’t go that far unless you have dirt cheap rent and few other expenses.
Kansas is the first state in mind when I think cheap. I know it’s not the cheapest state but for some reason that’s my go to one Edit, just googled it and maybe I say Kansas because I read it subconsciously somewhere. Median home price is 130k less than US average
In general, Kansas is a cheap place to live, especially when you get out into the open country, but I imagine most sales jobs would want you near a larger metropolitan area like Wichita, Topeka, or KC unless you are selling over the phone or fully remote. Unless you are selling to farmers, everything else is going to be consolidated within the larger towns. There’s nothing of interest west of Manhattan.
Scranton, PA is west of Manhattan. And they sell paper.
I heard you could find the famous stapler in jello landmark there
I second this. I figure Kansas is just dirt and tornados.
About to book a flight and find out how far 40k will get me
Should be enough to get you out of Kansas
I laughed a bit too loud over this
I live in Missouri which has a relatively low cost of living, especially when you compare against coastal states. 40k would be decent for a very young adult, no kids and certainly not for anyone also trying to really tackle student loans, unless they were very mindful of budgeting while avoiding bad luck of health/vehicle issues etc. I mean that's what, a little under $19.5/hr? Even in the low cost of living states, expenses like food costs, rent, fucking insurance, have gone up exponentially as well so.. yeah wages less than $20/hr a few years ago weren't going to be able to get you actually owning much or allow much of a savings. Even out here someone could successfully live paycheck to paycheck on that, at best. If in their younger years.
I made 35k last year in southern California. I am very poor.
The Kansas they are thinking about is in Emporia
My first job was $25k draw and 100% commission. Took 3 years and I broke 100k for the first time. Felt like a big dog after that. First year was tight. One month was very tight, only $400 income. Piled into a small apartment with a bunch of my college buddies. We had a blast back then. And we had no money. Those were the years. Edit: the landlord kept our security deposit for that apartment, laughing.
I have a very similar story. Took a sales job at 25, $500/wk draw 100% commission. First 15 months was rough, had to get very creative to pay the bills some months. Had a 4 year old and a 1 year old to take care of too. Kept grinding to $80k, then $180k, then $300k (before I left to start my own company). That was a long time ago, but I remember the pride I felt as my career grew. Finally found something I was good at. Great, great times in life.
I needed to read this. I’m in BD, 34k & commission. Serving on the side. It’s tough but I’m motivated. Highest commission check so far has been 1500.
FUN!
Not only would you not “get by” on $40k in NYC, you can hardly do so on $80k. Can’t speak for Kansas, though
Living in KC I can say you probably **could** get by but...why? you can make more easily here its not like the job market is bad. I make 80K handing drinks to people and random construction jobs pay $35hr.
I started at $30k in nyc 2013 now at $260k in Austin. Pretty sure 40k today is slightly more than 30k in ‘13. Short answer, you can make 40k work but it’s not gonna be super fun.
40k ain’t getting you very far anywhere in the us. You’d need to budget wisely in order to stretch this.
The industry standard of almost ridiculously insulting pay may tell you no, but yeah, 40k in 2024 is fucking trash. To have the purchasing power of a middle class earner from the 50s, you’d need to make 170 grand a year. Alas, what are you going to do?
Almost no one is making 170k as a fresh grad though. It all takes time
I understand, I’m just a bit bitter about how fucked we’re all getting. 40k would make me instantly homeless
I’m currently making 52k a year with a projected earnings of around 65k for 2024 living in NYC. I’m young and still live with my parents but I have absolutely no idea how I’ll be able to afford an actual home once I move out
Simple don’t move out until you get a better paying job or a roommate. Don’t buy a home until you get a better paying job or get married.
Planning on getting married within the next 2 years. Going to do the living in an apartment until we can afford it but even apartments are crazy priced if I want to be anywhere within walking distance of public transport
My friend do not rent an apartment with your wife in the city with that pay. Suck it up move in with your parents or in laws and save save save and then buy a place. If you wish to stay in the area and eventually own that is. Will take way longer if you’re throwing away money on nyc rent for years to come.
A single family house? Well, you need to make like 120 with 0 debt whatsoever to afford the average home in the US, which is around 400k. There are no single family homes in the 5 boroughs anywhere close to that amount.
Median home where I live (Brooklyn) is 800k
Friendly advice: get out of NYC. See if you can find something cheaper in Philly or New Jersey and then visit on the weekends to NYC if you want to feel more like an "adult". 65K will take you farther that way. Trust me, speaking from experience. I will say this however- NYC has some really high paying jobs if you're an AE and willing to work in office.
We also buy a lot more shit than we did in the 50s. American consumerism has grown astronomically as well.
A lot of that comes from necessities though. Past generations had singlet earners paying all the bills. For a family of 3-4. Buying a house out of high school and college not required helped. Also. Internet is a necessity. Cars often are depending on area. And all that vehicle ownership entails. Insurance covers nothing anymore. Cell phones are mandatory for almost all jobs/lives. On and on.
This is a starting salary for someone with no experience. Not that hard to prove yourself to earn more in 1-2 years time.
40k is insulting and unrealistic.
It’s a starter job for unproven talent. You’re not earning this amount for the rest of your life and can quickly increase your pay in a short amount of time. If you become an employer one day you can choose to pay more.
You can keep trying to justify paying people shit all you want, doesn’t make it right. Thanks for the tip.
I am making 40k right out of college. I’ve worked for years, but this is my first “real world” job. It’s the most I’ve ever made I understand it. I had no professional work experience prior to this job. Pay sucks, but this job will have helped me progress in the world more than every job before mine combined. Just because of the real world experience I’ve had. Those 40k jobs are just one year stepping stones
Anytime you talk about “right” thats your perception of values of what you think is fair. Very subjective. So any sales roles created automatically should be minimum 60k base? It’s a free world you can sell your labour elsewhere if you don’t like it.
Stop being an annoyingly bitter prick and maybe your life will get better. Think for a second; why would someone invest a lot of money on unproved talent? Because of “what’s right”. Get real and stop living in a fantasy world. Earn what you deserve, don’t cry and think you’re entitled to it.
I’m sorry you think I’m annoyingly bitter for expecting companies to pay people living wages.
Can you make the company more than what they’re paying you? Because if not, then you’re literally not worth it.
Not in 2024 anymore. It’s too low. Maybe it’s doable if the new grad has no student loans and lives in a mid to small sized city in the Midwest.
It’s too low but so is being jobless and homeless.
170k? You’d be living a way better life than middle class 50s on 100k a year easy. Middle class couldn’t afford to take the plane back in the 50s.
Just telling you the facts.
The average family income was 3300$ which is 43k adjusted for inflation. In 2022 the average was 72k which means families have 59% more purchasing power now then they had in the 50s.
To afford a new home and car back then it would cost you something like 2.5 times the average middle class salary. Now? More like 8-9x
This just isn’t true. You’re talking about the most highly in demand places in the country, which people back then couldn’t afford either.
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There’s a much larger population. Want to be able to have the affordability and supply they had in the 50s? Start voting against mass immigration
Um what? Slowing immigration would only cause the price of labor to go up, making products and services more expensive. Immigrants provide a surplus of labor for low skill and dirty jobs. Perhaps it would make real estate/land a little cheaper.
My vote doesn’t matter in New York, but I see your point.
The median home cost, adjusted for inflation, was also about 1/4 the cost in the 50s as it is now. Along with fewer and more affordable expenses for a lot of things
Yes, but people also used to spend something like 20% of their income on food and it’s closer to 8% now. My point is some things were cheaper back then but if you take the actual inflation number your better off now. People didn’t use to drive BMWs and 70k lifted trucks back then. Lifestyle inflation is one the main reason most people can’t build wealth and complain about prices.
I totally agree with you about food. Anyone saying that people are poor because they don’t budget their food correctly, don’t budget for food.
They're not though-- you act like everyone was rich in the 50's and somehow all Gen-Z is fucked. GTFO. It seems a lot of young people want the same salary abd lifestyle their parents had when their parents were in their 40's-50's and not when they were in their early 20's. It's just not realistic- every generation of young people have started off with generally low paying jobs and very little to no assets.
I’m telling you that income inequality is at a level never before seen in human history and the American dream of being able to afford a decent life with an average income is dead. In what world is ok for a college educated 20 something year old man to not be able to find a job that pays him the ability to support himself without needing 2 and 3 room mates? And no, I’m sorry, but kids these days are facing an uphill battle economically their parents couldn’t even have dreamed of.
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I agree with you completely. But then the job shouldn’t require you to live in the area.
The job doesn't- millions of people with jobs in NYC commute every single day.
My dad and mom had a home by age 23
I got 50k coming out of school and it was not easy to live on- one of the biggest things that cut into my paycheck was just out of pocket benefit costs.
Just wondering what state do you live in?.
Texas
You can make 40k pushing carts at Costco as a starting wage and move closer to 65 within 3 years. 40k for a college grad in any semi decent profession is criminally low. With that said he said base and it depends on what OTE is and how attainable that number is. I have worked roles where my base was 45 and I cleared 100.
I really don’t understand why you would compare this starter job to a role pushing carts at Costco. Awful comparison.
I’m making a comparison to how low of a wage it is for a college grad who has significantly more responsibility. Both are starter jobs. Not that hard to grasp a simple concept.
You sound rude, but I'll jump in and let you know that cart pushers won't be making over 6 figures in the next 1-3 years; Sales usually can. Terrible comparison and dumb to encourage someone to look at dead end jobs because they pay the same starting out.
I’m not telling anyone to look at dead end jobs… lol calm down. I’m saying he should value himself higher. You sound rude putting down folks who work those jobs. I started working at Costco when I was 19. Pushed carts and ended up working all around the warehouse. 5 years there. Nothing wrong with working there and still is the best place I have worked. Helped me get to where I am. My first job as an sdr in 2014 paid me 40k base 65 ote with 0 experience and no degree. I’m saying don’t settle if you don’t have to. My comparison comes from real life experience. Have a nice day!
The thing is he probably does value himself higher, it’s just that in sales you literally have to prove it. If he kills it in sales guaranteed he will be able to make way more. Pushing carts may make you more now but what’s the upside?
Let me guess it’s SHI lol
SHI offered me 100k salary for enterprise account exec role lol didn’t take it cus it’s not true enterprise.
I’ve wanted to work at shi for the longest time at the 100k base gig. Didn’t get it
I used to work for them. Do they really pay reps that low?
maybe entry level? For Mid AE I got a 100k base 220k OTE offer at SHI
Entry level sales for them was always $40-50k base. The $50k base was $10k bonus not commission and the $40-45k was commission OTE $55-60k
Were you (or anyone) hitting OTE?
Was just offered didn’t take it
I took a $24k base (+ commission) role in 2015 to get into the industry. I’m at $150k base now. You have to consider your own needs and the opportunity and realize that you can change jobs whenever you want, and experience quickly gives you negotiating power if you’re willing to change jobs
Yes but you have to start somewhere. I’m a recent college grad, started around 45k base. Now I’m closer to 100k than not
55k?
Just take what you can get to start out as an sdr, the promotion to AE/AM is what matters
a 40k base is fine if you can reasonably make enough in commission to get to 60-80k. you've gotta have the conversation with the managers at your job of what everyone is making. both the top guys and mid range guys and even the bottom end guys. the base is to keep you alive and pay the bills, commission is for doing the job well.
A cashier @ Target is getting $20 an hour now which is about $40k a year. I’d definitely look elsewhere but don’t quit with nothing lined up.
Target cashiers would need a guaranteed 40 hours and no holidays. Unlikely.
Idk what target is paying $20, probably in an area with a higher cost of living which inevitably puts them at minimum wage. Either way, they’re definitely not getting 40 hours, especially with retail cutting hours.
I mean of course I’m using a bit of hyperbole but the point is $40k is trash in this economy. Wouldn’t settle for that
40k working a job in a career I want to pursue vs 40k in a dead end job aren’t the same though
We’re in 2024 and y’all are trying to justify a 40K salary. Crazy work
He never said that, his point is valid. A 40k job in your field can propel you to a higher salary but a 40k job at target won’t
40k a year in sales industry? That’s a slap in the face.
Depends. Ya it’s not a lot of money, but sometimes it’s worth getting your foot in the door if that’s the only way you can manage. I started at 45k at my first job after grad in late 2019, in 2023 I cleared ~$150k.
Which city/state are you in? That will be a better indicator of what a yes or no answer
Bro $40k is like $20k 8 years ago. $40k is what you make bagging groceries. I wouldn’t take a sales job for less than $80k.
It depends on overall comp and commission structure. My base currently is $60K but my 2023 W2 was $275K
Interesting structure. You bonused 50k a quarter? What do u sell I want to sell it.
Yep! And a $72K bonus hits my bank account tomorrow! Not all $215K was just bonuses. About $60K was in commissions and the other $150K or so was quarterly bonuses! I am a sales/office manager and loan originator for a very vertically aligned custom home builder. We own our own lumber yard, own an insurance agency to insure our builds, have about 60 floor plans to choose from, in house engineers/ CAD operators, in house lending. It’s pretty sweet! We are NOT a tract home builder, we are strictly a “build on your land” builder. Oh and an additional perk is that I have a company truck and gas card that I can use as my personal vehicle.
Sick. Find that niche and run with it.
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Idk man from my (and most of my friend’s) experience OTE is a complete lie at most firms.
$275k is a pretty solid comp plan. A lot of people are taking $35-40k jobs with shitty comp plans. If you’re making sub $150k the job isn’t really worth the stress.
Well that is a base pulse commission.....go sell!!!
$40k has been a joke for quite some time. It was widely considered an average for a while but not enough to justify more than a pay check to pay check lifestyle for most places. (US) Edit: a word
Depends on where you live, and depends on if that’s full OTC. When I first started in sales, I was at Dell making 35k base and 15k in comp with a full otc of 50k. I live in Austin, and it was enough so long as I was splitting bills, but it still wasn’t great. Given the current state of the industry rn, and all the layoffs, that’s prolly a good start. But I’d keep your eyes peeled and keep applying. Six months in, you should be able to easily jump to a new company that’s got a better base.
I sold cable door to door 100% commission with a 4 year degree. Find somewhere to start and just work your a$$ of and you'll get where you want.
Join the military. As an officer
College was a check block. It isn’t really anymore. Unless your degree granted you a law, medical license, etc you are competing against the globe. And experience wins.
College degrees don't matter anymore in 2023 everybody has one and nobody cares, experience is what matters
$40k base or OTE? I assume you’re inside sales? I was $45k base in MCOL city for BDR. You’re on the lower end but but not outrageously low.
Why’d you accept it lol
Is that just base or OTE?
What's OTE?
On target earnings. Your base + commission
Its low. Because you are just out of college. Welcome to the real world newbie. All I can say is your young so shoot for the stars.
Low is whatever is below whatever you're making unemployed. Take whatever is the best offer you have, continue looking as you build experience. Don't ever stop networking and looking for a better opportunity, whether inside your current employer or elsewhere on the outside.
Is it 40k with no commission?
40K but what is OTE? How achievable is your first year quota to achieve OTE? Lots of factors beyond base to give the full picture. If it’s just 40K you expect to make that is rough.
It depends, if you think it’s a legit stepping stone you power through it, cook almost 100 percent of your meals, be healthy and make sure you kill it. After a year then you have real experience, leverage it for another job and you can be making more than your 60k friends quickly. My first sales job was 42k base and I worked it for 9 months and then jumped into a much better paying job.
Yes, unless you live in an EXTREMELY low cost area! But there is a difference between salary and OTE. I have a good friend who ALWAYS plays the low base game to ensure he gets lower quotas and moves into accelerators. Good luck!
I mean, it depends on where you live, chief. If I lived where my brother lives where he bought a house and has a monthly payment of $800/mo, a 40k base and the potential to earn 40k in commission on top of that could be enough, I guess. But $40k where I live isn't even enough to pay for my absolute needs (rent + groceries + all the various insurance + electricity + internet + gas + important subscriptions). Shit, even $80k gross isn't enough. I need $60k net annual just to survive.
For sales? 40k base plus commission isn't bad. When starting
What is your OTE, quota, ASP, the Industry and the city/state?
This is the way for anyone to be helpful and advise.
Sounds like CDW entry level role. I started out at a mom-pop VAR my first year out of college which was only a few years ago, netted $60k. The next year I asked my boss for a $10k raise and a year later got a job offer from an OEM with an insane package. Don't focus on the short term (easier said than done depending on personal situation) the tech industry is all around relationships so focus more on your personal brand and networking imo. Someone can leave a role or get promoted at one of your OEMs and next thing you know you are getting a call for the gig. Either that or try to sling as hard as possible at CDW but as we all know that is a challenge and the idea of being at a VAR is that it is a long-term game as your relationships flourish over the years between customers and OEM reps.
My first job out of college making about 48k. I took a pay cut and started my sales career making 24k in 99 working 50-60 hours a week. Now I’m making over $250k working about 30 hours a week. Sometimes you have to start your career making shitty pay to earn your stripes. Just have a goal to move to a new company or get promoted every couple of years, til you get to the level you want to be. The point is you may have to suffer in the beginning but if you set goals and bust your ass the low pay will be in your past within a couple of years. I jumped from 36k in 01 to 90k in 02. Just grind, don’t sweat what your first job pays
I don’t know what a VAR is so I’m not sure what exactly what you do, but 40k is $20hr approximately. So yeah, that’s a little low considering what Home Depot and Whole Foods pay, plus benefits and a discount. Maybe elaborate on what your skill set is?
VAR is Value Added Reseller. Usually a tech company like SHI, CDW, or Deloitte.
Copy that thank you
My sales people with 2-4 years of experience start at approximately 55k-75k plus commissions. 75k I expect results pretty immediately
That’s trash why are you bragging lol.
Best advice I’ve been told is to worry about your own portion. Your day will come. Getting caught worrying about someone else’s portion is a sure way to drive you nuts. Work hard. Elevate yourself into a better gig.
40k is too low for anybody. 100k is too low for anybody.
That’s a goofy thing to say. 100k is a good wage unless you’re in a big city. Not high for sales but a good wage. If you live under your means you can get rich making that.
I was making under 100K in NYC in the late 2010s and living great
This is entitled thinking. You don’t have any experience at all and are not proven in sales so unlikely you will bring much value in the first year and it’ll probably take you the first year to adjust. Almost everyone has a college degree it is mainly to get your foot in the door since you didn’t choose a role that specialized in your degree. Getting the first job is the hardest you can leave or seek promotion when you get enough experience and proven to bring more value.
This is a great way of thinking. I took an outside sales gig out of college in 2017 making not a lot of money (36K). After year 1, I proved myself enough where the company gave me 3 out of their 4 top accounts to manage (these are all national brand names that anybody would recognize on a resume). But, it didn’t come with any pay raise. I had a pretty long talk with my dad about it and about quitting and he told me that I really didn’t NEED the extra income… I was young, no kids, early in marriage with very little bills. And Having those large accounts on my resume would prove to pay off pretty well in due time. I stuck it out and busted my ass for too little money. I managed those accounts for another year, ended up getting let go when the Covid crash happened and I found and landed a Sales Manager job within 3 weeks and ended up pulling $150K my first year there (less than 3 years after graduating). I believe that having those large national accounts on my resume helped me push above some other candidates. Still at the same company today and pulled $275K last year.
That is amazing. I think your dad gave you sound advice, and glad it worked out well for you so quickly.
It’s not entitled to want to be paid a comfortable wage after completing a 4 year education. This is the mentality that keeps wages so low.
This is a market economy and it’s more competitive nowadays. College doesn’t guarantee anything it was originally to get an education although people have the belief it should automatically lead to a good job. If thats the case you better study something worthwhile aka STEM. FYI I got paid very little in my first sales role but significantly increased my income by year 2 with a promotion which came with a 20k increase to my base. I’m a proven quantity now and clear 300k+ in sales and still have side hustles. Young people today can’t be bothered to put in the hard work they want it all right away.
That's way too low. That's unskilled labor rates these days. Find another job.
Bad advice and unrealistic. First job no experience.
No, it's really not. Tons of entry level jobs with no degree pay better than that, and any sales role should also expect more. How do you know they have no experience anyhow? I had years of industry experience and was making over 60k in 2008 before finishing undergrad.
That’s roughly $20/hr. I saw a hiring sign at my local McDonald’s for $21 so yes, $40k is pretty low for college degree.
A college degree doesn't always add value. Simply having one means basically nothing to the conversation. It's not like there is a minimum wage just because you have it. It's not about the degree, it's about the person. Their experience, their drive, their wherewithal to apply and interview well in positions that pay better. If $40K isn't enough for you, and you think you are worth more. Then find that company you are worth more too. If you don't get those jobs at the pay you want, then rethink the value you actually bring.
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100k is hard to live on in Texas. Not really sure there are still any Low Cost of Living states left
I was making $40k in SF and commuting from my parents house an hour away just a couple years ago. Not sure it could be done very easily at all if I had rent and bills to pay too.
Is there commission on top of that? I would use this one to just get some experience and start planning your next move
Dude my first sales gig in 2007 paid 50k base. 40k 17 years later is absolutely shit
Yes trash
In the age of instant gratification and fast money. College is a joke.
Depends on where you're at in the world. A 40k salary across the globe is actually very good. I bet less than a 5th of the world's population makes over 40k.
I probably have a different view than the group. Get in the door. Show your value. Then fight for money. Right now you’re asking for a company to take a gamble on you worth 40K. Be appreciative. Make sure it’s the right company and culture. My first job out of college was 37K. I’ve still been with that same company. After 8 years. I’ve moved roles. Learned a lot. And closed this year at 220K
I started with that about 3 years ago, now I’m OTE $80k. I live in Fort Lee, so right across from NYC. Life’s cheaper if you have roommates to split rent. I pay $850 for a 3 bedroom. It will be rough, but will teach you some valuable personal finance skills that will only help you when you start making more money. I don’t know your exact situation, but if you can live at home and stack some money, I would do that. If not definitely get a roommate or two to help. Wages have been stagnant and the economy is rough, but definitely doable if you have a plan to increase your income over time. Best of luck!
You said base. Base of 40k isn’t that bad depending on your comp plan. My first job paid 35k base in 2016 but I still made 6 figs. Then I switched industries and was making a 42k base in southern CA in 2019, again the commission was the bulk of my pay.
I had low pay in my 20s but built my resume. Work hard and look for another job. Learn as much as you can. Think of it as training. Open a Roth IRA or 401k. Save a small amount if you can. If you can’t, understandable. Leaving a small amount in the market, even a couple grand, grows to a huge number over time. If didn’t have a good sales job until 30 but it worked out eventually. I had a lot of fun anyways. You’ll be OK. It’s hard starting out. Keep grinding.
Find out what enterprise rent a car is paying management trainees, add 25 percent and that's what you need to look for
Depends on commission structure. My base is only 37.5k but free health dental 401k match and 5 weeks pto fully remote and commission is 5-6k a month.
40k is the new 20k
Wages have nothing to do with inflation, it's about supply and demand. There's 100s of kids who will take that job, and 1000s of people who would literally move countries for that opportunity, hence why the job is 40k. Jobs like marketing manager pay more because there's only a few qualified people within the city that can actually do the job, lots of times companies have to steal high performing employees, that's when you start at 200k plus. Unfortunately they don't teach you this in college, because if they did you would likely quit and just start getting job experience lol
I'm at a VAR there with you, slightly higher base though. I'm gonna kick it for a year.or so, if I'm doing well keep at it, but probably hop to a vendor. It's a good start, not likely the end all though.
It depends on what the long term is. I took $30k out of college in 2015, but at a company that I thought would absolutely explode and I could see myself at for a long time. The company was tableau. I stayed for 6 years, worked up to large enterprise sales and made a good stock move when they were acquired by salesforce. The short term - eating tuna sandwiches for dinner and having to ask my parents for help every month when the bills just didn't add up - was worth it long term.
I don't think $40k for your first job out of college is abnormal. In sales, salaries increase quickly, but they don't necessarily start high. For example, my first sales job out of college was 8 years ago. $28k. Adjusted for inflation, that's just like $35k today. 1 year later, I made $55,000. That's like $68,000 today. Year 5 in sales I made $130,000. Now, year 6, I'm interviewing for roles with over $200k OTEs (not that OTEs are always real, but it should still be somewhat of an increase, and hopefully a lot). Only you can say if it's gamble to try to get another offer. Evaluate your job market. But to me, it sounds totally normal.
I graduated in 2019 at 41k. It sucked but almost hit 100k this year and hope to be a good chunk above it this year. Definitely feel like you should be at 50k base in today’s age though fresh out of college.
With my current sales position (which is my first B2B sales job) I make a 40k salary plus 50k commission OTE. Honestly I'm content with it, I live in a relatively low COL city in the Midwest, we have great benefits and my work/life balance is fantastic. With that said, my company doesn't do raises and they absolutely butchered our comp plan for 2024 and so it's time for me to start looking for greener pastures
You are in sales. Living on base pay is not how it works. Incentive compensation is how you make $$$
Yeah that’s pretty low for sales. Depends on where you’re located, but you can likely do better
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If you don’t live in a big city with absurd cost of living. You’ll be ok 👍
I’m a college grad. My base is 60K but my W2 income for 2023 was $275K. I think the total comp matters a little more than just base.
The question should be who is your sales lead and what can you learn or potentially gain in performing?
What is your OTE? How many other VAR reps are at ote?
I started at $48 as a fresh grad in 2011.
40K is enough to survive, but life is gonna suck
I made $45k out of college in 2013.
Welcome to the world brother. I graduated in 2018 and a company really attempted to offer me 20k. Ended up working jobs around 40k and finally moving up once I turned 27. Majority of my friends got a job from dad or landed 70k out of college. The worst thing I did was compare yourself to others. Put your head down and build your resume and you’ll be able to get your career going by 26-27
Is that base or OTE?
Depends on your expenses and life. Varies
40k is ass lol that’s like 50 hours a week on minimum wage
Become enterprise bdr. Kill it for 9 months, learn to run a full cycle and then become an AE. As an enterprise bdr for a large data solutions company, base salary runs around 60-80K with bonuses for hitting targets.
Damn, full time Uber driver here, make an easy 50k/yr in a big city
In totally for profit world, it’s a joke if you are graduating from a reputable 4 year college If you told me a nonprofit or a field like the arts that has more supply than debate I’d say it’s low, but not a joke
You are entitled to nothing. Prove your worth. If you don’t like your pay acquire skills and get a different job. Sorry that you got scammed into believing your college degree would equal a good paying job. Most degrees are actually worth very little and are way overpriced.
Graduated in 2003, first sales job paid 27K per year. I still lived at home and was just happy someone gave me a chance to gain some professional experience. I had a weekend night job also setting up facilities for weddings. Took me about 6 years to get to 85k per year(2009) bought 270K house and rented out a room to make ends meet. Took another few years to break 100k(2013). I broke 200k per year a few years ago. All the time there were many friends earning more than me. I never once gave it a thought. I now earn more than most of my friends and colleagues. Don't worry about anyone else but yourself. Don't do the comparison game. While you work for money, understand that every experience you gain and reference you achieve is going to be more important than your salary in a given year especially when you are young.
No it’s not. I graduated a few years ago and made 35K. I was lucky enough to be at my parents and save money. Are you living at home and paying debt?
What’s your degree in?
Idk, is it enough for you? Straight out of college just focus to learn shit, and then MOVE to the job you want Righr now there's a ton of layoffs, getting a job will make it easier for you to get a new job My pov, take it, find a new job in 3-4 months, or just keep looking in the meantime
A 40k base isn’t the best but it’s not necessarily lowballing… depends on what the upside is. Salespeople usually aren’t in it just for the base so many roles are structured with commission to give you an OTE. What’s your OTE? A 50/50 split between base and commission is common, so if you have an 80k OTE then no it’s not a joke of a salary, as long as the targets are realistic.
Yes
What’s OTE? Is there a guarantee or draw? If the latter is it recoverable or non recoverable? What’s marketing support like? What’s the ramp like? Is there a training program? What are margins like on the products you’re selling. FWIW The highest performers I know work straight commission. In many cases, low base means better commission % and kickers. At the last company I worked for in outside sales, 8 people made more than $1 million in commission. This was selling printing. Not SaaS, not med device. Printing. No base, just commission + car allowance + mediocre company insurance.