re: Graduation theme. What was your salary at your first “real” job?

$24k in 1990

$55k in 2007

$75k fresh out of Flores MBA in 2001.

26,000
1992

$905/mo. in 1973.

$36k in 2008

$19,604.00 in 1982

The BLS’s CPI inflation calculator tells me that’s over $68k in April of 2026 money.



Stayed there until 1988. That first employer went bankrupt in 1993.

The next place I have worked at from 1988 to the present, although we were acquired a couple of years ago. I was a requisite part of the acquisition.

So I’m at 38 years at the same address and phone number.

It’s been nice to have that continuity in my world.

Mine was in the early 2000’s and the salary was $47,000. I thought I was RICH!!!
—You were

My first professional salary was $13k

1977 Police Officer - $2.35 / hr - $4,888 / year.
Making that big money.

2001:$27,500

Hated the job. Got a new analyst job only 4 months later at $32,500. I thought raise was life changing at the time

That’s $61k today. For the same analyst job today we start at $75k with a target 10% bonus. So we more than kept up with inflation in my industry. Zip it Gen Z