People Are Sharing How They Reached The $100K Ceiling

Hitting that $100K ceiling might seem impossible if you’re a woman, particularly one in a certain field. Fortunately, Reddit is a fountain of financial advice, and men and women are sharing the ways in which they make $100K+ a year.

From improving a teacher’s salary to growing incoming as an artist, it’s all here!

Check the bits of advice out below!

“Programmer… took me 1.5 years after graduating college . But I am very lucky that my company is very high paying most programmers don’t make 100k+ for a while.”- Dangerous-Abalone381

“Really? Are you Front-end, back-end, or full stack? I was always under the impression that programmers/software engineers make a ton of money. Or is a programmer and software engineer different?!”- hoytscher

“Do you think people interested in transitioning to tech need to do a BS or would a boot camp suffice if they already have a BA and experience in other fields? Do you think programming gives good work life balance and salary?

I’m a teacher looking to move for better salary ($70k+) and decent work life balance and it seems like tech is recommended repeatedly.”- SnackHardNapHard

“I’ve been a programmer for 5 years and am only making ~$45k. Granted I did start out very slowly just doing a small amount of programming as part of my main job but I’m expecting to become a full fledged software developer this year.”- wolf_kisses

“I’m a social worker and never expected to make this salary. I worked in hospitals for a few years to get experience and now I take travel contracts. Similar to travel nursing but for social work.”- MurielFinster

“I started making 100k in medical social work after I passed my LCSW exam. Never thought it would be possible in this field.”-OEBmom

“oh wow, this is very cool. did not know you could do travel contracts. have been debating getting my master’s in social work, but am terrified of the debt. how long did you work in hospitals? what age did you start?”- losergoo

“I watch and manage high voltage power transmission lines for renewable energy sources in West Texas.

I got this job by being in the Navy for a number of years as a power plant operator, then becoming a nuclear plant operator, then going to college and dropping out, then getting really lucky. All in all, I hit 100k salary after working in the industry for just about 10 years.”- Sand_Dargon

“I’m an in house lawyer at an investment bank. I was 25 when I was first hired as a first year associate at a big law firm and started making $160,000 a year. 2 years later I hit $200,000. Those who work in the corporate sector, whether it’s consulting, finance, or law easily make over $100k. The problem is that in the big cities- NYC, LA, SF, etc. the housing is so expensive that even that doesn’t go very far if you have student loans.”- IwastesomuchtimeonAB

“I graduated in 2008 so I came out making $160k. Then my whole class got laid off and I went to making $70k. It’s been 13 years and I STILL don’t make as much money as I made the day I left law school. 2008 was rough man.”-Cat_With_The_Fur

“Data analyst

I’ve been out of undergrad for 13 years, but I worked retail for a bit and did grad school. I started in this sort of career pathway in 2014 and just hit 6 figures this year, so about 7 years in this industry.

My first DA-related job paid 42k/yr. Over the next few years I went from 42->44->50->52->75 (promotion to “senior” analyst) ->77->80->83->100 (same title, new company)”- PressureAwkward

“I also work in data and had an untraditional path to it. I graduated undergrad in 2013 and grad school at the end of 2018, and hit 6 figures around 1.5 years after grad school. I live in a very high cost of living city so that affected things as well.”- rlf923

“I’m also in Data Analytics, and it took 4 years after undergrad to make 6 figures. I studied Economics. My starting salary was $44k, and I received pay increases of about 25% annually until my salary was $104k. I was in a development program with a company, and all the raises were automatic except the last one. I’ve since moved, but my salary in the new position (also analytics) is $100k in a much lower cost of living area.”- kelsitear

“I work in the fashion industry as a designer and stylist. I’m lucky enough to be in the more high-profile side of things. It only took me two years to get to that point, I happened to just work on peojects within that kind of wage range and went from there.”-RosesAndPoinsettias

“I was an assistant fashion designer before the pandemic and lost my job. This gives me hope that the fashion industry will open up more opportunities in the future for me to get into it again.”- psychadelicamanic

“Likewise. I work at a Project Manager for a large insurance company. Took me 10 years after undergrad to hit the 100k mark (with bonus). Did Army for 4 years and when I transitioned out, had to start at a more entry level position (With a pay cut). Went from 55k to 98k in 5 years, and 4 different positions. Biggest benefit of the army, no student debt and good starting salary.”- mgmsupernova

“Set Decorator. (Interior designer for movies) Started as a PA, moved to set dresser, and finally to the head of the decoration department. PA is minimum wage, but as you work up the wages of course go up. I think it took me about 4 years to get to the 100000 a year mark. And of course, income fluctuates by show contract. None of us in the industry made as much money in 2020, for example, with the shutdowns.”- textilesandtrim

“People at salons can make a ton of money. I work at a nail salon part-time and I can make upwards of 300 plus tips a day. I made over 300 yesterday and about 60 in tips, which is very low IMO. I just had low quality clients (not a high service amount and low tips).

I always imagined hair salons being in even more than that. Cut and color ranges from 60 to what, 400 bucks? If you are willing to grind and build up your rapport, you can make a great living.”- TakethThyKnee