One of those quintessential rites of passage for first-time workers is deciding how to spend your first paycheck. Teenagers working part time might save up to buy their first cars. New college grads could indulge in a fancy dinner or finally buy furniture that doesn't require assembling.
Another universal -- albeit less satisfactory -- experience for new workers is the realization that you worked so hard and in one big purchase, all your money can disappear. If you look at your pay stub, you'd think you could buy something without worrying about your finances, but when you factor in daily expenses and paycheck deductions, the number is quite a bit different.
This is why your annual salary might be larger than the cost of a car, but you're not going to pay for it upfront. You could, but then you wouldn't eat or have shelter for the rest of the year.
To put some of life's big purchases in perspective, we've done some paycheck math you might not have thought about since you were a teenager. Here are three common investments many people find themselves contemplating at one time or another: a car, a home and a college education. You can see how long it would take to pay for each of these items at various income levels if you had no other expenses to worry about.
A few ground rules: We based our calculations on working eight hours, five days a week for 52 weeks per year. And we're ignoring taxes and interest rates because those vary depending on your location and specific deal.
A car that costs $35,000
Your annual salary is: $15,000 ($7.21/hr)
It will take:
4,854 hours
607 workdays
2.3 years
Job with this salary: Parking lot attendants
Your annual salary is: $35,000 ($16.83/hr)
It will take:
2,080 hours
260 workdays
1 year
Job with this salary: Interpreters and translators
Your annual salary is: $60,000 ($28.85/hr)
It will take:
1,213 hours
152 workdays
7 months
Job with this salary: Financial analysts and advisers
Your annual salary is: $100,000 ($48.08/hr)
It will take:
728 hours
91 workdays
4.2 months
Job with this salary: Optometrist
Four years of a private college totaling $180,000
Your annual salary is: $15,000 ($7.21/hr)
It will take:
24,965 hours
3,120 workdays
12 years
Job with this salary: Amusement and recreation attendants
Your annual salary is: $35,000 ($16.83/hr)
It will take:
10,695 hours
1,337 workdays
5.14 years
Job with this salary: Supervisors and managers of sales workers
Your annual salary is: $60,000 ($28.85/hr)
It will take:
6,239 hours
780 workdays
3 years
Job with this salary: Logisticians
Your annual salary is: $100,000 ($48.08/hr)
It will take:
3,744 hours
468 workdays
1.8 years
Job with this salary: Lawyers
A house that costs $270,000
Your annual salary is: $15,000 ($7.21/hr)
It will take:
37,448 hours
4,680 workdays
18 years
Job with this salary: Food concession counter attendants
Your annual salary is: $35,000 ($16.83/hr)
It will take:
16,043 hours
2,005 workdays
7.7 years
Job with this salary: Recreational therapist
Your annual salary is: $60,000 ($28.85/hr)
It will take:
9,359 hours
1,170 workdays
4.5 years
Job with this salary: Computer systems and network administrator
Your annual salary is: $100,000 ($48.08/hr)
It will take:
5,616 hours
702 workdays
2.7 years
Job with this salary: Computer and system information managers
Jobs based on data from CBSalary.com.
Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
Another universal -- albeit less satisfactory -- experience for new workers is the realization that you worked so hard and in one big purchase, all your money can disappear. If you look at your pay stub, you'd think you could buy something without worrying about your finances, but when you factor in daily expenses and paycheck deductions, the number is quite a bit different.
This is why your annual salary might be larger than the cost of a car, but you're not going to pay for it upfront. You could, but then you wouldn't eat or have shelter for the rest of the year.
To put some of life's big purchases in perspective, we've done some paycheck math you might not have thought about since you were a teenager. Here are three common investments many people find themselves contemplating at one time or another: a car, a home and a college education. You can see how long it would take to pay for each of these items at various income levels if you had no other expenses to worry about.
A few ground rules: We based our calculations on working eight hours, five days a week for 52 weeks per year. And we're ignoring taxes and interest rates because those vary depending on your location and specific deal.
A car that costs $35,000
Your annual salary is: $15,000 ($7.21/hr)
It will take:
4,854 hours
607 workdays
2.3 years
Job with this salary: Parking lot attendants
Your annual salary is: $35,000 ($16.83/hr)
It will take:
2,080 hours
260 workdays
1 year
Job with this salary: Interpreters and translators
Your annual salary is: $60,000 ($28.85/hr)
It will take:
1,213 hours
152 workdays
7 months
Job with this salary: Financial analysts and advisers
Your annual salary is: $100,000 ($48.08/hr)
It will take:
728 hours
91 workdays
4.2 months
Job with this salary: Optometrist
Four years of a private college totaling $180,000
Your annual salary is: $15,000 ($7.21/hr)
It will take:
24,965 hours
3,120 workdays
12 years
Job with this salary: Amusement and recreation attendants
Your annual salary is: $35,000 ($16.83/hr)
It will take:
10,695 hours
1,337 workdays
5.14 years
Job with this salary: Supervisors and managers of sales workers
Your annual salary is: $60,000 ($28.85/hr)
It will take:
6,239 hours
780 workdays
3 years
Job with this salary: Logisticians
Your annual salary is: $100,000 ($48.08/hr)
It will take:
3,744 hours
468 workdays
1.8 years
Job with this salary: Lawyers
A house that costs $270,000
Your annual salary is: $15,000 ($7.21/hr)
It will take:
37,448 hours
4,680 workdays
18 years
Job with this salary: Food concession counter attendants
Your annual salary is: $35,000 ($16.83/hr)
It will take:
16,043 hours
2,005 workdays
7.7 years
Job with this salary: Recreational therapist
Your annual salary is: $60,000 ($28.85/hr)
It will take:
9,359 hours
1,170 workdays
4.5 years
Job with this salary: Computer systems and network administrator
Your annual salary is: $100,000 ($48.08/hr)
It will take:
5,616 hours
702 workdays
2.7 years
Job with this salary: Computer and system information managers
Jobs based on data from CBSalary.com.
Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
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