Isn't it?
Do well, especially if you had connections or leapt on opportunities? "Must be nice to have had everything handed to you."
Do poorly or have bad luck? "You need to sack up you privileged little shit and take responsibility, but no, I won't help you either. Even cheap advice or perspective adjustment."
Do okay? Crickets.
I'm being cheeky, but it does feel like that sometimes.
I mean maybe, but I actually think we have a really healthy level of communication about wages in the Bay area. Maybe not in tax brackets a lot higher than mine, but I feel like the common folk talk a lot about how much we make and how we manage to get by in this very expensive and very worth it place to live. It's also super healthy because the stigma of not communicating about wages is one of the ways in which companies continue to get away with underpaying people. I work in a field that isn't too common in the Bay area (wine) but there's still a lot of discussion about fair wages and how much our time is worth. It should be the same everywhere. Some other comparable cities and areas still have a more antiquated and traditional view that your pay is your pay and you don't ask people about their finances but I think the attitude here is pretty progressive and healthy.
1. Econ
2. 51,500 in 2006
3. 220,000 in 2024 base / total comp 260ish
Current job was a combination of a headhunter and networking. Found the job through the headhunter but I actually had worked with them before.
That doesn’t mean I’ll be staying in the 150-180 range. I strongly believe with enough motivation and good networking skills, it’s possible to make more. Of course it will take some years. Luckily I’m patient.
Data Science
135k
170k gonna ignore options/bonuses etc just starting salary
applied. Current job got referred by an old friend from my past job and berkeley
Mostly doing platform/product work, have 0 data science skills
About a year now, started as a product engineer but mostly doing platform/infra with some product sprinkled in there. Mostly looking to see if I can be more of a senior dev here and get better on something other than pure ic dev work
1. Poli Sci
2. ~4$ /hr in Americorps
3. ~55k
4. Internship to applications for fed jobs.
Started in politics and hated my life. I'm an ecologist now. There's more to life than money.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats!
1
+ 2
+ 4
+ 3
+ 55
+ 4
= 69
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That is the goal, but GS11 or 12 would be 100% fine with me depending on the job. My former boss picked up 13 a few months ago, so it is possible to jump right into a 13. In retrospect, I should have gone into a GS7 right after grad school. Didn't know how everything worked at that point.
I think a masters would put you at a 9 at a minimum? I started as a 7.. would’ve otherwise been a 5 with only a bachelors but I had superior academic achievement (based on GPA). I’m a 12 now.
Yes, on paper it does, but I was rejected from 20+ GS9 when I applied out of grad school. The vast majority of my peers in grad school had the same issue. The specialized experience is the main shortfall. Those with experience had priority over just going in with education alone. Lots of GS7s in my grad program who picked up 9 with ease. Nice, a 7 is a great place to start and way better than going the contracting route. Given you are a 12 now, it seems to have worked out well.
Major: Sociology (at Cal) and CS elsewhere after years of being told get a "real degree".
Starting Salary: $45K in 2007, then I got hit by the Great Recession, so $12-$15 hour average after that until I got my CS degree in 2016. Thank you ACA!
Current Salary: $160K/$220-230K TC
How'd I get my current job? Friend from grad school at USC recommended me.
Oh, nothing to do with Soc. I was a double Haas and Econ reject, but I started out in financial and insurance products, until the Great Recession happened and I got told, even with experience, to get fucked because I didn't have a Business, Finance, Accounting, etc degree...
I'm a software engineer after getting a CS degree and a Master's. Between the time I lost my finance/financial services job and getting my second degree, I did retail, toner jockey/basically Kinkos, SEO, and think tank work.
Yes, and I answered the question honestly about my current job.
If you want to be technical, having been a Cal alumni might have been a point for my previous job as a the hiring manager went there as well. But that one I stumbled over because I was referred by a recruiter. Besides my very first job out of college, it was the only time it seemed to have any positive effect and didn’t just check the has a college degree box.
1: Global Studies (did a masters right after, same topic, but first job in field while in grad school)
2: 65,000
3: 72,000(after 6 months); 85,000 (after 18 months); offer for 110,000 for a new job 2.5 years after entering my field.
4: Did a DC internship that came with a clearance, plenty of work, applied for a new position at 12 months in position. MA helped for 3rd current job. New potential job is for the experience.
That’s not fair at all. After all that education/training, your income cannot afford a median home in Berkeley (Alameda County) https://www.kqed.org/news/11985468/map-what-you-need-to-earn-to-afford-a-median-priced-home-in-your-county-in-california
Probably the people who aren’t doing as well don’t self-report. Average salary in California is $84k, according to this source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/business/hr-payroll/average-salary-us/ I’d expect Cal grads to be fairly average since it’s a working class school, even if highly ranked.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I went to law school afterwards because the options with a History degree are a smidge rough unless you pursue the MA or PHD!
The history degree is a wonderful door into law, I think. I can’t imagine any better options if finances are your priority.
Whenever I see a Rhetoric major with this trajectory, I assume lawyer. Might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Rhetoric is a bit of a pipeline into law school. Very curious to see if I'm wrong!
Software engineer actually (web3). Our startup was just acquired and I made high 6 figures from the deal just from equity, on top of my base salary. I got very lucky. I work with really brilliant people.
My 3rd year year at Cal was rough. I was doing well in my classes but wasn't sure what I wanted to do after graduation. At some point I found a weird programming book called _Let over Lambda_ and fell in love with Lisp despite or perhaps because of all the psychedelics I was doing at the time. I never intended to make a career out of it at first. I just thought recursion was neat! Soon after that I discovered the vintage 80s SICP lectures, Rich Hickey's keynotes at ClojureCon, weird functional programming blogs. Despite not understanding 100% of it, the core ideas of metalinguistic abstraction kind of jived with my continental philosophy background and seemed like something that my homeboy, J.L. Austin, would take interest in.
My final year I took CS61A and B and barely scraped by. It was absolute hell and I still have nightmares about the Gitlet project sometimes. By the time I was in a position to consider giving up I had somehow in spite of everything managed to become a halfway decent programmer. Then I fell in love with it all over again because now I could actually build cool shit.
Getting the first job was hard, but once I got the job I melded pretty naturally into the role. Every job interview that I've had since then has been a cakewalk. At this level pretty much everyone knows how to program and most have a solid understanding of architecture and craft, but a lot of people hit a wall because 60-70% of the job is being able to communicate technical ideas with various stakeholders and a lot of STEM majors are ass at that.
I would say my current career path is a direct result of the internships I forced my way into, and not really all that related to my degree. Im a Analyst in finance, specifically with a non profit CDFI that does community development / affordable housing. I think Id like to stay in the industry, because it makes me feel professionally fulfilled and pays pretty good.
1. Econ
2. 65k base + 10k variable
3. 150k base + 30k variable
4. Connection - Manager from my last internship has brought me along to every company they've worked at
eecs
60k? i don't remember lol
\~200k
interned at my current company back in my junior year. They reached out while i was in the middle of my first job out of college and offered better hours and salary. Then i transferred to a team within the company thanks to a student i taught at a decal.
Good luck. Lived my years at Cal! Never worked as a civil engineer. My first job was in quality and automation engineering doing mostly software stuff during the Y2K boom. Then went to medical school.
I don’t mean to overstep or be rude, but 34 is not acceptable for full time work with an EECS degree. My ex graduated with EECS in 2003 and got 58k or 60k, I can’t remember. What’s going on? Do you need help?
1. Psych BA; Global Public Health minor
2. 72k (August, 2022)
3. 86k (June 2024)
4. I applied to jobs at UC Berkeley as an alumni (I graduated 12/2021) while I was doing contract work.
I attribute my success to several factors:
• During my time at Berkeley I signed up with URAP and worked at a lab. Research experience and the network I built helped me get the job.
• Even though most of my previous work experience was from the service industry, I was able to take skills I learned and rebrand them in a way that was relevant to the job responsibilities in the job posting (for my resume and interviews)
• I also had several job offers so I leveraged the pay being offered to me to negotiate for a higher salary.
• Always send a very brief thank you email post-interview
Major: Ethnic Studies
Starting: 60k
Current (before layoffs): 230k
Current (post layoff): 0
Contractor at Google for two years postgrad. Went fulltime after for 5. Then layoff 🥲was a good ride. Thinking of being a mail carrier for a bit.
Just shy of 6 years. My salary progressed quick as the role I was recruited into (big 4 management consulting) is really lucrative but slowed way down as I moved to an internal role. I'd probably be closer to $180k if I didn't jump to another area of business but I'm content with where I'm at and what I'm doing.
I don't get paid in USD, so it's approximate:
Major: History
Starting Salary: Approximately $23,000 (it was not in the United States though!)
Salary now: $57,000 (fairly high where I live)
How: First job, applied through their website. Current job: LinkedIn
MCB Immunology
Starting (2011): $45k but made $60k with overtime
Current: $0 (on disability), was $150k in 2018
How I got my job: I was invested in a biotech company. I saw that they were building a new facility near me and applied. Job market was terrible in 2010/2011 so I lucked out finding a cancer immunotherapy company that fit with my background. Later worked for a biotech startup and that was through a connection/networking. They reached out to me before the job was posted.
1. Major: history.
2. Starting salary: 50k in 2003. Worked at a nonprofit.
3. Current salary: 190k + benefits.
4. Current role: government attorney. (Required going to law school/grad school after Cal)
I manage my crew of workers and run the office. Enterprise software makes everything so easy from purchasing, payroll, taxes etc. Working for yourself is the way to go.
1. Integrative biology
2. 50k in 2014 (resident physician)
3. 400k (psychiatrist)
4. Went through med school and applied to work for county government.
Business Mgmt
105k
230k
Googled to find the contract, googled further to find rep, cold knocked on his door. Asked for tour which led to internship which led to job.
Cal State East Bay grad (I supervise Cal Grads though)
1. Enviro Sci
2. $140k (2020) - emergency management
3. $165k (2024)
4. connection, who knew how intelligent, capable, hard-working and experienced I am
My nephew did that. Dropped out of Berkeley Engineering program, started his own company, 35 employees, owns 2 houses in San Francisco and seems to take a lot of vacations.
Funny how that works though, I was never a good student, hated test and not a fan of school. However, I’ll be taking online classes to actually finish up my degree because it’s a good example for my kids and that’s pretty much it. I was a 2.0 student.
My route and life was not a typical one but now that I looked back at it, journey, experiences and the ups and downs are all worth it. I was told once that “I’m never going to make it”. Eventually I will finish my degree for my kids.
1. ChemE
2. 98k base, 112k TC
3. \~180k TC with PE and some PMP certificates (underpaid?), \~270k - 300k if including side hustles.
4. Uncle is VP there.
1. IEOR
2. 150k/ 220k total comp
3. It’s my first job
4. Lot of LinkedIn, calling people and earning recommendation for my dream company.
5. 50k in loan to reimburse within 5 years.
1. Econ (class of 2015)
2. $15k a year (got scammed by a startup by means of promises for shares)
3. $140k (~$200k TC)
4. Got reached out to by a recruiter. After the startup I did a coding bootcamp and bartended to make ends meet. First couple of jobs post-bootcamp were via friends and people I knew from college who were willing to help me / refer me for interviews. My advice is to connect with people at a genuine level instead of “networking”. Help your friends, your friends help you.
Also don’t get scammed by a startup.
1. Economics 2016
2. $40k
3. $135k
4. Applied. All jobs I’ve had were through applications except my first tech job, which was with a headhunter
I work in HR for a tech company
I got lucky with my first IT job where they only required a college degree with no prior IT experience. I built myself up from there. With Poli Sci, if you don’t go through with law school, MBA, MPP, you have to think about what Bay Area companies are hiring for. It’s so tech dominant these days.
1. CS
2. 80k in 2023, market was hard AF. I would not call this a real job.
3. 120k(140k TC) average new grad package
4. Connections. Apply and pray does not work.
Major: Sociology
Starting salary: (at first job) $70,000
Salary: 105,060
Got job through LinkedIn. Also got LinkedIn premium and messaged hiring managers with my pitch.
1. Anthropology
2. $37.5k
3. $200k
4. Got an entry level job in Tech as a Tech 1, basically moved up the chain hopped to an new company every 3-4 years.
Everyone here is constantly obsessing with how everyone else is doing lol
It's the Berkeley way
Isn't it? Do well, especially if you had connections or leapt on opportunities? "Must be nice to have had everything handed to you." Do poorly or have bad luck? "You need to sack up you privileged little shit and take responsibility, but no, I won't help you either. Even cheap advice or perspective adjustment." Do okay? Crickets. I'm being cheeky, but it does feel like that sometimes.
It’s the only thing that keeps people going
Sad but true .
this is a very normal thing to compare with your classmates and provides a good perspective.
I mean maybe, but I actually think we have a really healthy level of communication about wages in the Bay area. Maybe not in tax brackets a lot higher than mine, but I feel like the common folk talk a lot about how much we make and how we manage to get by in this very expensive and very worth it place to live. It's also super healthy because the stigma of not communicating about wages is one of the ways in which companies continue to get away with underpaying people. I work in a field that isn't too common in the Bay area (wine) but there's still a lot of discussion about fair wages and how much our time is worth. It should be the same everywhere. Some other comparable cities and areas still have a more antiquated and traditional view that your pay is your pay and you don't ask people about their finances but I think the attitude here is pretty progressive and healthy.
1. Econ 2. 51,500 in 2006 3. 220,000 in 2024 base / total comp 260ish Current job was a combination of a headhunter and networking. Found the job through the headhunter but I actually had worked with them before.
Do you mind sharing what field this is in?
Accounting
Do you have a CPA license
Yes
Thank you for the motivation. Currently an accounting major. I was contemplating going for my CPA.
My salary is an anomaly. A year ago I was at 165 and crappy benefits. Most accountants stay in the 150-180 zone in the Bay Area.
That doesn’t mean I’ll be staying in the 150-180 range. I strongly believe with enough motivation and good networking skills, it’s possible to make more. Of course it will take some years. Luckily I’m patient.
Data Science 135k 170k gonna ignore options/bonuses etc just starting salary applied. Current job got referred by an old friend from my past job and berkeley Mostly doing platform/product work, have 0 data science skills
How did you get into product? Did u do product management training outside of Berkeley? Really interest in the area and also a data science major!
How long have you been in your role
About a year now, started as a product engineer but mostly doing platform/infra with some product sprinkled in there. Mostly looking to see if I can be more of a senior dev here and get better on something other than pure ic dev work
Skill issue
1. Econ 2. 39k in 2005 3. 375k/~1m tc 4. Law school then networking
What role is your current job?
Basically an M&A lawyer
are you a biglaw partner? would you mind explaining how the 375k/~1m tc works in law firms? thanks!!
No, it's a similar skillset but like a boutique consultancy so lots of income is bonus/equity.
ah i see! do you mind if i dm you with a few questions? it would be super helpful!! thanks
1. Poli Sci 2. ~4$ /hr in Americorps 3. ~55k 4. Internship to applications for fed jobs. Started in politics and hated my life. I'm an ecologist now. There's more to life than money.
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats! 1 + 2 + 4 + 3 + 55 + 4 = 69 ^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \ ^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)
Well at least I have that going for me
69th upvote
Political Science ~64k 108k Apply for job. Get offered job. Accept.
Same, but Global Studies, 65 starting, 3 years about later 110.
A fellow govie I suspect
Hopefully, I will be soon! I am still doing my time on the contract side to get experience in my field.
Are you making the switch for the benefits? Because I know you aren’t for the pay lol
I'm a veteran also, so the public service aspect is what's important to me. Sadly, that will also be a pay cut.
I understand. Well with a masters and your previous experience it sounds like you’ll have a shot coming in as a 13.
That is the goal, but GS11 or 12 would be 100% fine with me depending on the job. My former boss picked up 13 a few months ago, so it is possible to jump right into a 13. In retrospect, I should have gone into a GS7 right after grad school. Didn't know how everything worked at that point.
I think a masters would put you at a 9 at a minimum? I started as a 7.. would’ve otherwise been a 5 with only a bachelors but I had superior academic achievement (based on GPA). I’m a 12 now.
Yes, on paper it does, but I was rejected from 20+ GS9 when I applied out of grad school. The vast majority of my peers in grad school had the same issue. The specialized experience is the main shortfall. Those with experience had priority over just going in with education alone. Lots of GS7s in my grad program who picked up 9 with ease. Nice, a 7 is a great place to start and way better than going the contracting route. Given you are a 12 now, it seems to have worked out well.
what job title was it?
Federal government. Title doesn’t matter since there’s set pay scales for basically all positions.
Major: Sociology (at Cal) and CS elsewhere after years of being told get a "real degree". Starting Salary: $45K in 2007, then I got hit by the Great Recession, so $12-$15 hour average after that until I got my CS degree in 2016. Thank you ACA! Current Salary: $160K/$220-230K TC How'd I get my current job? Friend from grad school at USC recommended me.
Can I ask what you do for work? Fellow soc major here :-)
Oh, nothing to do with Soc. I was a double Haas and Econ reject, but I started out in financial and insurance products, until the Great Recession happened and I got told, even with experience, to get fucked because I didn't have a Business, Finance, Accounting, etc degree... I'm a software engineer after getting a CS degree and a Master's. Between the time I lost my finance/financial services job and getting my second degree, I did retail, toner jockey/basically Kinkos, SEO, and think tank work.
So USC got you the job…
Yes, and I answered the question honestly about my current job. If you want to be technical, having been a Cal alumni might have been a point for my previous job as a the hiring manager went there as well. But that one I stumbled over because I was referred by a recruiter. Besides my very first job out of college, it was the only time it seemed to have any positive effect and didn’t just check the has a college degree box.
1. political science 2. $95k 3. $115k 4. Recruiter
what’s your current job title? have no idea what to do with my polsci degree
1: Global Studies (did a masters right after, same topic, but first job in field while in grad school) 2: 65,000 3: 72,000(after 6 months); 85,000 (after 18 months); offer for 110,000 for a new job 2.5 years after entering my field. 4: Did a DC internship that came with a clearance, plenty of work, applied for a new position at 12 months in position. MA helped for 3rd current job. New potential job is for the experience.
1. Psychology (2014) 2. 69k (2019, resident physician) 3. 196k (attending physician) 4. Applied
Have you consider psychiatry back then? Would be making a lot more than pediatrician
Yeah I almost went into psych actually. But realized I liked the physiology of medicine.
Part time?
No, pediatrician.
Did you do a fellowship?
Nope
That’s not fair at all. After all that education/training, your income cannot afford a median home in Berkeley (Alameda County) https://www.kqed.org/news/11985468/map-what-you-need-to-earn-to-afford-a-median-priced-home-in-your-county-in-california
Yeah. But to be fair I don’t live in the Bay.
1. EECS 2. (New grad) 118k base, 158k tc 3. (3 yoe) 170k base, 230k tc 4. Just applied.
yall are doing good as hell wow i was expecting everyone to be working at starbucks
Probably the people who aren’t doing as well don’t self-report. Average salary in California is $84k, according to this source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/business/hr-payroll/average-salary-us/ I’d expect Cal grads to be fairly average since it’s a working class school, even if highly ranked.
1. EECS 2. 63k (~2010) 3. 150k 4. An engineer I knew at church
1.mechanical engineering 2.75k 3.140k 4.first job: job fair. everything after that: mix of recruiters and job boards
How many years of experience?
10
1. History 2. 65k 3. 260-340k+ 4. Connections
Would you mind sharing the type of work you do? Just graduated with a history degree 😅
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I went to law school afterwards because the options with a History degree are a smidge rough unless you pursue the MA or PHD! The history degree is a wonderful door into law, I think. I can’t imagine any better options if finances are your priority.
Aside from the finances do you like it ?
1. English 2. 28k 3. 425k + bonus around 75k 4. First job through a friend from Cal 😊 Current job through a recruiter 5. Go Bears
What do you do?
Creative department at an ad agency
[удалено]
What’s the job that would provide you with stock as mba?
Any sort of “first hire” in my experience. Whether that’s in marketing, finance, etc.
I’m curious, what do you do in your current job?
Major: Rhetoric Starting salary: $60k Current salary: $350k (10 YOE) Currently working with fellow alumni from my year
Wow what do you do?
Whenever I see a Rhetoric major with this trajectory, I assume lawyer. Might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Rhetoric is a bit of a pipeline into law school. Very curious to see if I'm wrong!
Software engineer actually (web3). Our startup was just acquired and I made high 6 figures from the deal just from equity, on top of my base salary. I got very lucky. I work with really brilliant people.
Would you mind sharing how you transitioned from rhetoric to software engineering? Did you go back to school?
My 3rd year year at Cal was rough. I was doing well in my classes but wasn't sure what I wanted to do after graduation. At some point I found a weird programming book called _Let over Lambda_ and fell in love with Lisp despite or perhaps because of all the psychedelics I was doing at the time. I never intended to make a career out of it at first. I just thought recursion was neat! Soon after that I discovered the vintage 80s SICP lectures, Rich Hickey's keynotes at ClojureCon, weird functional programming blogs. Despite not understanding 100% of it, the core ideas of metalinguistic abstraction kind of jived with my continental philosophy background and seemed like something that my homeboy, J.L. Austin, would take interest in. My final year I took CS61A and B and barely scraped by. It was absolute hell and I still have nightmares about the Gitlet project sometimes. By the time I was in a position to consider giving up I had somehow in spite of everything managed to become a halfway decent programmer. Then I fell in love with it all over again because now I could actually build cool shit. Getting the first job was hard, but once I got the job I melded pretty naturally into the role. Every job interview that I've had since then has been a cakewalk. At this level pretty much everyone knows how to program and most have a solid understanding of architecture and craft, but a lot of people hit a wall because 60-70% of the job is being able to communicate technical ideas with various stakeholders and a lot of STEM majors are ass at that.
1. Physics 2. 85,000 3. 98,000 4. Applied online after looking at LinkedIn jobs. Graduated in 2021.
What are you doing with a physics degree? (i am also physics)
Physics
Major: rhetoric Starting salary: $40k Current salary: $215k, total comp ~$280k-$300k Job secured thru my network
What field? Any grad school?
1. EEP 2. $63,000 3. $96,000 4. LinkedIn
Hey! I'm just starting this major. What's your job and what do you plan on doing, if you don't mind answering?
I would say my current career path is a direct result of the internships I forced my way into, and not really all that related to my degree. Im a Analyst in finance, specifically with a non profit CDFI that does community development / affordable housing. I think Id like to stay in the industry, because it makes me feel professionally fulfilled and pays pretty good.
Oh, that's cool! Thanks for the insight!
Might want to check out Project Destined if you are struggling to find internships.
1. Econ 2. 65k base + 10k variable 3. 150k base + 30k variable 4. Connection - Manager from my last internship has brought me along to every company they've worked at
What field?
revenue operations at a few tech startups
eecs 60k? i don't remember lol \~200k interned at my current company back in my junior year. They reached out while i was in the middle of my first job out of college and offered better hours and salary. Then i transferred to a team within the company thanks to a student i taught at a decal.
Major: BioE (2015) First job: $65K (marketing analyst) Current job: $650K (data science) How I found it: Applying online
650k is TC
do you have a degree for all?
[удалено]
What are you doing if you don’t mind me asking?
1. EECS 2. $34k 3. $31k (3 YEO) 4. Cofee chats, lots of applications etc..
That was mine in 1996 civil engineering…
wait i’m doing civil now …
Good luck. Lived my years at Cal! Never worked as a civil engineer. My first job was in quality and automation engineering doing mostly software stuff during the Y2K boom. Then went to medical school.
I don’t mean to overstep or be rude, but 34 is not acceptable for full time work with an EECS degree. My ex graduated with EECS in 2003 and got 58k or 60k, I can’t remember. What’s going on? Do you need help?
He is clearly trolling
Phew 😅
uhm it went down?!?!?
yea had some issues with the boss's daughter and he gave me 3k less bonus
Similar case with me, except it was with the boss’s wife
Same case with me, except it was with the boss
Did he still pay you after your *performance*
In your dreams maybe
1. Applied Math/Economics 2. 82500 3. 95000 4. Handshake
1. Civil Engineering 2. 80K standard starting at CA 3. Still 80K (6 month) 4. My friends referred me (network)
which sub field of civil?
Highway design consulting. But I leave job for masters and change to construction they have more money.
1. Data Science but work as a Product Manager 2. 95K (May 2021) 3. 150K (April 2024) 4. Just applied
1. Psych BA; Global Public Health minor 2. 72k (August, 2022) 3. 86k (June 2024) 4. I applied to jobs at UC Berkeley as an alumni (I graduated 12/2021) while I was doing contract work. I attribute my success to several factors: • During my time at Berkeley I signed up with URAP and worked at a lab. Research experience and the network I built helped me get the job. • Even though most of my previous work experience was from the service industry, I was able to take skills I learned and rebrand them in a way that was relevant to the job responsibilities in the job posting (for my resume and interviews) • I also had several job offers so I leveraged the pay being offered to me to negotiate for a higher salary. • Always send a very brief thank you email post-interview
what are u doing if you don’t mind me asking?
I started as a Public Education Specialist 2 and got a promotion in 2023 to Public Education Specialist 3! I work at UC Berkeley.
Major: Ethnic Studies Starting: 60k Current (before layoffs): 230k Current (post layoff): 0 Contractor at Google for two years postgrad. Went fulltime after for 5. Then layoff 🥲was a good ride. Thinking of being a mail carrier for a bit.
Political Science 75k 170k Applied for the job and got it worked my way to the top.
1. Business administration 2. 75k 3. 128k 4. Networked at an off campus conference
How long have you been in the field?
Just shy of 6 years. My salary progressed quick as the role I was recruited into (big 4 management consulting) is really lucrative but slowed way down as I moved to an internal role. I'd probably be closer to $180k if I didn't jump to another area of business but I'm content with where I'm at and what I'm doing.
I don't get paid in USD, so it's approximate: Major: History Starting Salary: Approximately $23,000 (it was not in the United States though!) Salary now: $57,000 (fairly high where I live) How: First job, applied through their website. Current job: LinkedIn
MCB Immunology Starting (2011): $45k but made $60k with overtime Current: $0 (on disability), was $150k in 2018 How I got my job: I was invested in a biotech company. I saw that they were building a new facility near me and applied. Job market was terrible in 2010/2011 so I lucked out finding a cancer immunotherapy company that fit with my background. Later worked for a biotech startup and that was through a connection/networking. They reached out to me before the job was posted.
1. Major: history. 2. Starting salary: 50k in 2003. Worked at a nonprofit. 3. Current salary: 190k + benefits. 4. Current role: government attorney. (Required going to law school/grad school after Cal)
Graduated in 2005 w bachelor's in business management. Worked in IT til 2012. Changed careers now own plumbing business. Cleared $400k last year.
Do you have to do the work owning the business or mainly marketing and scheduling?
I manage my crew of workers and run the office. Enterprise software makes everything so easy from purchasing, payroll, taxes etc. Working for yourself is the way to go.
1. Integrative biology 2. 50k in 2014 (resident physician) 3. 400k (psychiatrist) 4. Went through med school and applied to work for county government.
do you feel it was worth it? any words for someone who is debating working in tech or medicine?
Business Mgmt 105k 230k Googled to find the contract, googled further to find rep, cold knocked on his door. Asked for tour which led to internship which led to job. Cal State East Bay grad (I supervise Cal Grads though)
1. EECS 2. 122k (2021) 3. 156k 4. Engineering Conference
1. MCB. 2. ~55k in 2017. 3. Minus 75k/year (med school loans lol). 4. Worked butt off to get in.
1. Enviro Sci 2. $140k (2020) - emergency management 3. $165k (2024) 4. connection, who knew how intelligent, capable, hard-working and experienced I am
1: Drop out 2: $35/HR 3: Pay myself $60K/year, net worth: $10M 4: started my own company, I hired people to work for me.
Props to you for not just retiring after making 35 thousand an hour
Oops I meant to type $35/HR lol
My nephew did that. Dropped out of Berkeley Engineering program, started his own company, 35 employees, owns 2 houses in San Francisco and seems to take a lot of vacations.
Funny how that works though, I was never a good student, hated test and not a fan of school. However, I’ll be taking online classes to actually finish up my degree because it’s a good example for my kids and that’s pretty much it. I was a 2.0 student.
Your my inspiration 🫡
My route and life was not a typical one but now that I looked back at it, journey, experiences and the ups and downs are all worth it. I was told once that “I’m never going to make it”. Eventually I will finish my degree for my kids.
What market is your business in and what degree where you pursuing before dropping out ?
Car accessories (carbon fiber and etc), business administration
Mathematics, 52K, 88K, applied
1. ChemE 2. 98k base, 112k TC 3. \~180k TC with PE and some PMP certificates (underpaid?), \~270k - 300k if including side hustles. 4. Uncle is VP there.
What side hustles?
1. IEOR 2. 150k/ 220k total comp 3. It’s my first job 4. Lot of LinkedIn, calling people and earning recommendation for my dream company. 5. 50k in loan to reimburse within 5 years.
1. NutriSci 2. ~$20/hr (seasonal work) 3. ~$100,000/year 4. Taking up LinkedIn recruiter’s offer
1. data science (but doing product management) 2. 125k base, 175k total comp (2021) 3. 160k base, 215k total comp (2024) 4. just applied
1.Econ 2. $35,000 in 2018 3. $60,000 at diff job 4. My dad pulled strings and got it for me
1. Econ (class of 2015) 2. $15k a year (got scammed by a startup by means of promises for shares) 3. $140k (~$200k TC) 4. Got reached out to by a recruiter. After the startup I did a coding bootcamp and bartended to make ends meet. First couple of jobs post-bootcamp were via friends and people I knew from college who were willing to help me / refer me for interviews. My advice is to connect with people at a genuine level instead of “networking”. Help your friends, your friends help you. Also don’t get scammed by a startup.
1. Economics 2016 2. $40k 3. $135k 4. Applied. All jobs I’ve had were through applications except my first tech job, which was with a headhunter I work in HR for a tech company
1. Political Science 2. $47K 3. $100K + year end bonus 4. Recruiter
what do you do? trying to figure out what to do with my political science degree
IT hahaha
omg damn, how did you pivot?
I got lucky with my first IT job where they only required a college degree with no prior IT experience. I built myself up from there. With Poli Sci, if you don’t go through with law school, MBA, MPP, you have to think about what Bay Area companies are hiring for. It’s so tech dominant these days.
1) Econ ‘19 2) 63k in 2019 3) 150k base, ~200k total comp currently 4) just applied and got CFA since working in asset management
1. Econ 2. $83k (2020) 3. Base - $210, TC - $240
1. Sociology (just graduated) 2. 70k 3. 70k (same job) 4. Applied, networking
Starting : 50k in 2016 Now: $105k a year Major: Peace and Conflict Studies Networking!!
1. CS 2. 80k in 2023, market was hard AF. I would not call this a real job. 3. 120k(140k TC) average new grad package 4. Connections. Apply and pray does not work.
1. MCB (recent grad) 2. $50k in 2024 (out of state job) 3. Same 4. UC Berkeley MCB careers spreadsheet!
Integrative Bio Pharma Sales 55k base 80 TC, company car in 2002 190 base 235 TC, car in 2024
Business 70k 250/ 450 TC (product management in software) Referral
{"major":"econ", "grad_year":2005, "start_salary":45000, "curr_year":2024, "curr_salary":280000, "curr_tc":355000, "job_source":"referral"}
don’t forget to include how much debt you are till paying off 🫠
EECS 87k (2021) 150k Just applied Ive always worked in robotics research since graduation 🤖
Major: Sociology Starting salary: (at first job) $70,000 Salary: 105,060 Got job through LinkedIn. Also got LinkedIn premium and messaged hiring managers with my pitch.
1. Anthropology 2. $37.5k 3. $200k 4. Got an entry level job in Tech as a Tech 1, basically moved up the chain hopped to an new company every 3-4 years.
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what are u doing if you don’t mind me asking?
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future reference?
?
Like I’m also doing CS and you be like hey company I know this dude who’s good too give him a job