Careers and money by age
Median pay, how you get there, what you could own at 45 and when you could stop working, for about 30 careers. Pick one to see its first month's budget and what changes the picture.
Try Starting Out| Career | Training | Median pay | At 45 | Could stop at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cashier or retail | No degree | $32,000 | $327,552 | 61 |
| Fast food or cook | No degree | $33,000 | $353,906 | 61 |
| Warehouse worker | No degree | $38,000 | $452,408 | 59 |
| Medical assistant | Certificate | $44,000 | $461,893 | 60 |
| Construction laborer | No degree | $46,000 | $555,642 | 55 |
| Auto mechanic | Trade school | $49,000 | $501,285 | 56 |
| Welder | Trade school | $51,000 | $524,372 | 56 |
| Military, enlisted | Military | $55,000 | $557,117 | 55 |
| Truck driver (CDL) | No degree | $57,000 | $687,445 | 54 |
| Carpenter | Apprenticeship | $57,000 | $647,453 | 55 |
| HVAC technician | Trade school | $59,000 | $645,759 | 55 |
| Firefighter or EMT | Academy | $59,000 | $716,978 | 54 |
| Diesel mechanic | Trade school | $60,000 | $653,460 | 55 |
| Licensed practical nurse | Certificate | $60,000 | $653,460 | 55 |
| Electrician | Apprenticeship | $62,000 | $702,805 | 55 |
| Plumber | Apprenticeship | $62,000 | $702,805 | 55 |
| Teacher (K-12) | Bachelor's degree | $64,000 | $462,955 | 58 |
| Police officer | Academy | $76,000 | $917,579 | 53 |
| Accountant | Bachelor's degree | $81,000 | $644,071 | 57 |
| Power lineworker | Apprenticeship | $86,000 | $952,468 | 54 |
| Registered nurse | Bachelor's degree | $93,000 | $723,726 | 57 |
| Dental hygienist | Associate degree | $94,000 | $893,682 | 55 |
| Military, officer | Military | $95,000 | $632,592 | 57 |
| Mechanical engineer | Bachelor's degree | $102,000 | $780,484 | 57 |
| Software developer | Bachelor's degree | $133,000 | $940,612 | 58 |
| Physician assistant | Graduate school | $133,000 | $776,557 | 60 |
| Pharmacist | Graduate school | $137,000 | $792,577 | 60 |
| Lawyer | Law school | $151,000 | $849,028 | 61 |
| Airline pilot | Flight training | $226,000 | $1,554,938 | 59 |
Same defaults for every career (saving 10% of take-home, a 4% match, married at 28 to a $50,000 earner, two kids, a home at 32), today's dollars, 5% returns after inflation, Social Security from 67. Pay: Bureau of Labor Statistics medians (2023-24). A sketch, not a forecast; each page shows a range.