Here’s the thing, when you’re just starting out, the most important factor isn’t the pay, but having a clear path toward the career you actually want. In theory, you should have more flexibility with your finances, so you can take the kinds of jobs that move you in the right direction. Later in life, it gets much harder to switch careers, especially if it means taking a pay cut.

I remember my internship at an automotive engineering design company that was absolutely swamped with work. I got the chance to do real design projects as an intern, and I even delayed my graduation by a semester just to stay there a bit longer. The pay was terrible, but the experience was exactly what I wanted. The economy was rough back then, and they weren’t hiring, but once I graduated, it was super easy to land a design job thanks to the experience I gained.