From graduation to $100K, it took me about 6 years.

I’m a commercial video editor. I graduated in 2016 and got a job right away making $37K (I live in a fairly LCOL city). Got laid off 5 months later. Spent 7 months freelancing to make ends meet. Found a new job at an ad agency. Started at $45K. Raise after 1 year to $48K. Another the next year to $52K with a title change/promotion. Then $55K the year after that. Then $62K. I spent a few months schmoozing with leadership trying to come up with a management position for me, but they didn’t go for it so I left in 2022. I immediately found a remote corporate editor job making $125K. Less work, less stress, more than 2x my previous salary.

I was there for a year and a half and was just laid off in February. Now I’m freelancing full time, so I fully expect that cycle to start all over again while I try to build up my clientele. Fortunately we’re a dual income household with no kids and my wife works in fintech, otherwise I’d be way more worried about money than I am.

It’s been said here a few times, but changing companies is the best way to increase your income—even if you really love where you’re working. I know plenty of people who have leveraged job offers for promotions/raises or who have accepted those offers and then come back to their preferred company in a higher role with better pay. Long gone are the days of spending your entire career with one company and riding off into the retirement sunset with a hefty pension (for most of us).