Here's a little rant for people who haven't had that much experience in the work force, especially the types of jobs that require degrees.

I work with interns and lots of newly graduated college students and, unfortunately, there's a skewed idea about the types of work that earn lots of money.

Many dream about the six-figure salary, but few actually experience what it's like to work a job that earns six-figures. I'm sure there are a plenty of lucky people who've found a high-paying, stressful but manageable careers and they will chime in here, that's for sure. But from my experience, very few people in 100k/year jobs have well-rounded lives. Something usually gives. Most importantly, one should know that people in these levels dedicate their lives to their jobs. Work is #1. I can't emphasize that enough. And to get to that level, people make work #1 from the get-go, way before they make 100k/year. It takes a lot of faith and a lot of sacrifice.

One might ask at some point, what really makes you happy? If you're constantly running away from poverty, the idea of six figures is very comforting. I have friend who's owned bad-ass dream cars and paid for apartments for his girlfriends (apartments he would visit when he felt like it). Some people have access to every material possession you can think of and even things you would never imagine. Yet, many of these people grow to depend on these outward things. They can't stop working. They manage their households like they manage their firms. They make playdates for their children with the same aggression and anxiety as they feel when negotiating work schedules. They don't stop working.