Student Accounts: Career & Salary Planning

How Much Will You Be Able to "Pay Later"?
To estimate how much debt you can afford when you graduate, take into consideration your expected starting salary. Try to be realistic when projecting your future earnings and the amount of living expenses after graduation. The links below will help you with an estimate. Then, estimate your anticipated level of debt (student loans, car payments, credit card payments, etc.) and monthly expenses (rent, utilities, food, car payment, entertainment, etc.). Subtract your debt/expenses from your expected salary. If you come up with a negative figure, then you cannot afford your projected payments, and should try to borrow less. The less you borrow today, the less you’ll have to repay later, so it’s wise to tighten your belt a little now so you’re not burdened with excessive debt in the future. 

To estimate the income you’ll need to support your lifestyle choices:

• Jump$start"s: Reality Check

For estimated salaries:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

For additional help with career and salary planning, please visit the following websites:

• Job Star Central
• Salary.com
• U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Salaries & Wages
• U.S. Department of Labor: Occupational Outlook Handbook
• U.S. Department of Labor: Salary Statistics
• College Grad

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