What is a good salary?

There is more to a career than earning a good salary. Some people are concerned about the opportunity to do tasks that are meaningful and provide services to society. However, earning potential is a critical factor in choosing a career. Students often have distorted views of acceptable salaries because of media attention on the exceptional salaries of professional athletes and entertainers. What are the salaries like for people in the real world in which most of us live?

Salary Comparison
Median Per Capita Income for VA resident	$29,794
Median Per Capita Income for Chesterfield resident	$31,627
Median Family Income for Chesterfield Family	$58,534

“Median” means that there are as many people who earn salaries above this as those that earn below it. These salaries are from workers with all types of educational backgrounds and training.

Since you will be starting out at entry level positions whether you go to college or not, what are starting salaries like for recent college graduates? CareerBulder.com’s “Life at Work 2004” survey shows the percentage of job applicants and their starting salaries:

% of Graduates	Starting Salary
17%	Less than $20,000
43%	$20,000 to $29,999
26%	$30,000 to $39,999
8%	$40,000 to $49,999
7%	Starting at $50,000

What careers earn the top salaries? Check out the article Starting Salaries for In-Demand Careers.

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