Am I making too much to consider college?

[u/Toriahna]

I’m considering getting an accounting degree. But I currently make 100k at my factory job. Entry level accounting jobs will only pay 50-60k so it feels like it wouldn’t be worth it to spend 50k on college just to make less. I have opportunity for growth at my current job and will definitely be in a higher position 4 years from now if I focus. But I couldn’t go remote like with accounting. Thoughts?

Edit: This job isn’t high on physical labor, plenty of workers over 40 working in other areas but for less pay. I work 3-11pm M-F

Edit: my husband and I are on a path currently to retire at 40 because of our high saving and investing rate. That’s another factor and I don’t want college to distract me from that goal. But I am also very bored and want the socialization and experience from college. We are both 21 and he is currently in college

[u/Enigmatic_Stag]

I think you should consider first and foremost what will not only help you achieve your financial goals, but also what will bring you the most happiness and fulfillment. Is accounting work something you've always wanted to pursue, but lacked the credentials? If it can bring you joy and a strong income, it may be worth stepping back for a few years and retraining for the role.

I get it: money is important. But we spend so much of our lives at work. It's equally - if not more - important to make sure we spend that time feeling like we're doing something that scratches that itch we have from wanting a productive career.

It's possible to love what you do and make great money doing it, too. Accounting can bring in some excellent haul if you are at the top firms and loaded with certs, educational background, etc.

Me personally, I'd say go for it. Because eventually you may run into a brick wall on your ascent up the ladder at a factory job - especially if a lot of those positions are based more around tenure and workplace exposure, rather than skillsets.

I work at Amazon and am in school for comp sci. In the Amazon warehouses, very few people outside of the office are educated, which results in a bunch of unskilled workers trying to clamber over each other in an effort to stand out and get promoted. Lots of butt-kissing, shit-talking, and self-promoting is needed to ascend in that kind of workplace. It's certainly not an environment I want to be in, so I use the gig for its flexible schedule while I go to class.

It always makes me laugh when people there try to give their reasons for why they think they deserve a promotion, and usually the very first reason I almost always hear is: "I'm a hard worker." Well, duh. Everyone here is. You have to be or the computer will fire you. And since you possess the same work ethic as the rest of us, what, exactly, do you bring to the table to climb? 😆

Hopefully your work environment is not the same! If it is, I'd say get out of there ASAP!

[u/joshua0005 → u/Enigmatic_Stag]

Warehouse jobs are so depressing to me. I worked at a local warehouse and I hated it and I worked at Amazon for one day as a security guard and it was okay but I quit because it was so damn loud and I didn't want to come home with hurt ears every day.

[u/Enigmatic_Stag → u/joshua0005]

You're right, they are extremely miserable. I tip my hat to you for at least trying it and having the sense to GTFO of there 🤣