can I provide enough for my family?

[benny613]

Hey everyone!

I love this forum and would like to thank all of you, it's a great help! I was hoping I could get some information regarding what's bothering me , and what's stopping me from my journey to become a P.A.

I live in new jersey, and I am worried that I will not be able to support my family by being a P.A.

in my community people have large families and tuition costs are very high, and so are other expenses.

I want to become a P.A, and money isn't everything however i have to know that i can provide for my family.

Is my information wrong on what P.A.S make?Are there ways and opportunities to earn a a few extra dollars? Are there specialties that can make more without being away at night or working crazy shifts?

Any information would help especially from p.a.s in the N.J. , N.Y. or P.A. area.

[EMEDPA]

you can make 90-150k as a pa. If you can't live on salaries in that range than pa isn't what you are looking for.

Lots of people work a full time job + some part time work for various reasons. I have 1 full time job, 1 part time job, and 1 per diem job. My reasons for working extra have very little to do with money and more with seeing a variety of pts in different situations.

[benny613]

Thank you for your response, I was hoping you would. ..

If you could make over 130k thats good. Can you make that in primary care?

[DiggySRNA]

I think whatever PAs are currently making is MORE THAN enough to support a family.

 

My family is made up of 4 individuals. My mom, the breadwinner makes an annual salary of <$30,000. At one point she was in debt >15K. 

 

I am the only one attending university and somehow we live comfortable. I work PT to pay for my car loan and insurance, while I and rely on school loans to pay for my tuition (public is the best option).

 

When you ask, will you be able to provide for your family as a PA...what do you mean? Your household, immediate, extended, or everyone?

 

 

PAs make great money andt after paying off your debt of ~120K, you will be making more than enough to live comfortably and provide for your family. 

[henryd]

bump this is something I wonder also. more replies would be great

[henryd]

Thank you for your response, I was hoping you would. ..

If you could make over 130k thats good. Can you make that in primary care?

this is something I wonder too at times.any ideas?

[LT_Oneal_PAC]

this is something I wonder too at times.any ideas?

Not likely.

[SHU-CH]

As a PA you will not starve but you will probably not be filthy rich. There are some states where you can do well if you are a bit of an entrepreneur, but New Jersey is not generally one of them. I won't say that NJ has the worst PA laws in the country, but it is top 3. Coupled with the expense of living here it can be a little rough.

[MT2PA]

this is something I wonder too at times.any ideas?

Maybe in an area with a high COL with years of experience under your belt you could make that much in primary care.

FWIW there are many families out there making substantially less and making it work. Send your kids to public school, teach them how to work and save money so they can afford college, don't buy the newest, most expensive cars....if you can't support a family on a PA salary you need to check your priorities.

[dndandrea]

You must have some very high standards if ~$100k/year isn't enough. Does your significant other or anyone else in the family work? I grew up in a family of 5 with a total house income of ~$70k. We considered ourselves pretty wealthy. Had a nice house, nutritious meals, nice cars, everyone went to college, etc... The average family makes less than $50k combined. You'll be living in much better conditions than most people. That doesn't mean you're rich and can buy VIP seats to professional sport games everyday or have a brand new Lexus. Sorry, I'm from the Midwest and $100k is considered a lot of money....

[DreamingPA]

You must have some very high standards if ~$100k/year isn't enough. Does your significant other or anyone else in the family work? I grew up in a family of 5 with a total house income of ~$70k. We considered ourselves pretty wealthy. Had a nice house, nutritious meals, nice cars, everyone went to college, etc... The average family makes less than $50k combined. You'll be living in much better conditions than most people. That doesn't mean you're rich and can buy VIP seats to professional sport games everyday or have a brand new Lexus. Sorry, I'm from the Midwest and $100k is considered a lot of money....

 

It depends on where the OP is planning to live in the future. In NY or SF or Los Angeles, 100k - more like 70K gross after taxes - is barely enough for a family of three or more. Most decent 3 bedrooms go for  $2700 to 4000 around here. If not, he might have to settle at some "dangerous" and shabby areas... If the OP settles in a place like Texas or Alabama (or pretty much anywhere in the midwest or South) 70K is more than enough to live comfortably. The cost of living is pretty cheap over there, although the standard of living sucks compare to  places like Cali.

[gbrothers98]

AAPA salary survey from 2013 for NJ shows salary range 85K to over 140k.

Higher salaries in surgery.

Several things to consider.

Salary surveys never give the best picture, are dependent upon participants and outdate quickly.

By the time you graduate, likely salaries will be higher.

Most households have more than one income to contribute to support of the family.

What 100k gets in one area is much different in others.

If income is the primary motivator, then pursue the option that will make you the most $$.

Good luck.

G Brothers PA-C

[DreamingPA]

G brother is right. OP, if you're doing PA  for money you need to go  look for something else. In fact, if your doing medicine (MD or DO or PA ) for money, ESPECIALLY primay care, you're totally doing it wrong. You should be doing all you can get into investment banking instead. Once you become an IB, you can probaly work  just 5 to 10 years and save a million or two. Afterward, you invest that amount wisely, from dividends and interests you can live comfortably. Moreover, you can get jobs elsewhere if you need to brining in more

 

PA or medicine is not where you can live comfortably with having a short career or being lazy, esp with the debt you will acrrue during PA or med school.

[HMtoPA]

 although the standard of living sucks compare to  places like Cali.

 

I've lived for many years in both CA and TX, and I certainly wouldn't say that CA has an objectively better standard of living.  In many ways, it's worse.  It really depends on the individual and their priorities.  I loved living in both places, but I can think of PLENTY of things I disliked about CA, and things I preferred about TX.  In my experience, many CA natives have a difficult time imagining living anywhere else, and think the rest of the country "sucks."  Pretty closed-minded, IMO.  

 

Not trying to start a flame war, it's just an observation.  and of course you're entitled to your opinion.

 

To the OP: you can make plenty of money as a PA.  If $100K+ is not enough, you might want to consider something else.  You won't get crazy rich doing this, but I'd venture to guess that many of us consider our lifestyles to be pretty solidly comfortable.

[cm7sus4]

 The cost of living is pretty cheap over there, although the standard of living sucks compare to  places like Cali.

 

You mean the same state that just had a few major cities declare bankruptcy, is in the middle of an unprecedented drought (interesting when you consider that nearly every southern inland metropolitan area is irrigated desert) wherein farmers have to adhere by archaic 19th century water sharing laws, and has some of the worst income disparities in the country?  I seem to remember some CA cities having unemployment rates as high as 30% (!!) during the recession, and I've never, ever been to a CA DMV during regulars hours where the line wasn't wrapped around the building.  Oh, and don't own a pickup truck in CA either because they charge an additional fee according to GVW.  I also seem to recall recent studies showing CA's population as a whole has been decreasing for the last few years...wonder why...

 

And how about those lovely racial profiling border patrol stations on the 5 and 15 just south of the OC?  You know, the ones that stop 4 lanes of 80mph traffic to look inside your car and see if you physically look like an illegal alien.  Those are a riot!

 

I think your blanket statement is a bit misguided.

[DreamingPA]

I am sorry you don't like living in Southern Cal. You're right, I probably shouldn't generalize everything. Things aren't as bad as it seems though. Yeah the cost of living and traffic here sucks but things can be worst. I have resided in various cities in the US, Europe and Asia in the past 15 years or so, and I personally think LA and SF are two of the top tier cities. There is a good reason why so many rich people want to live in LA or the bay area. On the other hand, life can be somewhat difficult for the working class I understand that. It is not like life is any easier in El Paso, TX or Columbus, GA or anything

 

You mean the same state that just had a few major cities declare bankruptcy, is in the middle of an unprecedented drought (interesting when you consider that nearly every southern inland metropolitan area is irrigated desert) wherein farmers have to adhere by archaic 19th century water sharing laws, and has some of the worst income disparities in the country? I seem to remember some CA cities having unemployment rates as high as 30% (!!) during the recession, and I've never, ever been to a CA DMV during regulars hours where the line wasn't wrapped around the building. Oh, and don't own a pickup truck in CA either because they charge an additional fee according to GVW. I also seem to recall recent studies showing CA's population as a whole has been decreasing for the last few years...wonder why...

 

I think your blanket statement is a bit misguided.

[cm7sus4]

I am sorry you don't like living in Southern Cal.

 

 

I never said that, I'm just calling a spade a spade.  When I was in the Navy, I had a housing allowance and lived in a studio above an antique store about 3 blocks from the beach.  Had a huge bay window with a nice ocean sunset every day.  Spent some time in Santa Barbara too, that was awesome. 

 

When I was a kid in the midwest, housing bubbles started developing at a cyclic rate in my state because Californians and Texans began realizing how cheap property was.  They started selling their modest homes and bought up huge lots in small midwestern towns with very nice homes while still pocketing the difference.  I've also been all over the world, and find quality of life in the midwest is outstanding.  Where I currently live has been consistently rated by a couple of national publications as a top 10 city for qulaity of life for the past 5 years or so.  It most certainly is easier around other states...do you know why L.A. is considered so expensive to live in?  Not necessarily because the rent is expensive (though it is relative to, obviously, less expensive metropolitan areas in the midwest) but because the working class doesn't earn enough money to pay average rents, and are only left with subsidized projects, multi-family units, shanty studios blah blah.  Average minimum wage is less around here, but average rents are also much much less than CA, and someone like me, who lives off of a salary which is about $20k per year less than the national average for someone with my degree, can afford to rent a good size house (I could afford to buy something even bigger with more property...rent is always more expensive per month), a kid, awesome health insurance, a brand new car and the insurance it requires, and plenty of cash left over for beer, trips to the local boutique grocer and trips across the state to see family on a regular basis.  That just doesn't happen when you earn an average middle class income in CA unless you live out in the desert, up in the mountains, or in the boonies of pot country.

 

There are many things I love about Cali - #1 being the access I have to a 100+acre ranch in the middle of the coastal hills of Humboldt county, just outisde of Redway/Garberville.  However, I wouldn't trade what I have and where I live currently for a beach house in Half Moon Bay...taxes and rent are ludicrous, air quality around much of the state is bad on a good day, traffic is downright stupid (ever been on the 91 between LA and IE?  It's like rush hour 24/7.  Exits backed a 1/2 mile from the light are commonplace), and racism isn't just a big city problem.  I remember how much of a shocker it was while volunteering in Wyoming and found out that no one locks their doors.  I had a hard time sleeping that night because of that, and not having my .45 under my pillow made it worse.

 

I think I'm starting to sound like an ass, sorry about that.  Ironically, if the Navy will take me as a PA, then I will ask to go right back to Camp Pendleton with the Marines...which is right in between OC and Oceanside.  Wouldn't stay there forever, mind you.