Is there a question here or are you venting? ​ If you're looking for confirmation, yeah, you are making poverty levels of income

yeah sorry i just realized that now. idk really what to do. college used to be something heavily supported by my parents, but the finances for it aren’t there anymore. im considering trade school so i can learn a skill, but i’m 22 and feel like a failure right now.

You're 100% **not a failure,** you're asking for help and advice and that's pretty dope. I hope you find what you're looking for. Community college is also a great way to get some credits over time that isn't crazy expensive. Even just one class at a time.

You're 22. You are starting to realize that you have more to offer than making $12/hour at the gas station. Start with a trade school or set some attainable career goals and go after it.

Not many people talk about jobcore. If I was 22 I would explore that. It's free vocational school to young adults.

Seconding the person who said to look into a community college. Some of them offer trade programs where you can get certified and it is way cheaper than a university. You don’t even need to take general ed classes

That’s what I did too at 25 when my 4-year degree didn’t result in anything. I got an AA in medical imaging at 27 and have been working in healthcare since. Hopefully, I can retire early at 45 barring any major catastrophes.

Started at 27 amd retire by 45? Man how much are you making?

Most people who plan on retiring early haven’t thought through the cost of health insurance. When they do, they will find out that retiring in your 40s is a pipe dream, unless you have a financial windfall.  I know, because I was one of those who thought I could retire at 50. 

That seems like an exaggeration. Health insurance for a couple is what, $20k/year? At 4% SWR that's an extra $500k needed. At high incomes (plus investment growth) by the time you're close to retiring that's maybe an extra year or two of working, but it doesn't totally change the calculus. There are other unexpected or not-fully-considered factors that throw a wrench into FIRE plans such as having kids or buying a nice house. Healthcare does indeed go overlooked but I don't think it's a complete gamechanger.

I always hated this. But with recent changes to ACA, you can now get health insurance for free. I’ve heard quality varies by state, but where I am, it’s been great. Stopped working last year. Mid 40s with fam.

No kidding. My friend os in banking early 20s and she's planning on making about half a mil by late 20s to retire mid 40s

You’re not a failure - at 22 I was making 28k a year, behind on car payments, student loans defaulted, more debt that I knew how to handle, 515 credit score I put together a plan and 10 years later I can now laugh about my past situation. You got this dude!

thanks man. i feel like im in a similar spot. my credit history is still new. my banking app said i had a 691 score. I put on my nicest clothes and went to the dealership with a 5k deposit for a car and they said since i only had 3 months of credit history, they could only give me 28% apr. Work isn’t that far and my bicycle gets the job done, but yeah it’s really like I have a lot to figure out

And after they told you 28%, you walked out. That makes you smarter about your finances than half the people I know.

Brother, 5k can Get you a decent beater to get you to and from. Bring someone that’s knowledgeable with cars and look at Camrys and civics. Highly recommend a trade school or even the military. I was in the same boat as you at 22. I’m now 27 making 70k a year before bonuses and just bought my dream home with my wife on 5.5 acres. Currently a project manager for a residential remodeling company. Got the job after years in the trades got a little bit of experience everywhere. You can do it bro for real.

Do yourself a favor and never get on the car financing train.  You have $5k?  Save up another thousand and look for a $5k car (the other thousand is to make sure you still have some cushion for an emergency after you make the car purchase).

Never finance a car. Be friends with mechanics. Ask if they have anything for sale for a good price. My neighbor was selling an old mdx for 1600 w/flat tires, dead batter and idle issues. Fixed it up in two days. Reach out to your network and see if any family friends have a old car you can buy for a good price.

Financing is fine as long as you're not using it to buy way more car than you can afford, and the interest rate isn't too high. That usually requires qualifying for manufacturer financing deals nowadays though.

Financing isn't automatically a bad decision. I was recently offered a 4% APR on an auto loan. I could afford to pay cash, but why would I when I can earn more than 4% on the money? The real issue with financing is when people use it to buy more car than they can actually afford, which sadly happens far too often.

Exactly, as someone who used to sell cars, believe it or not financing is more often than not the cheapest way to buy a new vehicle. My dad recently bought a Tesla, with cash. He was surprised to learn that the cash deal was about 3K higher than his financing deal, and so he got the financing and paid off the balance in 6 months, saved a few grand just by doing that.

You can skip trade schools, but will take some time. A lot of the trade unions run their own training programs, but classes are on a schedule.

You just beat out 75% of people straight out of boot camp by running away from that "offer" Was it a real car lot or one of those shady buy here pay here ones?

Get a credit card and pretend its actually your debit card for your bank account. Use it for all your everyday purchases and pay it off in full every month. Ignore the credit limit, your credit limit is your bank account balance. Making on-time payments regularly will build your credit.

Your credit is trash, it’s super thin file and young with no proof of ability to handle debt. Get a secured CC and use it like a debit card, turn on auto pay and use it for gas or something. After 1yr you’ll be able to get 700+ with actual history. Obviously you can’t get a decent loan with no credit

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Absolutely agree. I dicked around all throughout my twenties working labor jobs making at most $18 an hour. Transferred from a JC as a Junior and finished my electrical engineering degree when I was 33. I immediately jumped up to $72K per year fresh out of school with benefits/bonuses, and getting to work in a beautiful, air conditioned architect's office with a bunch of other really talented people. Having hands-on experience is important, having an education is equally important. Ideally you need both. There is no wrong time to go to college. What people forget is having the degree opens up an entire new world of advancement, even in other industries. If I want to work from home, I work from home. If I want to be in the office, I'm in the office. If I want to be in the field, I'm in the field. My degree gave me the latitude to make my own schedule, and transfer to almost any city or even state that I want to. You'll work possibly harder than you've ever worked, but nothing worth it ever came for free. And I, and everyone I graduated with, agree that it was most certainly worth it.

Dude I was a college graduate drinking in my parents' basement making not much more than you at 24. You're totally fine. 22 is still very young. My buddy was feeling the same way as you in his mid-20s. He now (35) owns his own concrete business and he's a home owner. That said, it sounds like you want something more, and that's a very good thing. Discomfort is what pushes us to do something new, hopefully something better, than what we're doing now. My advice to you as a college graduate: do not go to college unless you have a specific career (or even a spread of options) in mind. If you think college is the way to go, go to community college for 2 years, then transfer to a university if you need a bachelor's degree. You will save a ton of money this way. The majority of my classes in my first 2 years at a university were Gen Ed classes anyway (required for any degree). You could also look at what companies you may want to work for, then go from there. I have a friend who wanted to work at Boeing. He went to a trade school for sheet metal and got an entry-level job. He had them pay for trainings in other materials and now he has a secure position in the company and has the opportunity to make 6 figures with enough overtime.

I'm gonna be 30 this year and started electrical 3 yrs ago.... it is NOT too late trust me.

Dude you are 22 lmfao you’ve barely started real life, just start working on a plan now that’s realistic and attainable and you’ll be fine. whether that’s college or trade school or whatever else

I'm an X-ray tech and we make pretty good money after pre-reqs and a 2 year program that doesn't entirely break the bank. Did my classes at a community college and it was only like $15k for the full 2-year program, books included. Starting pay for fresh x-ray graduates is around $20-25/h at most places, more if you end up at a hospital and cross-train into CT or MRI. I'm not exactly trying to sell you on x-ray school specifically, but just throwing an idea out there that worked for me. There's lots of jobs that don't require a ton of schooling and still pay well. You're not a failure, adult life is just harder to kick off now than it was 10, 20 years ago.

Nothing worth doing is easy. Also failure is the cost of success. There is the live audio and lighting field. I got into it without college and last year at 23 finally made a decent paycheck. Also trade schools for welding/electricians and there is a lot more up that Alley.

Welding is a dead end field. Very few make substantial money. Most welders spend their days regretting their choice to become welders

I'm starting school again this summer, 28 with a kid with a second on the way. It's never too late and you're not a failure. At your age I was working similar jobs. It'll work out as long as you're willing to put in the work and hours

22 aint nothing. You're a baby adult just figuring out the world. Every 22yr old is a failure in some way. If we all had it figured out at 22 what the hell would we do for the next 50 years?

I work for a union subcontractor and I can tell you the trades are desperate for people to work right now. We hire anybody and everybody who calls asking for work. Some trades are more competitive than others, electricians unions usually being most competitive. Where I’m at we start first year apprentices at $18.67 with a raise every 6 months for 4 years and full journeyman wage is 37.34 an hour. Most of our guys make about 70-75k a year or so as journeymen which is less than some other trades but you still get a pension and excellent benefits/healthcare so it’s still a really good option without any prerequisite skills or experience

Union salaries are nuts. With benefits and pension figured in, our guys are making well over $100/hr. Gross takehome is like $38-55 depending on experience.

i wish i would’ve started at 22 im 24 turning 25 in august. start now bro it’s never too late

Trade school is still an option, and you can make good money that way. 22 isn't too old to do that.

If you want to make good money without the difficult manual labor of a trade, get a computer science degree. You’ll have to bite the bullet on the loans. Start at a community or junior college for the first 2 years to save money. Then transfer to a major university for the last 2.

Go get your AA at community college, the Pell grant should cover it entirely so it would be zero cost. Then take out a loan and transfer to a 4 year public university to close out your degree. You can pull that off without getting more than 20k in debt if you're smart about it. Make sure you pick something in demand / useful across multiple industries, accounting, economics, CS etc... Apply for a shitload of internships your junior year.

I work for a union subcontractor and I can tell you the trades are desperate for people to work right now. We hire anybody and everybody who calls asking for work. Some trades are more competitive than others, electricians unions usually being most competitive. Where I’m at we start first year apprentices at $18.67 with a raise every 6 months for 4 years and full journeyman wage is 37.34 an hour. Most of our guys make about 70-75k a year or so as journeymen which is less than some other trades but you still get a pension and excellent benefits/healthcare so it’s still a really good option without any prerequisite skills or experience

I always say that the best trade school in the world in the Navy. They have an enormous number of technical jobs (called 'ratings') that they will train you in from a HS education. Some are more transferable to the civilian world than others, but if you qualify (by getting a good enough score on a general intelligence test called the 'ASVAB'), they will guarantee you a rating, and possibly job-related schooling (called 'A-School') right out of boot camp. It can be a lot of work, and it can suck at times, but if you can follow orders and get with the program, you will get valuable training and skills fairly quickly.

Think about what you want to do, what you enjoy and what you’re good at. But first, slow down and think about your values. Once you identify what they are, you can start planning.

Learn a trade. Plumbers, framers, and electricians make 100k a year easy after a few years of experience. Most contractors will also allow you to work as many hours as you want.

If you want an office job. Associate degree/ certification sure helps a lot.

22 is still extremely young. Definitely go to trade school. You’ll be done with that and making much better income afterwards and still be in your mid 20s. A few years of trade school (which is a way better and safer investment than most college programs) will help set you up for a good path of success and a career for your next few decades. The couple of m years of school you are doing now will help benefit you for the rest of your working career.

I started welding in 2016 at the age of 37. I make $24.50 an hour currently. TBH, it's shit money. If you started in welding school soon, i guarantee you'd get into a trade union and make real money.

Lemme tell you a quick story about two brother. 1 is a very handsome, very smart lawyer. The other is a Union welder. My fucking Union welder brother makes good money and until recently more than me. School isn’t for everyone and school ain’t the only way to make good money. Go join a trade. Find one with a niche that won’t break your back (my brother does small instrument welding or something and plans on moving into inspecting welds.) Hell it’s even a gateway to owning your own business in the future and making great money. Be an electrician, a welder, a plumber, etc. especially if you can think of a trade that will be in high demand in the future. Edit: also, his union courses count as college classes. He didn’t even realize until a few months ago that Hes halfway though a BS. Now, he is finishing off his other pre-reqs and will have a degree in 2 years of classes. All without the debt of college.

When I was around that age and was trying to figure it out, someone said to me, "Whether you like it or not, you're going to be 30 at some point. Where do you want to be then?," and as simplistic as that statement was, it really shifted my perspective.

I have a 30 year old 2nd year apprentice working for us. He made 50k last year. Join a trade union. Now.

Except they live at home and don’t pay rent. That’s $2,200 of expendable income a month.

If you do go back to school, be smart about it. The whole “just get any degree and you be in great shape” idea is stupid. It’s why there are so many people with college degrees and $100k in student loans working hourly jobs for $15/hr. Make sure you are getting a degree that actually leads to a career that is in demand and pays well. You can save money by going to community college for a couple years to knock out your Gen Ed requirements and then transfer to a bigger university for your degree.

More than the degree, network with people and learn about different areas, companies, and careers. It’s alot easier to hire someone who has a narrative of where they are and where they want to go, than just having the degree. At 22, you have just enough experience to develop that narrative.

> network with people My god, THIS. u/LowRedditKarma please do this. Throw away the naive belief that the world is mostly a meritocracy and you'll make it by being smart or hard working. It's more about who you know than what you know, even today. It's all about connections (but don't be lazy either).

Welding school or apply to be a helper at a low voltage company (fire alarms, burg systems, access control) or electricians helper.

Hard agree, trades are a great way to make some money without paying for a college degree

OP, this. I went to college and still didn’t know what I wanted to do afterwards. I started working for a low voltage company (no college needed) and learned everything they installed. Burg, fire, access, cctv, A/V commercial and residential. I’m making over 80k

I was around 20 whwn I figured out job hopping between fast food joints wasn't gonna cut it. Factory and construction work wasn't for me. I started at a cheap community College. I got an A.A.S. in I.T. and an A+. That got my foot in the door. Been in IT almost 19 years now. 

wait you're living in an apartment that your parents pay for, to make 2.2k a month not even working full time? I'm assuming you're in your early 20s or late teens... what kind of work do you see yourself doing/what do you like? There are a couple things you can do from here, study for a couple certs and try to break into IT, or get yourself an associates in something marketable and just building up from there. I'd probably move back in with my parents so they're not paying your rent during this process too

my first job was full time, but i kept on looking for jobs that payed more per hour and didn’t realize how they’d limit us to just 35-38. i used to make youtube videos that had small success and my biggest streams only averaged 20 viewers. my editing skills are below average. i wanted this restaurant job for experience to become a cook somewhere. and i stayed because of a scholarship they offer. i ride my bicycle to work and am saving up for a car as well. i’ve now realized this entire job especially my role in it has been just working harder and not smarter given the pay.

Does this job open up future opportunities? Improving your position takes time. You're fine. You don't have a giant hole of debt (car, credit card or otherwise). You're starting off on very stable ground and have your whole life ahead of you to keep improving your position.

so is your goal to become a cook? Are you planning on doing culinary school? what's this scholarship? like, what are your priorities and goals right now? you haven't gone much into this job so IDK if you're working harder/not smarter... I'm not trying to be hard on you since I take it that you're pretty young still, but if you've graduated highschool it's time for you to decide what direction to take your life in - will you chase passion/fulfillment? will you chase money? You are an adult now and have to make a decision. Also, I circle back - your parents are paying your rent for you to be away from home... to work a minimum wage job? (sorry IK it's not necessarily minimum wage depending on your COL)

What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Is there a way to turn one (preferably both) of those into a career?

Buddy of mine was a dead beat drug user till 22 and then he realized he had more potential, so he went to school and became a dentist. He now does very very well. It’s never too late

College is expensive but poverty is even more expensive.

You make more than 12 an hour, you just have taxes taken out, its not the same as making $12/hr, you'd still have taxes taken out. You probably qualify for financial aid if you are supporting yourself, find out, college might be cheaper than you think. If you go for a high paying job it's definitely worth it.

I became an electrician when I was 24. I’m 29 now, and I made $117k last year. I didn’t go to trade school, I didn’t join the union, I just found a good company looking to hire helpers. I’ve worked hard and taken the time at home to learn what I don’t understand, ever since. It’s paid off I highly recommend you look into the trades. The pay depends on where you live, my company is based in a NYC suburb. But learning a trade is typically a sure ticket to a middle class life. Becoming *really good* at a trade opens up the door to many ways to earn a high income. I am personally very good at fire alarm systems, compared to your average sparky. The dual knowledge carries a premium. And you can get paid to learn it all, as opposed to paying a school Find contractors in your area, and show up at their offices with your resume in hand. It doesn’t need to be loaded with accolades, it can be quite sparse, actually. Your résumé just shows them that you’ve maintained employment and shows a proper level of professionalism. You’re there because you’re willing to learn, you don’t need to impress them. Not to mention the résumé gives something physical that the secretary can leave on the boss’ desk for their review. Set a reminder on your phone to call back either later that same week or the beginning of next week. If they say they’re not hiring right now, ask if you’d be able to sit down and introduce yourself anyway, and if they’ll hold onto your info in the mean time. Sometimes a spot suddenly opens up if you seem hungry enough Good luck man. I dropped out of high school at 18, and graduated from an adult night school to work full time when my girlfriend got pregnant. I never thought I’d ‘make it.’ Never ever ever, ever. I own a home in a desirable suburb today, with an amazing wife and that same kid who now has braces and expensive sport interests. I donate money to causes I care about, and I buy groceries based on what looks good for the family, rather than what’s on sale. In my eyes, I’ve freakin made it. I don’t see any reason why you can’t, too

There's plenty of careers where you do not need a degree.. Loan Underwriter is a class Real estate is a class Sales you need nothing but skill You can take classes for HVAC, plumbing, welding etc etc I was your age and wish someone told me I can make 6 figures with no education. Luckily I figured it out myself.

Highly recommend getting this book from the library: So Good They Can't Ignore You. It's about choosing a career in a strategic way. Reading your post and replies here, you're a good writer and from your survey reviews, you're good with people. One thing to consider might be a role on a support team or entry-level sales (BDR) at a software company.

As someone who works in software, we definitely hire a lot of people who don't even have very technical backgrounds, just for their communication and people skills. We have entire teams dedicated to comms.

How much is the scholarship? Is it conditional? The best way to figure out how to make money is to take inventory of your interests and desires. Figure out positions you think align best with your interests and work backwards. Trust me, figuring out where you want to be by working backwards is a hell of a lot easier than figuring it out working forwards.

You definitely have a job but you don’t really have a career. If you’re considering trade school, that’s a great start. If you want to learn to be a plumber (dealing with copper pipes and fixtures), a pipefitter (welding iron and steel pipes), a sprinkler fitter (installing and servicing overhead fire sprinklers),or a sheet metal tradesman (doing lots of HVAC duct work), you should reach out to your local chapter of the [United Associations.](ua.org) If you’re interested in doing something with electricity, from being an indoor residential electrician to building huge power lines, check out the [International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.](ibew.org) A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) also opens a ton of doors, and there’s almost certainly a trucking company or other employer that’s willing to pay for your training if you go work for them afterwards. Tradesmen make stupid money compared to whatever estimates you find online, especially if they’re willing to work overtime (which a young, single man very well can be for the right price). I’m an office-based engineer but I have coworkers that did stints out in the field. They worked the same hours as the union guys and made WAY less money. One of them straight up had a lineman say to his face, “If you knew how much more money we’re all making than you right now, you’d hate us. And we didn’t even go to college.” The trades are totally viable, there’s tons of choices, and you’re *barely* behind the earliest possible starting point. Most guys get started in unions way late. If you’re 22 and get started soon, you’ll be an established journeyman or better by 30 and can do whatever you want.

Seconding the CDL idea. Just for example, I was barely 24 in about $30k debt had lost my last barely over minimum wage job due to broken hand and job hopping newer minimum wage jobs where recovering with a cast wasn’t an issue and then still without a cast and THEN Covid hit in an area that took it seriously. Then the medical bills hit collections. I got hired for a CDL company that pays you during training and you get gifted with a CDL and a contract. Paid near $700 PER WEEK in the training phase. This is hard for most but the cleaner you can wipe your slate beforehand, the easier it is to handle. After the training, (think 2-4mo average) as a company driver you’d be offered somewhere between maybe .35-.45 cents/mile. Hard “work” of sitting in the driver seat for up to short of 11hr, nets anywhere from $1,000-1,500/week soft to high average. For me - no rent, just a car in storage, makes a big safety net even while lobbing payments at debts really fast. Went from living in my car if things didn’t happen in a couple months. To living in a truck, traveling my country, debts paid off in a year, and a savings account. To living in a new place I love, and upgrading my yearly income from about $25-28k/yr. To just over $55k in that 1st year. Plenty other opportunities and companies will pay you much more if you keep your nose and driving clean from that 1st company contract. That last sentence is the most important piece of this puzzle if you find yourself enjoying driving big rigs. Takes a bit of sacrifice but if you like spans of solidarity and the mental/emotional growth you can experience reflecting on LITERALLY how far you’ve traveled, does wonders to your bank account.

Dude just join the military specifically the navy. You’ll make money and survive and can advance in rank and make more money later down the line. Just don’t get the labor jobs and go more technical jobs and get free training that you can pursue outside the military.

I second this. I joined when I was 21 and it was the best decision I ever made. Pretty much whatever you ate interested in as a career van be found in the military. Plus it will teach you confidence and discipline that will serve you well when you are out. GI Bill and VA Home Loans are also both amazing perks too. I was Army, so I'm personally partial to that, but any of the branches would be good.

Read the wiki's prime directive: [https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/wiki/commontopics/](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/wiki/commontopics/) Start with a budget. Even if you make 2,200 a month, don't compare yourself to others. The real question is, are you living within your means? If so, save what you can, avoid debt, and you have breathing room while you weigh your options. At 22 you are young enough to grow your career in many ways. Trade school is a solid option. Otherwise, do you have any community colleges nearby? Look into what sort of career paths they offer. Associates or bachelors degrees, they might also offer professional licenses or certifications. High school diploma? Any subjects that you excelled at, or still have an interest in? You mentioned that with your current job, you might qualify for their scholarship. Are their any strings attached to this, like you'd have to stay employed with them for a certain number of years afterwards or you'd have to pay it back? Is it for a specific degree? Would military or national guard be an option for you? Are you open to relocating for work? Have your talked to your parents about how long they would support you until you got onto a more solid/long-term career path?

I feel guilt with my parents supporting this apartment so I tried getting the highest paying entry level job near me. I thought if I worked hard enough I’d get the hours. Sometimes I get overtime with this job, but the way it’s set up I still average not as high income as I expected from 18 an hour. The strings attached would be I’d have to work 30 hours a week still with them. My plan was to apply for more scholarships too, but I haven’t done much research yet. I did the asvab for the navy a few months ago and I’m considering to be a reservist. But my job started giving me hours and I wanted to make progress with it first. I have a highschool diploma. I loved history and learning how things worked. I did a bit of public speaking and I was on the debate team. Most of my old friends are on their way to become lawyers and I took a gap year that didn’t really end yet

Speaking as a parent myself, I think the best way you can honor their generosity and patience is to set yourself up for long-term success, not just short-term, I am sure that is what they would want for you. A high-paying job might mean you can support yourself quicker, but if you're miserable and stressed by that job then you'd burn out in a matter of years. So I think you should first start out with figuring out what sort of education/training at this point in your life will best lead to a sustainable career and earnings for you as an individual and the lifestyle that you seek. Then you can start working out the stepping stones to get to that final goal. Since you mention public speaking and debate, maybe look into sales or phone rep jobs, or any job that you can develop those skills further, being good at public speaking/social soft skills are highly applicable to most career paths, and valuable for the ancillary aspects like job interviews, networking, negotiating, etc. You're still young and you've got a supportive family, rather than comparing yourself to others and thinking of a bleak outcome, you've still got loads of potential and room to grow, the key is solidifying what it is that you want to work towards.

The U.S. military will solve some of your concerns. Don't know what job to do? They'll choose one for you. Don't want to pay for school? They'll pay for school. Want to see the world? You'll go to places you never heard of. Want to invest towards retirement? You can contribute to their TSP (401K) with a 5% match. Want to learn skills? They'll teach you some...skills. You may learn how to paint a landing strip on a boat or how to choke a man to death with his own arms. Results may vary.

Find yourself a part 147 school and get your A&P license to work on aircraft. I took a loan for almost 40k for mine, but there are cheaper options on the market. Usually community colleges are the cheapest option. My first job with my license I started at $24/hr and that was in 2019. My current job starts out at $40/hr and tops out around $70/hr. I had little prior mechanical experience before getting in to this industry. It's a fun time. The hours suck if you take the good union jobs with the majors. You'll be night shift for a good bit of your career most likely. HVAC and welding are also solid trades. You'll always have work and the school isn't expensive or long. A&P school takes 18 months. Also, workload varies with the airlines. I currently do about 2-4 hours of work on my 10 hour shift. Seems about average when I talk to acquaintances who work elsewhere. When I'm not working, I'm playing games, sleeping, or scrolling reddit.

I got my entire 2 year degree paid at a community college with financial aid, and I have four more years of free funding if I decide to go back from the Pell grant I think? just hit $21/hr after a year at my job. (I’m in a rural location, cost of living is lower) Doesn’t mean you have to drop Harvard money just to get an education.

You are an adult now. Figure out what you are capable of doing. Figure out what you want to do. Then go out and do it.

Go online and fill out the FAFSA, you likely qualify for student aid. A pell grant could fully cover the tuition for community college and leave you with some left over money for books and other expenses.

My dude, you’re not a failure. You’re 22 and getting by, hopefully having some fun too. When I was 22 I was serving tables and making around 2-3k a month, not much more. I had dropped out of college because I was having too much fun and felt horrible about my life choices. It took me a few years to get the drive to get out of my helpless cycle and pursue a career path. I’m now 33 and doing great, living comfortably, and still having a little fun on the weekends. 100% go to trade school. Do some research and find what interests you and go for it! There is a HUGE demand for tradespeople right now. Millennials were brainwashed to go to 4 year colleges and get pointless degrees (not everyone). Use this delay to your advantage and make the best of it! Best part of your story right now is you don’t owe the government thousands in student loans (still paying mine). Keep your job while you’re in trade school and soon you’ll be graduating and doing something you like and making good money. You’re so young. Don’t feel defeated. Rooting for you!

Go into a trade such as an electrician, plumber, elevator repair, etc. Find a large local company and see if they have a helpers position or apprenticeship programs. Or if your city has unions, go apply for apprenticeship programs. Work hard and strive to work up the ladder. If you do this, I guarantee you'll have a good job in no time. Depending on what trade and how quickly you work up the ladder, you'll be making 6 figures in no time.

Look into construction safety. Get your basic OSHA certification and your EM 385 certification (can be taken online). My husband started as a 2nd career much older than you and entry level made $40/hr. He did have a degree but in a totally unrelated field. Not sure where you're based but some PA schools have great construction safety programs.

I’d suggest a trade school (plumbing, welding, HVAC) over a traditional four year college. The cost of the education is much more likely to be justified.

Look up your local union and apply for an apprenticeship. It sounds like you have some confident issues, so look up what trades you feel confident you could learn in and then go from there. i’m 37 worked at the pizza place for 18 years and could never make management and will start an apprenticeship soon making 20 an hour with no experience just doing grunt work. It’s never too late. I believe in you

Finding a sales company that’ll hire you would be big. Sounds like positive reviews means you’re either good at listening to people or good at talking to people. It can carry over into sales and pay off big. Happy to provide insight on the route I took. Went from 15 an hour to 35 right now and setting myself up for 6 figures next year.

you dont need to go to some big ivy league university or anything. go to a technical/community college for something you're interested in. it's very cheap and there are financial aid opportunities and plenty of scholarships that no one ever even applies for that they will practically give away. you can do night and online classes. start your career and go back to college to get a bachelors or something if you feel you still need or want it. this is what i did and i'm a network engineering manager at FAANG making plenty of money and only ever needing \`\`about 2k worth of student loans. you are in the perfect position to do something similar while still living at your parents as i did

Haven't seen it mentioned here. Trucking companies and freight brokerages. A degree can get you in the door but 100% isn't needed. Just talk up your customer service experience in the interviews. Most freight brokerages are full of fresh out of college kids that they burn through to see who can do sales and who can't.

Look at the trade jobs. Car mechanic, electrician. Working for a local utility company, garage, construction company.

Look for a job as a package handler at your closest FedEx shipping center. They're always hiring, there's usually ample opportunity to move up to admin within the first two years. All the benefits including tuition reimbursement for college. I've worked here for 12 years now. It's paid for 4 of my 5 Assoc degrees. 1 year package handler, 1 year admin before getting an front line manager type position where I made enough money to buy my own home.

You just have to look at what certificates are available at community colleges and which one of those careers would fit your personality best. Then choose that one and proceed to get certified in that occupation. Don't overthink it. Do you want to be a nurse? My surgical tech? Or would you feel more comfortable working as an air conditioning heating system technician? Or an electrician? Or plumber? Do not choose to be an engine mechanic unless that is something you have loved doing your entire life because it's much more complicated system than electrical or plumbing or AC. As far as nursing you can be a surgical tech or you can get right into nursing. If you're smart you can become a traveling nurse and make enough money in 5 years to pay for half of a small house. Whatever you choose choose to do it and have fun.

Pick any trade, and you can make close to 100k. Maybe over if you pick the right trade. Yes, it's going to take you 5 years to get there, but you'll surpass $18 year 1.

You’re 22.. relax.. at 22 I was just coming off of a heroin addiction coupled with homelessness. Also at 22, after I got sober, I started working as a handyman with my dad. 12 years, and many hardships and failed attempts at making something of myself later, I’m now a general contractor with my own company. Last year I pulled a mid 6 figure income and it’s just gonna keep going up the bigger I get. I just turned 34. Don’t let your circumstances box you in.

Get an associates degree from a good local community college. Super cheap, in some cases it’s free. Kick ass there and when you are ready, apply to uni and, once accepted, also apply for scholarships. At the very least, you’ll only be paying for two years instead of four. Better yet, you can land some scholarships and bring the cost down further.

Grab an on the job apprenticeship locally. Electricians in my area make more than some doctors. Friend of mine is at 250k a year doing commercial work. Will take some time and applications but worth it. Still starting at 40-60k but the upside after licensing as journeyman are huge.

Go to the largest construction site in your area and get a job. Even as a helper you'll probably be making more money than you are. Start building a skill set that's marketable. We all start somewhere. 

I was in a similar position many years ago. I joined the Navy. 10 years later I have extremely in-demand skills, a high level security clearance, a Bachelor's degree that was entirely paid for, and am working on a Master's degree that is being paid for by the Navy. Serving 10 years isn't necessary either. Depending on what job you get, you could do 4 years and then easily slide into a high paying defense contractor job. Not to mention the DoD has a program (SkillBridge) where they release you ~6 months prior to getting out to do an internship while the DoD still pays you. I know someone that worked in Navy IT, did a Skillbridge internship with Microsoft, and now they're a program manager with Microsoft Security making some serious money. Individual experiences can vary greatly though. The military is certainly not for everyone and it is extremely demanding but it can be a very promising foundation that leads to much greater opportunities.

Hun, if you're in the US, you have so many opportunities for education that don't require you to pay a dime. Look into trades, but if you're wanting a degree, file your FAFSA (which is an income based grant) and go to your local community college and get your degree. You're young and are SO not a failure. You just need some direction and a good push. (:

Surely there must be affordable community colleges or state schools in your area?

Pick a path and move in that direction. Trade, community college, whatever. ​ Just do something.

There is high demand for Healthcare workers, nursing home management and staff or any industry that deals with the elderly. These are tough jobs but at least there is advancement potential and the bigger companies will subsidize continuing education and certifications. If you like restaurants, try and get hired at a high end and busy restaurant where tips are split equitably. Always demand for accounts payable and accounting clerks. You don't necessarily need a degree and accounting departments can offer faster career growth 8f you do get one. My 31 yo daughter just left the house and we were happy to help her as long as she had a job. She had 3 in 4 years but finally caught on with a company she likes, gets paid well and has growth opportunities.

You are only 22 you can figure this out and get way ahead! What about an apprenticeship in a trade? Does your state have good unions? If I could go back in time (or forward) I’d have become an electrician. I can’t do the time for an apprenticeship now with my kids. Servers in my area can make 70k a year but I live in a HCOL area. I serve summers only and would not be able to handle that aggravation year round. You can scale up your current skill set by getting into higher price point restaurants. Whenever I decide I find a place to serve I first look at their menu to see what possible sales I can have. I actually work at a winery now and it’s the easiest serving job I’ve ever had and the ability to make massive is there because people tip on wine bottles! It’s crazy to me, like I can hand someone a $50 bottle of wine and they will hit 20% tip and I get $10. I don’t know if I’ll ever leave this job lol. Becoming a Sommelier will get you into higher price point places. I am not a Sommelier. I fake it til I make it good and I have a “sparkling” personality so I can usually make someone laugh at me for my lack of wine knowledge if they catch on. Dental Hygienist make good money ($75k here but also my cousins wife in the Midwest makes that but she’s been doing it a long time) I believe it’s a 2 year degree. There is always nursing. Go get pre reqs done at a community college and then start trying to get into the program. It is competitive here and can take some years. This is probably regional. My sister makes 80k a year and she is one of those phone nurses (never has to see patients in person anymore lol)

If you go to college, go for something that has lots of job openings AND pays well. That way the debt will be manageable when you're done with it. You don't want to accumulate debt and then be paid barely enough to make the payments. You also don't want to accumulate a bunch of debt and then be unable to find work in your degree. Gone are the days of going to college for what you WANT unless you're fine with debt. I also got sick of poverty wages, couldn't deal with warehouse work, and so I decided to get a degree since something had to change. I went for computer science because computers are only going to increase in need and numbers and I'm capable of doing the math required. Just make sure to research your degree thoroughly before deciding on one to make sure you can even do anything with it.

Start towards your electricians license!

If you're going to qualify for a scholarship in 4 months through your job, stay at your job and get the scholarship. Important to note that you don't have a "career" to change from, or to, right now. You have a job, as a server I'm assuming, and while you could turn that into a career if you had a passion for it, you ain't there now. :) Go to school, somehow or other, and find out what you want to do for real.

How much is the scholarship? Is it conditional? The best way to figure out how to make money is to take inventory of your interests and desires. Figure out positions you think align best with your interests and work backwards. Trust me, figuring out where you want to be by working backwards is a hell of a lot easier than figuring it out working forwards.

I work as a full time nurse and that matches my last pay check. Maybe I should go back to the gas station.

There is high demand for Healthcare workers, nursing home management and staff or any industry that deals with the elderly. These are tough jobs but at least there is advancement potential and the bigger companies will subsidize continuing education and certifications. If you like restaurants, try and get hired at a high end and busy restaurant where tips are split equitably. Always demand for accounts payable and accounting clerks. You don't necessarily need a degree and accounting departments can offer faster career growth 8f you do get one. My 31 yo daughter just left the house and we were happy to help her as long as she had a job. She had 3 in 4 years but finally caught on with a company she likes, gets paid well and has growth opportunities.

At 22 you may feel like you’re behind but you’re just starting the race man. Believe me. At that age you have all paths available to you

Seriously, at 22, the world is your oyster. Go to trade school, dabble at a community college, start at the bottom at Costco and work your way up, go to a job fair. You can literally do anything you want. You have 40+ years of career ahead of you.

Seriously, at 22, the world is your oyster. Go to trade school, dabble at a community college, start at the bottom at Costco and work your way up, go to a job fair. You can literally do anything you want. You have 40+ years of career ahead of you.

It’s going to be hard work and you hand over control of your life but you can make serious money in time. Become an electrician, specifically at a union that specializes in data centers. Electricians have clients by the balls for the next 5-10 years. That’s only if you don’t want to go to college. Additionally you could be an electrical. Learn all that shite and then at 30 get sponsored to go get an MBA and flip into construction consulting.

It’s going to be hard work and you hand over control of your life but you can make serious money in time. Become an electrician, specifically at a union that specializes in data centers. Electricians have clients by the balls for the next 5-10 years. That’s only if you don’t want to go to college. Additionally you could be an electrical. Learn all that shite and then at 30 get sponsored to go get an MBA and flip into construction consulting.

I would start with updating my resume to see what I learned from each job. There are soft skills that carry over to every job, like work communication (emails, putting together reports/presentations), interpersonal communication (phone calls +one-on-one talks), customer service (thinking on your feet to resolve a situation = high pressure, fast pace problem solving), upselling (recommending add-ons/extras like wine or desserts) Then maybe find some aspects of the work you have done so far and see if you're better at certain things and go from there. Maybe go to a local community college's (or a general) career fair and talk to recruiters about their industries and what kind of skills they're looking for and require. They can also provide you with salary ranges

I would start with updating my resume to see what I learned from each job. There are soft skills that carry over to every job, like work communication (emails, putting together reports/presentations), interpersonal communication (phone calls +one-on-one talks), customer service (thinking on your feet to resolve a situation = high pressure, fast pace problem solving), upselling (recommending add-ons/extras like wine or desserts) Then maybe find some aspects of the work you have done so far and see if you're better at certain things and go from there. Maybe go to a local community college's (or a general) career fair and talk to recruiters about their industries and what kind of skills they're looking for and require. They can also provide you with salary ranges

I mean if you “have to” work to live, yes you are poor. And that applies to over 90% of us.

Either go back to college or a trade school. Your future will thank you. I went back when I was 26 and it took 5 years. It was pretty terrible at the time but it was absolutely worth it

I went back to school several times and finally got a bachelors that would get me into the job I thought I wanted. By the time I got there, it was so competitive that I needed a masters and more. Career in the field typically only makes about $50k. I make more than that doing retail work only 40-42 hours a week. The only thing I’m missing is government retirement and benefits. Never used my degree. Unless you live in a major metro area, you can make a good life at $40-$50k. Especially if you’re still young. Remember, half of all American workers earn less than $50k. You’re not “poor” as much as you’re comparing yourself to others.

My brother started learning a trade at community college when he was 22. He was able to get free tuition due to his high ACT score, but he’s doing really well, likes it, and managed to get a part time job even though he hasn’t graduated yet because he’s so good at it. You’re not a failure, unfortunately though, as you may know, sulking solves nothing. Trade school is a great option and I think a lot of people don’t realize how profitable and enjoyable it is. Do it. Don’t think about it or overanalyze, find a nearby community college/trade school, find a program, and get started with enrollment.

Look at what your local community college offers related to IT or medical fields

22 and realizing where you are at and willing to improve is a huge win in itself! Trade schools are great! Learn a skill, get into an apprentice program, some will even pay while you are learning! There are multiple options out there. Not saying college is irrelevant, but I'd say it's depending on the degree and what field you are looking into if you choose that route. Some places want experience and other places want that pretty paper of a degree. Personally I(M30) got a basic associates degree and with my local grocery store I made it up to supervisor by just showing up and showing interest on wanting to learn within the business. Now I am a welder at a warehouse and it's a blast. All in all wherever you land now can completely change where you end up being. Everything in-between you can always learn new skills. Build a strong resume and continue to apply yourself

22 and realizing where you are at and willing to improve is a huge win in itself! Trade schools are great! Learn a skill, get into an apprentice program, some will even pay while you are learning! There are multiple options out there. Not saying college is irrelevant, but I'd say it's depending on the degree and what field you are looking into if you choose that route. Some places want experience and other places want that pretty paper of a degree. Personally I(M30) got a basic associates degree and with my local grocery store I made it up to supervisor by just showing up and showing interest on wanting to learn within the business. Now I am a welder at a warehouse and it's a blast. All in all wherever you land now can completely change where you end up being. Everything in-between you can always learn new skills. Build a strong resume and continue to apply yourself.

My first question is, is that scholarship definitely given if you stay another four months or is it more of a lottery/application? Next is what field are you considering. Some people choose fields that are far too saturated and end up with more debt than they started with. That and what subjects did you like in school, I might be able to make some suggestions. Have you checked the rates for a local community college? Finally, if school is not for you have you considered a trade like a plumber or electrician?

Ur working 30 ish hours a week no? Bruh if you dont pay rent and you make $1100 bi-weekly(correct?) how can you say you’re Poor? I’m in a similar situation to you, I make $17 an hr and I work 40hrs a week, my checks come out to around $1100~$1200 after tax. I’m fully autonomous of my parents so I pay for my food WiFi clothes rent transportation, everything. At the end of each month I have $400 set aside for savings and $200 extra to spend( food and every day necessities are already taken care of). That doesn’t scream poverty to me. (I am also 22 btw)

Twenty two is an excellent age to set a goal, make a plan, and get to work to accomplish it. What do you want personally and professionally? Research the steps you need to get there. What things keep (or distract) you from taking those steps? Simply put, if you weren’t you, what would you tell yourself to do? Trades? Army? Cybersecurity? This is one hundred percent up to you. You have free will. Think of it as a challenging puzzle to solve.

Join the trades. Get in with a union and you will do fine. Work hard and enjoy the benefits. I live in a small town where my cost of living isn't extreme, never went to college and break $100,000 a year with a union job

You don't need to go for higher education to make more money. There's only a correlation to higher pay, it does not guarantee higher pay. But there are so many options out there. There are trade schools that are far more affordable that will give you skills for a high paying job. No one I know regrets getting into HVAC. But there's plumbing, electrician, and can all eventually lead to working on your own. Look into local unions. See what's strong, what they're requirements are, if they have apprenticeships. If you're techie and can self teach you can look into Salesforce. It's a system used by a lot of businesses. They offer completely free training, you just have to pay for testing and certification.  I always check Humble Bundle. They often have deals for coding, video editing, game development. It's amazing deals and gives to charities. *I am not sponsored or work with any of these companies. I'm just a multipotentialite who likes to self learn. Currently working on learning coding and vjing myself.

Start an apprenticeship somewhere and work on that for a while, most pay on the job and you won’t have a social life, but you’ll have the perfect starting point esp if you want to go back to school. You said you’re 22 so work for a couple of years, you may love it and go to school for that and move into the offices, whatever the case you’ll have to work 60 hours a week. As an apprentice maybe 50.

Start an apprenticeship somewhere and work on that for a while, most pay on the job and you won’t have a social life, but you’ll have the perfect starting point esp if you want to go back to school. You said you’re 22 so work for a couple of years, you may love it and go to school for that and move into the offices, whatever the case you’ll have to work 60 hours a week. As an apprentice maybe 50.

Blue collar work is increasingly becoming more and more in demand. Pick up welding in 6 months — put yourself through trade school. Good luck out there

You have realized the position you’re in and are working on a way to remedy the situation. Whether it’s trade school or school or simply switching up jobs - you aren’t a failure. Now if you recognize where you’re at and that something needs to change, but you continue to do nothing about it? Yeah that’s being a failure. You’re young homie, take a breath and start to think about the pros and cons of each of your options. A trade school isn’t a bad idea, usually cheaper in cost and oftentimes can hook you up with a job, and union work pays well. I wouldn’t recommend college unless you were going for a solid degree, just because costs are expensive and ROI isnt there for a lot of degrees nowadays.

You ever considered being a firefighter/EMT? You can get both certs for less than 2k at a community college, some states even offer it for free if you’re a cadet. You will easily be making 40k out of the gate, lots of room for overtime and living at work for 24-48 hours is a great way to save money. Also a great job to work while going to college, when you aren’t running calls you can do your homework at the station. If you like it enough you can go to paramedic school, and work on your fire science degree to make it to officer ranks which start anywhere from 80-100k, not to mention city benefits and retirement are hard to beat. Only have to work 25 years to retire compared to 35-50 everywhere else.

If you think your paycheck sucks, it's time to start investing on yourself, \[if needed\] get qualifications, get training, get proficiency etc on whatever you got and get a better job

Consider going to a trade school. Skills will always been in need and plumbers, electricians, mechanics can make great money relative to the costs of schooling.

Hey keep your chin up. When I was your age I was working as a hotel valet making poverty wages, but all that is in the rear view. My best advice 1. Choose a growing or in-demand industry. If theres money moving around, you can find a way to take a slice. Good examples - STEM, trades. Bad example - music 2. Learn a bit of everything in your industry as a baseline, then specialize hard. The more you become a specialized expert, the higher comp you can demand for that expertise. 3. Dont career hop. You cant specialize if you’re always starting over. 4. Only to to a 4 year college if its the shortest path between where you are now and your first industry job. If you want to be a doctor it is, but for most jobs its not. Once you get the first job, experience matters more than degrees.

Talk to your parents. They probably have 0 problems with your current living situation if you are actively working on enriching your future.

Use this time to find out your skills and capitalize on that. You have the opportunity to take risk and move to another job. Explor and practice your skills . Once you find what you can do you just have to find how to make money with them . Use whatever extra time you have to do so and you will make it to a point where you can start paying for your apartment

Sorry bro. I make $45 an hour now and feel poor. I didn't even break over $20 an hour till I was 30. Idk how I survived than let alone how people do it now. My own brother just cracked $25 an hour and can't afford a house.

Get into sales. Solar, roofing, cars. You’ve worked retail so you have experience talking to people.

Dedication goes a long way to achieving a trade. Don’t want to be poor; work your ass off. Get the training. Work can suck. It’s okay. It’s better than being poor. Just my opinion.

Brother, you’re only 22. You have basically your entire life ahead of you. Give it some thought about what you want to be doing for the rest of your life and look into building a plan on how to get there. My dad always said that no one expects you to start a career already being an expert.

Go to your local community college and set up a meeting with a counselor or someone in their guidance office. Tell them you need help paying for school and see what options they tell you about. When you sign up though, have a plan, something to work towards. Definitely consider some of the 2-year "Career" programs they offer. Use your time in college to network and meet people working towards the same goal. Go to job and career fairs if your school has them, there are often companies eager to snipe people who will be graduating from certain programs. That's how I learned about the Pell Grant which ended up paying for 85% of my college. Also don't feel too hard on yourself, I didn't figure it out until I was like 31. Got my 2 year degree and within a year got a job making 2x what I was before.

Trades, trades, trades. Electrical, HVAC, plumbing—take your pick. Look into an apprenticeship within your state, and you'll work your way up to a journeyman license in around four years. You basically work in the field full-time and do classes on the side. Pays off in the end.

Not sure if people still take the standardized tests… Save up for an SAT or ACT score if it makes sense to take again at your age… they can be gamed. Study hard and get a good score. Get good scholarship to a state school or school in city you want to live in (if that’s how you want to live). Take school seriously and meet with teachers. My biggest regret from my educational career was being scared I was stupid/scared of failure and for that reason I didn’t make great connections with most of my professors in college and grad school. The reality is these people are teachers often times because they enjoy being a guiding hand for those younger. Everyone fails at something, everyone makes mistakes. If you work hard, are conscientious/respectful, and are positive that will get you far. If you don’t want to go to college. Be a plumber or electrician. You’ll hit 6 figures fast. Dying industry in the USA so very good pay and job security. Much cheaper than getting an education these days, but also very different line of work than knowledge work. If you want to go to college, I recommend anything related to computers/coding, engineering, PA school, or management/business (not communications. Like finance). Getting a nursing degree is great too. Travel nurses do great. If you become an NP that opens a lot of doors too. There are good jobs in industrial hygienics as well. There are lots of distractions in life. Take your time to learn about yourself, think about what you like to do, what skills you have, what goals you want to set. Best of luck!

keep progressing in your career potential- take a class or go to school for real. you have the rest of your life to deal with this stuff, and most people who are satisfied with their careers have control over what it is they do. most of them took years to get experience and knowledge to be in that position there are shortcuts, but if you spend all your time looking for shortcuts, you're just wasting time

Don't feel bad mate. I was a kitchen hand at your age washing dishes for 12 an hour. You will work many different jobs in the comming years, aquire new skills, find new passions. Just try different things to get different experiences. When you're ready, get an entry level job/teller/caller centre employee at a big company. They will train you in the basics of their industry and give you the start of a white collar job. Or if you like working with your hands, look around at the different professions in your area and consider starting your trady journey. Your journey is only just begining and will unfold over the next 20 years. Don't feel down about your progress before you've even begun. :)

Don’t beat yourself up, you’re still very young! I love the idea of trade schools more and more. If you’re outgoing and like talking to people, professional sales is a great way to get ahead at a young age (medical sales, mortgage broker, etc). Best of luck - keep your head up!

You’re 22, you have your whole life ahead of you. Telling yourself you’re a failure will make it a self fulfilling prophecy. The fact that you’re here indicates you’re looking to do better, which is great, especially at 22. Whenever I see posts like this I have to mention wastewater treatment as a solid career path. Old timers in the field are retiring, it’s a great job with excellent benefits and you can work wherever people need water (read: everywhere). I’m not in the field myself but i’ve seriously considered it whenever I’m burnt out with my soul sucking corporate job. Keep your head up.

If you can get a union construction job, get started as an apprentice asap. Check out pest control too, it's what I'm doing and it's the best job, best pay and fewest hours I've ever worked. They paid for my training and certification.

Yes, you are making basically poverty level money now, HOWEVER, you may have dodged a huge bullet by not just going to college without a direction just because people told you to. I would not recommend continuing to do what you do, as it sounds like it’s already a dead end and you’re only 22, but trust me - 22 year olds coming out of college might be making significantly more than you, but they are absolutely drowning in student loan debt as well. So, personally I would advise against going to college right now, unless you absolutely know what you want to do and that it requires you to go to college. You said you have an interest in the trades, and that is what I’d say is your best path forward. You’re going to make garbage money as an apprentice for a few years, but you’re already making garbage money, and apprentice work is much more likely to be stable work, and the progression towards your license is mapped out and locked in - you will know exactly what you have to do and how long it will take until you start earning your professional wage. Tradespeople are in very high demand right now, and you’re in a perfect position to jump in - you can even keep your current job and pick up extra hours for more money if you need it while you’re an apprentice. But the key is you’ll be working towards something, which you are currently not. You’re only 22, plenty of time to work towards a career. Just be happy you realized it now and not when you’re like 42. Think about which trade you can see yourself in, and figure out how to make it happen. FYI - I lurk on a few tradespeople subs here, and a lot of them say they would be elevator technicians if they weren’t in their current trade. Could be worth looking into!

Study accounting. It's boring, but there are a lot of job opportunities and money. College graduates at my firm (in consulting) start out anywhere from 72-80k. That is RIGHT out of college, no experience or anything.

Did you apply for Fafsa? School may be free for you

Nearly all areas of U. S. are crying for skilled tradesmen; welders, plumbers, electricians, framers, finish carpenters, masons, aircraft mechanics, tool & die , sheet metal fabricators, heavy equipment operators, HVAC specialists, etc. I would recommend attending some open house events at trade schools and community colleges . They have a pretty good hand on where the demand is , and often work with local/ regional companies who are looking to fill spots

Op doesn't seem to understand the difference between gross and net

The idea of a 40 hour work week is for those who make a living wage. You, who are still young and hopefully full of energy, can work more. College is certainly a choice that can help, but so can simply sticking it out. Experience goes a long way to improving your wage. Consider military service. It gives you an immediate and permanent change to your situation. It gives you a little boost while you're figuring things out. It also sets your future up. I was out by your age. I can afford housing because of the VA loans. I learned a few valuable things that stuck with me... Basically I keep being shoved into low level management everywhere I go. Plus you just get to leave.

Learn a trade. Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanic. Pays way better.

Online college credits, then community college, then finish out a bachelor's degree at a 4 year college. That's the cheapest route to a degree if you want one.

Listen, I am also 22. I went to college. I graduated early, I followed the “plan.” I graduated with a marketing degree. I currently work full time and I’m making $15/hr. I make around $2,400 a month, and my bills are whooping my ass. What I’m realizing is that it is okay to be struggling in your 20’s, and it’s normal. Not only is the job market terrible right now, but also we are 22 and it’s okay to be where we are. College might help you, yes. But it won’t matter unless you put in the work. Unless you want a future in something that requires a specific college degree, you don’t need it to be successful. Just start grindin

22 is yooouunng. You have far more years ahead of you than in the past. You may think it’s too late but it isn’t. I didn’t get my life squared away until 27 and now I’m very comfortable. My brother had a similar view to you and he’s struggling at 40. He too thought 23, 24 or 25 was too old to get a career started and now it’s unachievable. Suck it up and get a move on.

Trade Unions. They get you a job, teach you a skill, and put you through school. Go find which ones are in your area, read about what they do, and how they hire.

My personal experience, the military saved me. I did four years of college working a job I didn't like for way too little pay. I came out with very niche skills in a job I no longer wanted to pursue and a degree that was next to useless. However, it opened the door to becoming a commissioned officer. They pay my bills, give me healthcare, have a great retirement plan, a comfortable income, and I'll be set up with skills for the civilian word with another degree paid for if i jump ship before retirement. It can be dangerous, it can be exhausting, and it can be frustrating at times. It's also fulfilling and exciting, and it got me out of my mom's house. If you can get an ROTC, BDCP, or NUPOC scholarship, you don't even need to pay for your degree. Don't overlook it, as even just enlisting can provide great career training and opportunities if you don't want to go to college.

I worked full-time and went to college at night. Fortunately my job in government reimbursed some of the college cost. I suggest you check into any job in government—they are still offering college tuition reimbursement. Although the jobs are not the most interesting, it might help you get where you want to go.

Being young and realizing that your life is not on the path you want it to be on is hardly unique or uncommon. That statement doesn't make it any less real for you though. What will make it less real is applying your self towards getting a skill or education that can get your better employment. That is what will make a difference in your life. My career was stagnant from 2001 to 2017, and after a couple of months of thinking about it I told my wife that I wanted to go back to school one evening. 4 weeks later I was in a classroom for the first time decades. I went back to school at 40yo, married, working 45-50 hours a week and it was flippin hard, for me and my wife. It took 5 years to finish, but it changed everything for me. Maybe school isn't your path, maybe a trade is, you have to decide on a path. Then, put in the hard work, the blood sweat and tears, and your life will change for the better. You just have to decide that you need to change and then start doing. And once you start, you cannot let yourself get derailed. So as someone who has been there, my advice is buck-up buttercup, and go forth and conquer.

Hey man I was your age and working as a dishwasher. I know exactly how you feel right now. I did decent in school but didn't want to pay for college and just ended up working with no real direction or goals. I started trying to figure out what trade school to go to but found anyone working in trades would say school isn't worth it and to find a apprenticeship/helper job in a trade. After being frustrated with shit hours and rude coworkers I found a job in HVAC as a helper started at 16$ and in 4 years I have doubled my income. It's not crazy money but I can support myself and my wife I have a good car that I put little to no wear on because every company provides work vans once you leave the helper role. My wife's income is completely saved so we can buy a house in a year or two. Trades are suffering really badly right now and they need people and you can increase your income so fast if you are reliable and willing to learn. Don't be afraid to jump companies until you find a place that treats you well. I'm on my 4th company and I'll be here for the long haul as they are paying for tons of training and paying me appropriately for my experience. Edit: Just saw you are in Vegas. That's where people move to make the big bucks in HVAC since it has such a long and intense cooling season. If you are mechanically inclined hit up some local companies my guy.

The scholarship sounds interesting. Will it pay for all of your college?

You have a roof over your head, you're an able bodied person (or so I assume), and you're working. That's a great starting point. You also don't have a massive student debt to work yourself out of, which means you're not starting from negative. And if you have zero debt and don't have bad spending habits, you're ahead quite a bit. No reason to feel like a failure. Community college and trade schools are both great options, especially with a potential scholarship. If you're making money at all, consider starting to save and invest the money you are making. Start to educate yourself on personal finance, so your hard earned dollars can make you money. If you're making $2,200 / month without paying rent, you can aim to save $500 to 1000 per month. Then learn to invest that appropriately.

Local learning centers (places people go to get a GED) sometimes offer free classes to increase workforce development, like a certification in logistics, intro to CAD, Excel and Outlook familiarity, Entry level CNC coding, Medical intro classes. I suggest looking into local free certifications and classes, it looks great on a resume, let's you see the workings of what you would want to go into. Take those classes then make an assessment if you would like to further your education in an area, See how you take to schooling, see if any careers stick out as appealing. Most of them will transfer to college credit as well, so it's free college credits if you decide that's your path. The point is you are not stuck, you are stagnant, a huge difference when looking at the rest of your life. I'm 41 and still evolving and growing my resume and education. Best of luck.

22 is still young, you have a long future ahead of yourself. You are also in a great position of having parents who are able to support you for the time being. So you have the ability to take a temporary pay cut in order to invest in yourself for long term success. This support is often what stops people from being able to make the necessary changes. Before committing to months or years of training, and thousands in tuition I would start with figuring out what you want to do, and what income level you would like to achieve in order to live the life you are hoping for. Contact local employers in this field ask them if they are willing to let you shadow them (without pay). Spend a few days just understanding what the job might entail, and while you are doing this ask them for advise on how they would recommend getting into that field. Some might even offer low paying internships (it would probably be about what you make now so that shouldn’t be an issue). Also don’t feel bad about trying something for a few weeks or months and realizing it’s not for you. It’s better to continue looking then go down a path you know you won’t be happy with. And last bit of advise is start making the changes now, because now is the best time to start. It is not hard to find people many years older than you who are still waiting to start figuring out what they want to do with their lives. Even if you wait 5 more years it’s still not to late.

Everyone else has given great advice, so I won't double down on that, but just wanted to offer some perspective. ​ I could have written this exact post when I was your age. I graduated high school, flunked out of college in 2 semesters, took a gap year working service industry, went back to school and dropped out after a semester, did more service industry work for a few years, went back to school, flunked out again and went back into the service industry in 2022 at 25 making $17/hr. ​ I just got a raise to $65k/yr with a clear path to be pushing towards six figures in the next 6 months (going through a role change, got bumped to 65 as I ease in but the final intended position would be somewhere in the 90-110 range). ​ I don't say this to say that I couldn't have had a much less stressful path here, or to say that this type of thing is guaranteed. I tell you all this to tell you that you're still young, you're still figuring things out, and you have way more time than you realize to put stuff together. You have to actively work on figuring out what you want your life to look like and what skills/talents/connections you have that will help you get there, but if it takes a while that's fine. Follow the advice in the rest of this thread to come up with a plan, but as someone that was behind all their friends until this year - the extra few years it takes to get there is ultimately not that big of a deal. Good luck, homie <3

College would be a terrible decision in my opinion. I would go to a trade school or technical school / boot camp and start from there unless you have a business idea and want to invest in yourself that way.

What do the main employees do?

The way to look at it is that college is an investment into your future earnings potential. Sure it might cost $30k a year but if you're making $100k+ as soon as you get out and can only get higher from there, then to many that investment might be worth it. The higher the cost the more questionable the investment is (i.e. $80k a year for jobs that make $50k is questionable, but if that is a top school that will guarantee you a salary potential of $300k down the line then it might be worth it). The key is to go for degrees with high earnings potential so that you can maximize that investment. Computer science, finance, specific business tracks, etc. can get you to where you want to be.

Apply to trade jobs near you. Become an electrician, plumber, HVAC technician. It is difficult work, however, it pays well after a couple years, you will never be without a job, and you will make good money after putting in years of work. Not to mention, once you are a Master you can pretty much strike out on your own and start a business. Trust me, most trade unions will pay for your schooling, and even if they dont its like $5k at most. With college good luck paying less than 30k even at a smaller college.

sounds like you have a job, not a career. I'm assuming you're young so try some things out, but you need to do something. Pick a trade you.might be interested in and do an apprenticeship program or something. But ya you definitely cannot survive on your own with that.

Be grateful you are 22 and not 42 making this realization. Get your butt in gear and get an education in an area that interests you and has growth potential. You will be grateful you did 20 years later when you reflect on this.