$89,000 puts you in the Top 5% of earners

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Heh.

There's a reason why Ottawa has one of the highest average incomes in the country.

That is because the most senior government positions are in Ottawa.....

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

I'm actually surprised it's that high nationally.

Probably barely above average in calgary.

Interesting that the same report said Calgary had the highest proportion of household incomes above 250k / yr - 3% or something.

[edn88]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I found this incredibly surprising.....

An income of at least $89,000 was needed to be in the top five per cent of earners in 2004, Statistics Canada said Monday.
This "five per cent club" earned 25 per cent of the income Canadians declared in 2004 — up from 21 per cent in 1992. They paid 36 per cent of the personal taxes collected in 2004.


I thought the bar to a "5% of earners club" would be much higher than this. Don't get me wrong, $89K is an excellent wage, but it doesn't seem that lofty.

5% is 1 in 20. All you have to do is go to the mall and see 99/100 workers making less than $50K. Construction workers, etc are making less than that.

Not really surprising at all when you consider how many people don't make a lot of money - including retirees and people just getting into the work world. $89K is not an excellent wage - it is more than most people would dream of realistically making.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Anywhere else, there's no way tradesmen make 89K+.

I'm gonna guess you don't work with the trades or know anyone who does. The trades in Alberta are in extremely high demand right now. The only reason i don't make 6 figures is that i am a full time student on top of that. for someone working in the trades 100k isn't far fetched at all.

When i graduate this year if i decide to go into my field i will end up taking a massive pay cut atleast for the first few years.

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah, I think I heard that if your household income is like 120k you're in the top 5% nationally. Than again if I didn't live in Alberta my wife and I wouldn't be making that much either. But in St.Albert...we're like the poorest people in the city. Anywhere else we'd be living it up.

But it's really the top 1% who account for 80% of the money if you were to take the income of that top 5% group.

[Wookie]

Originally Posted by urban1

Exactly. Even in Calgary, theres a lot of people who havent had positive affects on their income during the boom.

Police, fire, teachers, bus drivers, etc. These traditionally have been good pay jobs and now have fallen far behind in terms of income.

Then look at jobs such as janitors and unskilled labor in areas not related to oil and gas. Theres a lot of people that for whatever reason are trapped or feel trapped and stay in low paying jobs.

Somebodies got to do the shtty jobs in society and earn the minimum wage.

And not all professionals are earn $100,000 with 50% or 100% bonuses. For example, i have a few friends who are designated accountants and work in jobs where they earn 70k/yr with maybe a 10% bonus. They could double their salary tomorrow but theyre happy in their low stress jobs and dont want the change.

Everyone also talks about receptionists earning $60k+ in O&G. There may be situations like that but theres also a lot of people working in O&G who are earning "reasonable" salaries. Take a look at some recruiters websites which post salary ranges for position theyre recruiting for.

And take a look at the "ghetto" east side of the city. You think all of forest lawn, dover, marlborough is making $100k?

And there is some of the support behind increasing the royalties that O&G companies pay

[KTown]

Interesting Apparently I'm in the top 5%, it sure as hell doesn't feel like it with the bills I'm paying out of my ass.

My wife even works full-time just so we can pay for everything.

[Jagger]

Well I don't feel like I'm in the top 5%, that's for sure. That figure is probably too low now in any case. I certainly wasn't earning near $89000 in 2004. It's only in the last couple of years that the income for the company and myself, as a commission salesman, has really taken off.

People in the trades in Alberta can potentially make over $100000 right now, depending on the field they're in. The demand is insanely high. I would hire 4 to 5 more crews for my company tomorrow if I could.

[CrusaderPi]

Originally Posted by Dan02

I'm gonna guess you don't work with the trades or know anyone who does. The trades in Alberta are in extremely high demand right now. The only reason i don't make 6 figures is that i am a full time student on top of that. for someone working in the trades 100k isn't far fetched at all.

When i graduate this year if i decide to go into my field i will end up taking a massive pay cut atleast for the first few years.

Uh-huh. Nothing but tradesmen making 100K. It's nice to see a student being realistic though.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Dan02

I'm gonna guess you don't work with the trades or know anyone who does. The trades in Alberta are in extremely high demand right now. The only reason i don't make 6 figures is that i am a full time student on top of that. for someone working in the trades 100k isn't far fetched at all.

When i graduate this year if i decide to go into my field i will end up taking a massive pay cut atleast for the first few years.

Well, that's why I said anywhere else other than Alberta.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I worked for the government for a couple of years and was only making $36,000 (as a professional no less). I was at the lowest level at that time, but even the top scientists were only making around $60,000.

My gf works for the government now and makes less than $50,000.

I think government salaries are probably less in a small city like Prince George compared to Ottawa.

If Ottawa does have one of the highest incomes, it doesn't have to do with the normal government worker's salary. On average, I would say that the private sector pays much better and it's why I left the government.

I think for high level employees that's true but for an entry level worker, the salaries are much better in the government. You start out at a decent wage and you'll see a raise each year.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

I think government salaries are probably less in a small city like Prince George compared to Ottawa.
.

I was living in the greater Vancouver area when I worked for the federal government.

[BlackEleven]

The information is gathered from income tax filings ... sounds like a lot of people are cheating on their taxes!

Maybe that explains why the government wanted proof of some of my claims this year (I filed electronically, and they requested written copies of everything I claimed).

[llama64]

Trades are a viable and lucrative option nationwide, particularilly in Alberta.

If I wern't such a baby when it comes to cold weather, I'd be in a trades. Better work then sitting at a desk all day doing jack all while making 40k.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by edn88

5% is 1 in 20. All you have to do is go to the mall and see 99/100 workers making less than $50K. Construction workers, etc are making less than that.

Not really surprising at all when you consider how many people don't make a lot of money - including retirees and people just getting into the work world. $89K is not an excellent wage - it is more than most people would dream of realistically making.

Exactly. As much as people think there are a ton of people in their company making that much, there are way more other people working at the bazillion number of Tim Hortons, MacDonalds, Walmart, etc. who don't make that much. I'm pretty sure at a Walmart store, only the store manager and maybe the associate store manager make that much. Everyone else doesn't make that much, and that ratio is way bigger than 1 in 20.

[Ozy_Flame]

I wouldn't hazard to say that number is true. There are far more people making less than $89,000, even in Calgary where it might seem there is a disproportionate amount of wealthy people.

I found a good measuring stick (albeit not very scientific) is when I sit on my balcony overlooking Bow Trail. I'd say 1 in every 20 cars going down the street is an upscale, luxury brand. That's 5%. Everything else is minivans and normal sedans, what people with average incomes could afford.

The real piss off is the punk kids driving the nice cars, now that I can't explain.

[Rhettzky]

Out of the city of Calgary's 90 steps of evaluated hourly rate steps there are 15 of those that will be making over $89,000 by the end of December this year. This number does not include Overtime (which is double time at the city) and also doesn't take into account all the management exempt salaries.

But maybe if they re-did that number for 2006 there would be 3-7 instead of 15.

Plus when I look at ASET's annual salary survey it looks like many disiples are making 90k plus.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

I think government salaries are probably less in a small city like Prince George compared to Ottawa.

If you work for the government you make the same wage as your co-worker in NewFoundLand or as in Victoria. They don't have different pay levels adjusted for the cost of living.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

If you work for the government you make the same wage as your co-worker in NewFoundLand or as in Victoria. They don't have different pay levels adjusted for the cost of living.

That might be true for federal positions but it's definitely not true for municipal and provincial government positions.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I found a good measuring stick (albeit not very scientific) is when I sit on my balcony overlooking Bow Trail. I'd say 1 in every 20 cars going down the street is an upscale, luxury brand. That's 5%. Everything else is minivans and normal sedans, what people with average incomes could afford.

I do alot of work in the more affluent areas, and the type of car they drive seems to be a very poor indicator of how wealthy they are. If i may use my parents as a example. they drive a astrovan and a sebring and yet definately qualify in the top 5%.