Individual Income Poll

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Starfishy

I agree with Muta and Sliver. No way 1/3 of people on here make $100k+. Also, it is an internet poll, what can you expect?

Why couldn't 30% of the people on here make over $100,000 per year, especially being in Calgary?

The reason I think it's so hard for you two to believe and so easy for me to believe, is people tend to hang out with similar people to themselves. I'm a CA that makes over $100,000. My girlfriend is also a CA and makes more than I do. My roommate I had during the time we did our Master's degree is a CA and she makes more than I do. In my circle of friends, most of us are CAs, and there are a few other professionals. I belong to a golf club and I see a ton of money there. I might have the lowest earnings inside my circle of friends and acquaintances, and I'm still over the $100,000 mark.

When I worked as a sous chef, I hung out with mostly restaurant staff. No one made over $100,000. My first few years I was around $30,000. It was one of the reasons I went into business. I saw lots of business guys coming in and they all made huge money and had giant expense accounts. At one restaurant some regular customers who came up from the States bought me a $125 bottle of wine as a tip. Although none of my friends made money, I knew some people did.

The 30% earning over $100,000 doesn't surprise me. I would have thought it might have been a little higher even.

[Domoic]

Originally Posted by Muta

I doubt this poll is accurate. There's no way most people make over $100k. Not even in Calgary.

Not everyone who responded to the poll live in Calgary.

[chemgear]

Too bad there wasn't higher resolution above 100,000 in the original poll selections - I'd be interested to see how that breaks down further.

[Ozy_Flame]

Perhaps people are making over "100,000" because of other income as well? (e.g. Rental income, dividends, cashing in stock options, etc.)

Also related to the other thread, are these high earners under the age of 30? I'd like to see that number.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by photon

I think it's safe to assume that people are voting accurately; they're not lying.

But its not a poll of Calgarians, since many people who read the forum are from out of town and country. It's not a poll of forum members, since only 200 people voted out of the 10,000 members, and the people that voted self select towards a specific group of posters.

It's not surprising to me and I think it's accurate for the group the poll represents.

I don't have an issue with the poll. I'm just surprised that many people making over $100k, considering the percentages. Plus, if people outside of Calgary are voting, that's even more surprising since high salaries are probably more prevalent in Calgary than in most other places in the world, given the ridiculous amounts of money in this city.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

This poll doesn't actually tell us anything about CP because there is a very likely chance that people who make 100k + are just more likely to vote.

If you notice there is a very nice bell curve going on until it hits the 100k +. I don't doubt that CP income is higher than national average but having 1/3 of all posters making that much seems a bit much.

If every person on CP was forced to vote I think we'd see the numbers of the first 8 categories catch up to the 100k in a hurry and the bell curve would even out again. 231 (at current count) is an incredibly small, small sample size of CP. If we extrapolate that, it means that if there are 3000 active members a full 1000 of them are in the top 1% or whatever. Just doesn't make sense. I'd expect that the average age on CP is around 30 which even further makes me wonder.

Plus you have to factor in honesty. There is no reason to expect people to lie but there is equally no reason to expect people to be 100% honest.

Might as well ask how big your penis size is.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Perhaps people are making over "100,000" because of other income as well? (e.g. Rental income, dividends, cashing in stock options, etc.)

Also related to the other thread, are these high earners under the age of 30? I'd like to see that number.

Base salary for a lot of the usual suspects in the O&G world is in the $100k by age 30 (5-8 years experience) not including benefits, defined contribution pension plan, stock options, Performance share Units, and bonuses.

I wouldn't be shocked if the poll came in with 25%-30% of people clearing $100k in base salary considering that this isn't just people 30 and under reporting.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by calgaryrocks

just coming out of university I am close to 80k
my company (of 300 employees, not o&g) has 70% between 60 and 80k, and 10% over 100k

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

This poll doesn't actually tell us anything about CP because there is a very likely chance that people who make 100k + are just more likely to vote.

If you notice there is a very nice bell curve going on until it hits the 100k +. I don't doubt that CP income is higher than national average but having 1/3 of all posters making that much seems a bit much.

If every person on CP was forced to vote I think we'd see the numbers of the first 8 categories catch up to the 100k in a hurry and the bell curve would even out again.

^ Oh yeah, I don't doubt there are sampling issues here.

I would also suggest that some people "guesstimate" their income like they do their commute times - very poorly.

I've heard rants from people that include estimates of their dental/parking/benefits/etc. package into their income and how working near their home is like an added $$$ to their income because of gasoline savings.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

Why couldn't 30% of the people on here make over $100,000 per year, especially being in Calgary?

The reason I think it's so hard for you two to believe and so easy for me to believe, is people tend to hang out with similar people to themselves. I'm a CA that makes over $100,000. My girlfriend is also a CA and makes more than I do. My roommate I had during the time we did our Master's degree is a CA and she makes more than I do. In my circle of friends, most of us are CAs, and there are a few other professionals. I belong to a golf club and I see a ton of money there. I might have the lowest earnings inside my circle of friends and acquaintances, and I'm still over the $100,000 mark.

When I worked as a sous chef, I hung out with mostly restaurant staff. No one made over $100,000. My first few years I was around $30,000. It was one of the reasons I went into business. I saw lots of business guys coming in and they all made huge money and had giant expense accounts. At one restaurant some regular customers who came up from the States bought me a $125 bottle of wine as a tip. Although none of my friends made money, I knew some people did.

The 30% earning over $100,000 doesn't surprise me. I would have thought it might have been a little higher even.

It's... amazing that $100k sounds normal to you. I'm not disparaging that at all, I just find it amazing that with all the economic turmoil in today's global marketplace, that's a salary that you've come to just 'be around'. Then again, you're a CA... of course accountants make alot of money.

I'd wager to say 99.9% of the world will never hit that $100k per year mark in their lifetime, ever.

It's a testament to the place we live in, that's for sure. Me personally, I'd never be a CA (just does not interest me one bit, I never aspired to be one as a kid lol, and I even went to business school), but it's interesting to watch the results of this poll, that's for sure.

[Ozy_Flame]

Hey not to derail the thread, but does anyone want to donate their high salaries to help out one of Calgary's finest arts and music production programs? (just kidding about the salary bit ). They're hitting some tough times and like alot of businesses, are still struggling from the fallout of the recession? Youth Singers is a great program for kids, which lets them develop their talent, gain confidence and perform to audiences here and around the world.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/enterta...918/story.html

The City doesn't seem to be getting off their duff, so are there any avenues for them to seek donations from the O&G or another industry?

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Muta

It's... amazing that $100k sounds normal to you. I'm not disparaging that at all, I just find it amazing that with all the economic turmoil in today's global marketplace, that's a salary that you've come to just 'be around'. Then again, you're a CA... of course accountants make alot of money.

I'd wager to say 99.9% of the world will never hit that $100k per year mark in their lifetime, ever.

It's a testament to the place we live in, that's for sure. Me personally, I'd never be a CA (just does not interest me one bit, I never aspired to be one as a kid lol, and I even went to business school), but it's interesting to watch the results of this poll, that's for sure.

Agreed. My mom just retired from teaching and my dad was a newspaper editor. Even if they were still married, there is no way their combined salaries would reach $100,000. Both are remarried and neither of their spouses work. I have no idea how any of them live on those amounts. It's likely because they have lived that way for over 60 years and aren't materialistic.

[darklord700]

I have a house that I paid off. I max out my RRSP and TSAF every year, I owe no credit card debt. And yet this poll makes me feel like such a loser in life.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I have a house that I paid off. I max out my RRSP and TSAF every year, I owe no credit card debt. And yet this poll makes me feel like such a loser in life.

Are you kidding? You're doing great. Lot's of high-income earners are also high spenders and will never have the security you have.

The guys to be jealous of are the high-income earners that don't spend a lot (but still enjoy life, obviously)...they're the real rich ones. High income doesn't always make a person wealthy.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I have a house that I paid off. I max out my RRSP and TSAF every year, I owe no credit card debt. And yet this poll makes me feel like such a loser in life.

agreed with Sliver, you'll be the one laughing in the end if you keep yourself out of debt.

[Old Yeller]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I have a house that I paid off. I max out my RRSP and TSAF every year, I owe no credit card debt. And yet this poll makes me feel like such a loser in life.

I don't make 6 figures, but I have a friend who makes 6 figures and I'm in much much MUCH better shape than him.

Also internet polls should never make you feel like a loser in life... even if you're a loser in life.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Just to add to my previous post:

So everyone knows how there are threads about quizzes, be it about hockey or sporcle or some other intelligence type thing in the OT forum all the time, right?

If you looked at those threads you'd assume that all of CP is in the top 1% of the smartest people in the world. Nobody ever opens those threads and says "oh hey, I have the vocabulary of a 12 year old and I'm 36". It is always people with the ultra high scores that rush to post. The people that score crappily just don't bother posting.

I did vote in this poll and I did cry a little inside when I think about how poor I am compared to people my own age (according to CP). I even have a decent job and a University degree and I felt a little bit worse about myself. Imagine how someone less fortunate might feel. Maybe they didn't graduate HS and are working a physical type construction job. Really think they want to come into this thread and read all the dick swinging $100k+ people talk about how common it is? Probably more likely to just not vote.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I have a house that I paid off. I max out my RRSP and TSAF every year, I owe no credit card debt. And yet this poll makes me feel like such a loser in life.

I blow all of my money on trips and cars and will work until I'm 80 if I want to stay on human food

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I have a house that I paid off. I max out my RRSP and TSAF every year, I owe no credit card debt. And yet this poll makes me feel like such a loser in life.

That's awesome, when the commodity cycle moves the other way a lot of O&G workers will be either out of work or making significantly less. A lot of people in the high income category spend their money with the same ease they make it too and could ultimately end up with less than nothing if you factor debt.

It's not how much income you make, it's what you do with it that counts!

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Muta

It's... amazing that $100k sounds normal to you. I'm not disparaging that at all, I just find it amazing that with all the economic turmoil in today's global marketplace, that's a salary that you've come to just 'be around'. Then again, you're a CA... of course accountants make alot of money.

I'd wager to say 99.9% of the world will never hit that $100k per year mark in their lifetime, ever.

It's a testament to the place we live in, that's for sure. Me personally, I'd never be a CA (just does not interest me one bit, I never aspired to be one as a kid lol, and I even went to business school), but it's interesting to watch the results of this poll, that's for sure.

It's really the demographic of the CP user base, plus Alberta's economy is extra fortified with the O&G industry and a labour shortage means higher salaries than you'd expect in other countries or provinces.