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Explore this site with your teens. Here’s how.  |
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I Want to Get a Job
as Soon as I Graduate
Not everyone wants to go to college. Some teens want a job right away, and others want to go to a technical or trade school.
The chart below shows how much a high-school graduate can expect to earn. Another way to estimate how much you can earn is to look in the newspaper for jobs that only require a high-school education.
Will these jobs pay enough so you can afford to live on your own? Here’s a way to find out:
- Fill out an estimated Spending Plan. (P.S. You’ll have to add “rent” as an expense; check the newspaper’s “For Rent” ads to find out how much rent costs in your area.)
- Analyze the results. For example, how much money will you have left over to do something fun or save for a goal?
If the answer is “Not Much!,” consider trade school or college. More education will give you more options—and most likely, more money.
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Median Annual Earnings
For Single Wage-Earner by Level of Education in 2003
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| Note: Employment earnings are before taxes for full-time workers age 25 and older.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, as reported in “Education Pays 2004: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society,” College Entrance Examination Board, www.collegeboard.com.
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I Don't Want To Finish School 
