News and sports reporter (Fitchburg, Mass.)

Having just read a couple of your posts, I couldn't help but check your number of posts because I figured you must be new to this site.

Are you new to the business, too?

This salary is pretty much the going rate these days.

 

No, if you have a family and you're the only one that works, it's an unlivable salary.

 

The salary is more than folks are starting at for GateHouse's CNC weeklies, even some of the daily staff. Same goes for the Eagle-Trib. Sadly, the climate says you should be lucky to get $30k nowadays, even if you're living near Boston.

 

Still $30k is nothing these days...You have to make at least $50-55k to survive in Boston...I mean how the hell can you have a family being a journalist? You can't!!

 

Again, depends where you live. I'm a freelancer living in Boston, making Sentinel-like money, and I pay $600 plus utilities for an apartment in Brighton Centre -- trust me, I survive. But if you're looking for something in West Roxbury or the Back Bay, then yeah $25-30,000 is outta your league.

Not that you'd be anywhere near Boston if you're the unfortunate soul to take the Sentinel gig. Outside of the 495 loop might as well be on the moon; and besides, there's plenty of affordable housing in the Leominster/Fitchburg/Gardner area.

 

Yes, but is the pay enough to pay for all the hair you'll tear out dealing with your new newsroom boss?

 

It should be noted that this job is really not in Boston at all though, you're out in the boonies. You could easily work this job (or the Eagle Trib job) and live in New Hampshire and not have a nightmare commute.

As for the papers that are in Boston you can find apartments in the 500-600 range within a 25-minute drive of the city and there's plenty of nice small 2BR houses going for 190-210k that would be manageable on two incomes.

 

So a $30,000 salary after taxes and benefits is equivalent to $450 a week..How can you pay bills, rent, college loans etc.? Someone answer me that!

 

The same way people in other fields making entry-level wages do it...cash or credit

 

It's not nearly as hard as people think. It just takes a little discipline.

 

Rick, I agree on principle, but based on the debts kids are being saddled with now in college -- talking tuition alone, not credit cards gone amok -- that isn't so easy anymore.

 

Solution one: Don't take on debt like that.
Solution two: Declare bankruptcy.

I'm definitely not saying it's easy, but at some point people are going to have to sack up and learn to handle their personal finances the right way, because the days of any old diploma meaning $50k/year are over and done with.