I attended a summer program to train teachers while in college. Three recent hires in Corona, CA told us that they were making $55,000 their first year out of college. One was working on her masters and said she is due to earn $5,000 extra upon completion and expects to be at $65,000 before her fifth year working. I was shocked. A few years later, I worked in a research lab with a postdoc who was earning $34,000 after completing 6 years of schooling post college. The discrepancy still bugs me...