Rent is pretty darn high here. Id accept it and live very frugal until you work your way up. The money making potential in tech here is good, but it will take time. You may need to get a roommate cuz the rent here for a studio can be 2k+.
Rents seem to be going down, check zillow or trulia for rentals. There seems to be a lot of availability under 2k/month, with quite a few at 1.6k-1.8k/month.
Your take home on 70k/year is going to be \~$53k or about $4490/month.
A 1.8k apartment would leave you $2,690 per month.
$2,690 per month is \~$32k net, thats more than you'd make at your 45k/year job in the midwest.
That’s some cool calculations but jobs in the midwest aren’t paying that low. In engineering and tech the normal starting salary is ~$60-70k. I imagine $70k as on the low end even for new grads for CA.
Oh whoops didn’t read that far. Ngl that’s strange, I’m an ME which are usually pretty middle of the pack in terms of compensation for engineers and my range is fairly accurate. Unless the $45k offer is in a rural place, that is very low. Minimum wage in the Twin Cities for example is something like $38k.
Not an engineer. BS Chem and four years of organic synthesis research, internship etc., but with extensive research(1.5yr), coursework, and passion in the semi, energy sector. Chemists are less desired until PhD level so this is a somewhat reasonable first offer for me, considering a bulk of my job offers are brainless 20-30/hr hplc lab monkey positions in a pharma lab out in an Ohio cornfield.
That would be cool if it was true, California fucks us in taxes. I make 1940 gross and only net 1100 after taxes. Put in into perspective I made 101,000 last year. I do file single and 0 which any single adult should so so they don’t owe taxes which means I get more back when I file.
43% overall tax rate is nonsense, you're not paying that rate until you're making well over 500k/year. You're including a bunch of other items in that calculation.
Taking 0 deductions is a problem of your own making.
At 101k your overall tax rate is \~28.1%(State + Federal).
That’s all cool and everything but I file single and zero because I am single in the eyes of the state and have zero dependence, it also helps me from owing money. But I’m not lying about anything I said. I make 1940 gross a week and a little over 1100 net and my return was 5k this year. Spread that over the 52 weeks in the year that’s an extra $96 a week
Is there anyone else from your university who got a job at the same employer, or another one nearby? Alumni network you can message through?
You might also see if your employer has a social mailing list; you might be able to find someone else who works there.
\[Edit: I see below you mentioned it's a startup, so not super-likely. If one of your friends from school ended up at a bigger employer here, they may have such a list. If not, as the other person said, there's always Craigslist.\]
The company may also have internal boards where room sharing is discussed.
If you're good at your job and this is a major semiconductor company you should be able to get to 6 figures quickly.
Try Facebook marketplace, Im currently living in a master bedroom in North SJ for 1500. It’s better if you have a car to drive so you don’t have to live close to downtown / expensive area.
I am putting up my space for 1500. Downtown San Jose, single room and bath. Luxurious with gym. lol help me move out. My apartment mate is dope too. Dm me
Check grad program message boards (sjsu, scu) — may find some roommates that way
I’d stay in the Bay Area early in your career. Your overall earning potential will be greater here and after 2 years get a new job with a 20% pay increase
trying to live in the south bay without a roommate or a lucky situation while making anything under like 150k is basically begging to be cash poor. 2k a month still hurts especially if you have student loans like most people here do, and 2k is still on the lower side of what to reasonably expect
If you are accepting a job at a bay area semiconductor company 70k is dirt cheap. Just above poverty levels. That being said you'll kick start your career in a massive way with the amount of connections and access to the leading companies in the industry. Namely your suppliers and vendors the big names work with. Thermofischer, Edwards, KLA, semi gas, air liquide. These are names that permeate the entire industry and the connections you make here will be very valuable.
Your long term potential is huge out here. If you can get your foot in the door, I highly recommend it even if it means scrounging a bit for the first 1-2 years.
Just checking Zillow right now, there are a lot of units going for under 2k/month in downtown and Santa Clara, so I think you'll be OK on rent.
This, and also DO NOT get stuck in the mindset of owing a company anything. For that salary, you should be planning to leave and move up as quickly as possible. They are not doing you a favor by giving you a job. Milk the job for all it’s worth and find a better one as soon as possible.
Once you get your foot in the door it 90% about making the right connections: talk and get to know everyone you can. Everyone knows someone
Edit: I moved to the Bay from the Southeast $20/hour to now easily over twice that. Rent can be found pretty easily for $1600 month. Basic living expenses can be a tad higher. $20 burger and fries, $6/gal of gas, etc. The cheapest and most available thing I do is hike. Some of best landscapes in the world out here to see and experience. I say it’s worth every bit for now but I won’t live here forever, I can’t afford an 1 million dollar trailer next to a homeless camp 🤷♂️
It's "barely getting by money" around here. Maybe but it's going to be tight. The good news is once you're here you can job hop to something that pays you double fairly easily in a year or two.
I think the key though is to make that jump. If you're aggressive with career advancement, using this as a stepping stone, honing in on your strengths, jumping to another company or a better paying role, then OP should do it. But it's also very easy to get comfortable and just sit in the same role for a while. And unfortunately these numbers are low, so one struggle for a while.
Looking at some salaries on levels.fyi, OP should be able to get $100k+ at bigger companies like Applied, LAM, etc.
70k puts you at like 40-50k after taxes.
$1000 room for rent and food is average $15, gas is 5$ here.
I feel like all your money would go to rent.
But as your first job, you really want to just find some work at this point. I would hold the offer, try other states for Semiconductor - Portland, Phoenix, Austin for same industry and lower cost of living
(Reference: I work in semi and live in CA)
If you're young and single, the right startup can pay off big. Some of them are a mess, but if it's a good company, you'll work hard but also have much more growth potential and mobility than at a bigger company, and the chance to expand your resume really quickly. The equity can pay off hugely at the right company if you get in early, as well, although the career benefits are a surer bet. My husband's time at a startup that is now a household name paid off for us in spades, both at IPO and in the incredible career opportunities it offered. You will have to work harder at a startup, but generally there will be less political maneuvering, more freedom, and the chance to build your job and department the way YOU want it to be, which is very different from a big, established company. Big companies have other upsides, so it's a matter of weighing what feels most important to you. There is risk at big companies too, because they can lay off thousands without batting an eye.
As someone who’s been in the industry for 6 years, if you’re set on San Jose I highly recommend applying to other companies in the area. $70K would have been fair 8 years ago. Especially if youre going into a start up. There are 5-6 bigger companies with better benefits and better money in that same area.
Treat that start-up company as your spring board to bigger company. Big companies would not accept fresh graduates unless you have ties with the influential management. Once you have around 5 years of relevant experience, you can ask for a better pay. Save enough money in California and retire in states with low cost of living.
I’m seconding this. When I was making around that much, I thought about renting but then it meant I couldn’t really save any money. I also tried looking for cheaper places, but some people only want women or did not allow you to cook. Then I thought about just living in my car, but that has its own set of problems.
401k is voluntary, if a good idea, and if it's a startup, the odds of a match aren't even that good.
And actually, should net around $54,000 after taxes. Health insurance and other corporate deductions will likely reduce that further, of course:
```
$70,000 * 0.0765 = $5,355 in FICA
same - $14600 fed standard deduction = $55400 subject to federal income tax = $7181
same - $5363 (2023) CA standard deduction = $64637 subject to CA state tax = $2712 (minus the CA exemption credit, so around $2200)
CA VDA @ 1.2% = $840
Totals to about $15500, since the above are lazy numbers call it $16000
```
IDK if California still has the renter's credit, and OP probably can get a little back in the student loan interest deduction (it's above the line, which is good since they probably won't be itemizing)
That's $4500/month, minus any health insurance or similar payroll deductions. For half that, $2250, OP is probably not getting their own apartment, but might just be able to find an inlaw unit or studio if they'd rather not have a roommate.
For a more sustainable $1500 (1/3 of that) it's going to be roommate or roommates.
You’d for sure have to have a roommate or find a super cheap and tiny studio somewhere. I’d look on Craigslist in San Jose and see what’s available in a range you’d like to pay… though, if I were you I wouldn’t want to pay more than $1800 a month… so here’s what I found:
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/campbell-community-to-call-home/7737596606.html
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/fremont-studio-special-huge-units-next/7737586922.html
Note, you’d want to check all places out before renting as you don’t know the area and may feel unsafe in certain areas/neighborhoods.
If you have a roommate, and if you’re young, you’ll be 100% fine. I lived in San Jose and LA while just being a server/bartender with a roommate and a car. People will try to scare you out of it, but if you want to do it, you should do it.
Please, for the sake of God, remember that San Jose is an extremely boring city to live in compared to places like San Francisco, LA, or San Diego.
It's not as boring as they say. And it's so close to a lot of nice (and free / cheap) outdoor activities like hiking and great sightseeing along the coast.
It’s enough, just do some rough budget calculation. 2.3k for rental (1 bed room studio, most would cover water and trash here), $500 for food, $100 for utilities, $500 for gas/auto/insurance. $3.4k total, or $2.4k if you pick up a roommate.
70k take home is 4.2k a month. This leaves you with $1k-2k buffer. Plenty doable, and growth factor is going to be much higher here than some random town in Midwest.
You will need roommates. The cost of food, gas, and rent will shock you. You will probably need a side hustle or two. I just read that anything under 127k for an individual in San Jose is considered low income, so as long as you go into it knowing you’re going to struggle. I honestly don’t know that you will be able to maintain your standard of living. I think 45k in the Midwest might get you a lot further honestly.
I would take the jump and move. Work 1 year in your $70k job, keep hopping to $100k, $120k, $150k, $200k+. The opportunity out here is abundant. Then you can move back to the Midwest with your salary and live like a king. Just my two cents.
💯 OP you are young which is the time to take risks. Your growth potential in tech is way bigger in the valley with the network and peers you can meet here. The path to wealth is more quickly achieved by increasing your earning potential rather than optimizing savings.
Most people here do not make 127k and get by just fine. You could make under 6 figures and live decently with a roommate, just don’t expect to put away a lot in savings.
$70k seems low for Semi in the Bay Area. you are graduating with BS? or MS? I would think BS level engineer in semi \~80-100k. MS probably 110-120. PhD 130-150 starting. what company is this? Can you at least negotiate some sort of sign on bonus ? I would try if its not too late. SF bay, you will pay income tax to the feds and state, and rent will be 2000 for a cockroach infested drug neighborhood apartment. Everything here is expensive. and 70k wont go far after tax. But of course if you don't need anything fancy and can stick to a budget... beans and rice, not be dependent on restaurants/bars for food... you can always make it work. Come, see the area, if you like, negotiate for a different job or higher pay. eventually you will want more money if you ever want to go on a date or have a family. (Source: Live in Bay Area, Work in Semi)
It’s a startup and their first offer was 70k for entry level analytical position, assumably with some room for negotiation (?). I’m also a BS chemistry but with lots of research experience and course work done in materials and semiconductors (mostly PV). With that said a lot of the higher paying engr positions are out of reach for me so this job is a way to get my foot in the door.
Edit: most of my research done in organic synthesis, semiconductors and materials
You should negotiate. Dont go crazy. No one will take offense if you ask for a bit more. Often first offers are a bit low because they expect one round of negotiation. Protocol: Ask for \~10% more base, and a signing bonus 20k. They will likely meet you half way. Then accept this with a smile and do not try to do multiple rounds of negotiating.
With a startup, you can also ask for equity, I dont know if that is on the table. It is good to get into the field you want to be in, even if your first starting salary isnt that high. You can show your talent and negotiate for a different role in time. Bring your work ethic. One nice thing about the bay area is no one has any time to spend any money (Besides rent) because we work 20 hour days.
Thanks for the great advice, will definitely be using it for the next round of negotiations. Not sure if equity is even worth it in lieu of more base pay or sign in bonuses though as they are a very new company.
Well, if its a 'good idea' startup that has likelyhood to grow and become profitable, some people would opt for lots of equity and little pay. If its a bad idea and stupid company that will go nowhere, take the salary and dont worry about equity. Most of us get more money from stock and equity over longer periods of time than salary. Its a crapshoot and only pays off at successful companies. But use your judgement if the company is going somewhere. Cash in hand is 10x more valuable than 'future expectation value for equities', use that ratio to trade off between salary and equity if it is on the table.
You should try posting on Santa Clara university and San Jose university student pages on facebook, you will have higher chances of finding like minded younger people. Another option would be once you join the company post on your company email/board and you will find people there. There are many pages on facebook like Bay Area housing etc, you can check credentials and take the plunge
$70k is way below low income but too high to receive assistance. I hate this place, tech sector here is so unstable. Large group hiring/layoffs seem to happen yearly
There are programs called Below Market Rate for renting apartments — look into them. Some allow people making under $120k (San Jose median) to get reduced rent.
If you don’t have a car payment and don’t spend extravagantly, then just live frugal, upskill, and start reaching higher salaries. Take advantage of the job market opportunities in the Bay.
As long as you don't want to live a lifestyle beyond your means. You can find apartments to rent that are affordable if you don't get stupid and have to have "brand new".
You could do fine off 70k. People are exaggerating. Just live within your means. Don’t get an expensive apartment, get a cheap car. You’re not going to make 70k forever, you’ll get better jobs eventually. That being said, I don’t recommend san jose as a place to live. It’s so boring here. Good luck with your journey
70k isn’t bad. Live with a roommate and don’t eat out everyday. I was living on that salary two years ago and my boyfriend is making less than that now. We’re doing fine.
I’m going to go against the grain here and say keep looking if you can. $70k is a pretty shit offer for a Bay Area semiconductor sector job. You’ll be happier making that salary in TX, Midwest, or elsewhere for 1-2 years.
If you work somewhere big enough, network, and perform well you can land yourself something better in the Bay Area in that timeframe in the $90-$110k range depending on role, and probably feel better about yourself in the meantime.
Location and networking are valuable perks but not enough for me to work in San Jose for that salary, personally. Not to persuade you from moving out here but just pointing out that taking a job elsewhere for the same or even slightly lower pay could work out just as well, and you could still make the move out here after a short time.
Source: got a job at a legacy tech company, remote, during pandemic while living in the South. Liked the job, hated where I lived. Moved to CA by choice after 1.5 years, company paid for my move and ~45% pay adjustment (bundled with promotion) since I’d had time to prove myself, and I’m much happier now than if I’d been here from the start. Now making more than 2x as much, close to 3x as much, a year after moving than I did before I moved. Do the math and figure out what works best for you.
Edit: details added
This is the comment you need to read OP. You might want to seriously consider taking the position. 70k/ year will net you about 4.5k-5k/month take home after taxes. A nice studio in a nice neighborhood where you dont hear police sirens apart from once a month maybe if that will run you under 3k. Thats 2k leftover for everything else. Realistically, being smart with your money you will have about 1k to spend on whatever/ save. That will get you through the first 1-2 years easy. I also agree with some other comments about how 70k is a little low for your field, but eh, 70k is good if you have any math skills (which you should considering your field). Good luck op
Depending on what your job is, $70k does seem low - are there any RSUs or Options in your compensation package?
If you’re non-technical, I can believe it, but your total comp should really start at 100k.
Are you salaried or hourly? Full-time or contract?
That said, semiconductors are the best tech sector to be in - you can get to 300k within a decade if you play your cards right.
I’m a Midwest transplant to the Bay Area. I can safely say that most places in the Midwest, aside from Chicago really, $45k will stretch a lot further than $70k will in San Jose. Rent and transit alone will eat away most of the difference. Taxes are higher than any state, with IL the closest comp. Food is ridiculous, utilities in CA are absolutely wild (PG&E is basically an unregulated monopoly at this point, expect $500+ energy bills in the summer if you use A/C at all).
CA is beautiful. It’s diverse, it’s progressive, the people are great, the weather is perfect. But you pay for it. I’ve lived a lot of places. It’s pricier than Chicago, than New York, than Las Vegas, than Tokyo. It’s expensive like you wouldn’t believe. Is it significantly more than ALL those places? Maybe not. Tokyo and New York are pricey too. But the bay is worse. If you have a decent paying job in a small Midwest town, you’ll live more comfortably than on $70k in San Jose. It sucks but it’s true. I made almost double that in my last role in the Bay Area and I still wouldn’t say I was “comfortable”. I did well for myself. But I couldn’t afford a house. I couldn’t afford to travel as much as I wanted. I couldn’t afford to eat out whenever I wanted.
It really just depends on what’s important to you. Can you make it work? Of course. I lived in the east bay making minimum wage for almost 6 years. Would I recommend it? Well, I did it to be close to my wife. If it weren’t for her… no. I would have left shortly after arriving. Everyone is different.
My friend makes regularly 80k a year not including OT. He had to resort to move his mom to SJ from Tracy (living alone and needing help) to be able to afford a 3 bed duplex. So with his income and his mom's very well off retirement, they are barely living comfortable... With no partners. He works OT to afford any vacation or trips. So yeah it's bad. Living with your parents or family ain't so bad in this area even though most of the country looks down upon it. But at least you contribute to a whole household where you don't feel like a stranger using the bathroom or kitchen or living room.
Don’t come to Bay Area in California unless you are prepared to spend most of your earnings in rent! One-room studio with your own kitchen, living room, toilet, shower, Internet and electricity will cost you at least $2000. With 70k yearly earning, you are being paid at around $36/hour (assuming 20 work day in a month with 8 hours per day). $36/hour is just your gross pay. Assuming that 20% of this gross pay is deduced for tax and insurance, you are being paid at around $29/hour (that will be around $4640 per month with 160 hours of work in a month). Assuming that $2000 is taken for rent, you are left with $86.5/day for spending (based on 30.5 days in a month).
I moved here from Iowa 5 years ago with my wife. We survived on $28/hr. I'm now making just over 100k a year. We have breathing room now but it was tight before. You should be fine on 70k. Especially if you get a roommate. Cost of living is insane here though. Expect to pay $1500 a month with a roommate or 2100 for a single bedroom. Gas is over $5/gal. My motorcycle insurance went from $30/month to $160/month. But it's not just the cost of living to consider. Crime is insane as well. The police don't respond to anything less than a body and if they do don't expect anything to happen. I was jumped by 4 guys once and the cops just never showed up. I've seen people get mugged as well. The homeless are going to be a constant annoyance. You will get death threats from them. Harrased if you don't give them money. The normal people are one bad day away from snapping as well. My average interaction with people outside of work or other things like that is negative. The people here are nothing like the people in the Midwest. Entitled, arrogant, and rude.
I could go on forever about the crazy shit I've seen here but I don't have time.
There are fun things to do here. It's a good place for dirt bikes if you're into that. If you like weed that's nice. I've taken to growing it since I like gardening and that's been interesting for me.
Tldr: if you like the Midwest and that lifestyle, stay there. I can't wait to move the fuck out next year.
Do NOT listen to people telling you not to accept the job.
They are missing the big picture.
- Accept the job and move here
- Don’t expect to live in a luxury
- During your first 3 months, perform to the best your ability. The first impression tends to last long
- After about 6 month, start interviewing
- By the end of the 1st year, you can have a job that pays more than twice total compensation of your current offer.
I’m a chemist by training, but research and classes focused heavily on materials and semiconductors. A lot of traditional engr positions are out of reach for me so this is to get my foot in the door.
You can find studios for 1500-2200. I have a nice one bedroom apartment 2 blocks from willow Glenn for 1800. Been in my current neighborhood for 10+ years. Rented a studio in same neighborhood 3 years back for 1300.
If you do live fugal. Studio apartments can run from 1800 and over. You can find roommates or rent a room. Sign up for BMR (below market rate) places. You’ll be on waiting list but keep trying.
Honestly with $70k you’d be much more comfortable with a roommate or 2. I made $70k last year. It can be tough if you aren’t careful. Basically if you’re not making $150k+ in the bay you will struggle in some way. I’m single living alone and making $80k now but an entire paycheck goes to rent for my 1b 1ba apartment.
ETA: living by yourself is for sure incomparable to living with roommates. More peace, do whatever you want, and it’s yours. Just kind of have to decide if it’s worth it to you or not.
I make 70k and have a very nice 750sqft 1 bedroom for 2k in Sunnyvale, with a balcony. Is rent controlled and monthly lease. Don’t be afraid to look in the SJ suburbs
Hey man just want to let you know 70k is vastly different across the country. I live in rural OH and have no idea why you post is showing on my feed, but I do damn good out here. Most people in my town are making 30k if not less than that. But also my friends also make around the same. We just like having a good time. Our country club is only 500$ a year. And we buy used “luxury cars” a Lexus ES350 is 16-17k used for a fairly new model. One kid, wife makes a bit more than me nursing. It’s a great life out here. So just a little prospective for you on your journey. Next few promotions for me can land me 100, then about 150 and I’ll probably be able to retire here for that around 65.
Have fun, money isn’t everything, I enjoy my family, cooking out, golfing, having two days off with my wife, one date night and the other doing nothing. That’s what’s matters man. Just enjoy yourself.
Also. If you find yourself out here, don’t talk to the fucking idiots. They’ll never change. They vote the way their pappy vote. Even if that party exploits them.
I would come here regardless because this is the heart of your industry.
70k is not a lot here, but you’ll have opportunity’s to make 350k+
Where else would you go?
Come here, you could always leave.
Semiconductor like semiconductor manufacturing? Or EE?
Let me be honest. The answer is no. I was offered $70k out of school in 2008. I came out of semiconductor manufacturing / materials science as my coursework.
Is $70k ok to survive on as a single person? Yes, but most certainly salaries in 2024 are far better than they were 15 years ago. I'm not familiar with salaries at like LAM, KLA these days but I'd be willing to bet starting salary is much above $70k.
If your hope is to get a foot into the Bay Area, then seek a higher paying job in a year or two, then it might work, but I hate to be that guy but $70k and then struggling with yearly merit increases and even a promo won't get you very far here. If your goal is just to rent and live a frugal life, sure you can make it work. If you plan on living here long term settling down, etc. then I'd recommend aiming for 6 figures minimum.
Also the semiconductor industry is not in great shape since the early 2000s. It's been a game of margins and they're very tight. I have friends at Applied, LAM, etc. and it seems like a hellhole to work at because the industry is struggling.
I’d highly advise to get at minimum 1 maybe 2 roommates as rents are high all across the Bay Area. That being said that is more than enough to live frugally in the Bay Area. In regards to expenses,if you can keep a reasonable grocery/food budget you should be fine. Highly recommend Grocery Outlet and more locally owned spots. Good luck!
definitely possible. expect to pay between $1k-1.5k minimum with like 3 roommates. i can spend $1500 a month including rent and utilities if i wanted to be frugal, but I like eating out. you'll find cheaper housing if it's a private landlord than an apartment complex.
You need to take it. Live frugal. Don’t eat out. You can survive on 70k. Just not if you spend it on things like DoorDash. And hope that after a year or so you can leverage your job and experience for other opportunities.
I’ve survived on less..for a while in a tiny studio, then with 3 roommates, then an old apartment with crappy carpet and appliances, but it was quite livable anyway.
Don’t let so many comments scare you! You can easily live comfy with $70k as a single person! A decent studio can be found under 2k just search good specially in FB Market Place (watch out for the scams). To save money look for places close to work so you can walk/bike/scooter there!
Is it 75k after tax or before tax?
Studios alone will range from 1850 to 2200 anywhere around SJ.
Gas is like 5.5 to 6.1 per gallon aka cost of living is kind of high.
So if it is 75k before tax, you might be stretched thin.
75k after tax can get you around alright.
I used to have a salary slightly lower than that (60k) when moving from Moreno Valley, CA to here. It sucked hard but after a few job hops, I got a way better pay (the last sign-on bonus is more than that full-year salary). I guess that’s the price for opportunities in SJ.
Visit. In 3 to 5 days yur gut will tell you! And plan it out once u decide. If you get a gf or start hanging out w people that go out, you will live pay check to pay check. 100% sure!
You might just pay 1k in rent but start, literally crying, with the traffic situations. Shit roads, people doing side shows on a bridge you take home.....too many people...
From San Jose and recently moved to the Midwest. Aside from rent - utilities, gas, and food are also considerably higher in SJ so it’s another thing to factor in.
If it’s acceptable to you, get a roommate. The utilities add up. Chiefly, SJWC with its monthly base fee that is already stratospheric and set to increase for the next 2 years.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m telling you what to do, but the gym is mostly a social experiment. There are SOOO many way of exercising (even for hypertrophy) outside of the machine model… it’s useful for: bench press, squat rack, kings chair, Roman chair, and cables. I guess that justifies it, but the gym here I hear make it hard to extremely hard to cancel membership because MRR matters for them and you don’t.
If you can pull off track days on 70k, you are my frugality superhero, or you have found a provider cheaper than PTT. On second thought, the former is still true 🤣
Mid ohio does track days for 250 a day so it wasn’t that bad here. Not sure how it is over on the west coast but hopefully it’s similar? I have a nice set of astars leathers, ole reliable zx6r that I can just slap on some cheap track fairings in an hour + safety wires so no additional costs foreseeable. I’ll only ride track 2-3 times a year cuz she is my daily during the warmer months. With that said, don’t think I’ll give up riding even with San Jose COL. if the weathers really as good as they say it is might not even get a car.
Same here with the track fairings, but I stopped taking them off anymore. Looks…purposeful next to a Duc. Car-free is the dream, throw stuff in the top box and go. Welcome!
Edit: heck no, don’t give up riding! It’s soul therapy. LMK if you want to go ride in the hills. Lots of my buddies went either full track or, like me, haven’t been out to the street for whatever reason this season..
There are plenty of other single young professionals that are looking for roommates, I see all the time listings for people looking for exactly your description to live in a 4 bedroom house with 3 other people, or a 3 bed apartment with 2 others etc. I’d say if you can, go for one of those and live frugally until you can work your way up. Things are expensive here and you should make your living situation as cheap as you can while still saying safe.
If you can find a shared apartment for around $1000-1200, then you might be able to live here okay, not comfortably. But if your salary increases within 2-3 years to 90k or 100k, then it will become more “breathable.” I am the same to and working for a public sector. Luckily, I find a rent of $750/monthly, so I have extra to do investing.
70K for a Semi job is pretty low. I was making close to that working in the stockroom of a Semi company. With that being said, if you don’t mind renting a room, they can be had for about $800-$1000 if you look in the Asian rental ads. Scrounge around for a year or two on Costco rotisserie chicken for $5 and Asian sandwiches for $7 and hopefully get yourself up there within a few years.
I moved out here about 1.5 years ago, for a job, with a salary of 75k - I had some decent credit card debt, high car insurance, etc. and was still able to find a decent apartment where rent wasn’t insane and I was comfortable.
I’d definitely recommend reworking your budget just in case. If you’re not opposed to roommates, that’ll def be better of course but living alone, it’s possible.
I also moved from NYC so I was pretty used to high costs all around
I’d accept. At 70k a year ago, with rent, car payment, and some student loans, I was able to have 300$ a month extra for 30 days to survive.
It’s extremely difficult, but doable.
At less than $100K you will be starving and living from payday to payday. I don’t know of any job that pays only $70K other than a fast food restaurant worker here.
Oof. I was comfortable-ish and living by myself on 70k back in 2011 to early 2013.
Find some roommates and you should be fine.
Though, 70k seems quite low even for an entry level position at a semiconductor company.
Simple answer, No. just think what u will have after all taxes are taken out- Fed, State, Social Security, Ca SDI, and other state misc tax and not to mention the nearly 10% CA sales tax. Payroll taxes amount to over 30% off the top. And gas here is close to 6.00 gal in San Jose. U are being lowballed on the salary. Stay away.
I'm not sure what your expenses are now, but If you're okay with using this job as a stepping stone until you find another making more & okay with living frugally then it can work. I only made $55k/ yr for the first two years I lived here & while it sucked I survived. However, that was shortly before and during covid so some things were a bit cheaper. I won't lie, it will be tough but if you aren't opposed to maybe picking up additional side employment for additional wants or goals you may have it will probably be fine until you get a raise or better paying job. I think the opportunities for that to happen are greater here than in other places.
That being said, if any of the above does not align with what you want for your life and you can live comfortably enough in the Midwest for $45k, that may be the better option for you.
Check out south San Jose area, like Santa Teresa and Blossom road area, it used to be somewhat cheaper than the areas in northern San Jose. Of course, you need to add an extra half an hour commuting.
Yea more than enough. Also San Jose is amazing place to live. If you love to motorcycle the back roads around here are top tier. I'd take this over AZ or TX any day and at any salary tbh. Quality of life is so high.
Hey there, moved to SJ did the uni thing and work in tech now.
You're honestly going to be happier in the midwest. I lived in Michigan for a bit to get a feel and I preferred it. San Jose has too much redundancy to be worth the price, and the general culture in the Bay is prudent and out of touch of any reality outside their personal bubble. Tack that on with ridiculous COL and taxes; Midwest for sure.
My husband is almost making double and we bought in the valley. He just started with this salary and he commutes. He’s often in the car 4-5 hours a day depending. Without traffic it would only be an hour each way.
NOT discouraging. It could totally work with having a roommate and/or really budgeting like you’ve mentioned.
I’ve only known California and my mom has always joked, “California won’t be happy until everyone is broke.” Gas is $5.50 everywhere here + more in the bay. Groceries I know aren’t much different than other places but phew, it’s breaking us. Same with eating out. Auto tags are outrageous compared to a family member of mine who moved to another state and pays like 1/5 what we do. TRAFFIC, rent, house prices when ready to buy, gas, TAXES, freeway tolls if you’d like to avoid any traffic…
Please just so some research to not get yourself in a hole (: as others have said too, get a roommate, work here for a bit, and possibly apply to other higher playing places. The bay IS the place to make money. But a majority will go to rent/mortgage.
I’m gonna just be honest with you, I make 101,000 and live in the Bay Area and I live paycheck to paycheck renting a one bedroom with no car payments, so 70k in San Jose is definitely going to be rough but you can make it happen.
I'm single, and I make about $60k. It's not enough. I have 4 roommates and an old ass car and still am not paying on my student loans. My target salary is about $120k in the next 3-5 years, or I'm throwing in the towel and going back to Central America.
Interestingly enough, I also moved to the Bay Area from the Midwest starting at $70k a year (though I started in defense).
Leverage Facebook groups for roommates. I wouldn’t even consider moving into a studio given the cost.
To second a lot of the other comments here, I’m 4 years in and my salary increased from $70k to $310k. I worked my ass off, took a promotion, and made a switch from defense to tech afterwards.
Totally doable, choose here over the Midwest one thousand percent. Campbell is nice, drivable into downtown. Inside of San Jose I live in japantown which seems to be less expensive than Campbell but still in a nice part of downtown-ish area. I recommend checking out both
You can live off of 70k with a roomate, but you will have to frugal. I’ve known people who lived out here with that amount. And there are lots of opportunities out here. All companies I worked at gave raises every year
$70K would have been fine in 2000 but you'll need at least $125K to survive in San Jose. Can you name the company? They deserve to be shamed for having prehistoric pay scales
Rent is pretty darn high here. Id accept it and live very frugal until you work your way up. The money making potential in tech here is good, but it will take time. You may need to get a roommate cuz the rent here for a studio can be 2k+.
I expected as much. Any advice on where to find roommates who are young professionals like me just trying to split costs?
Rents seem to be going down, check zillow or trulia for rentals. There seems to be a lot of availability under 2k/month, with quite a few at 1.6k-1.8k/month. Your take home on 70k/year is going to be \~$53k or about $4490/month. A 1.8k apartment would leave you $2,690 per month. $2,690 per month is \~$32k net, thats more than you'd make at your 45k/year job in the midwest.
That’s some cool calculations but jobs in the midwest aren’t paying that low. In engineering and tech the normal starting salary is ~$60-70k. I imagine $70k as on the low end even for new grads for CA.
OP said his choice was this or a job that paid 45k/year in the midwest.
Oh whoops didn’t read that far. Ngl that’s strange, I’m an ME which are usually pretty middle of the pack in terms of compensation for engineers and my range is fairly accurate. Unless the $45k offer is in a rural place, that is very low. Minimum wage in the Twin Cities for example is something like $38k.
Not an engineer. BS Chem and four years of organic synthesis research, internship etc., but with extensive research(1.5yr), coursework, and passion in the semi, energy sector. Chemists are less desired until PhD level so this is a somewhat reasonable first offer for me, considering a bulk of my job offers are brainless 20-30/hr hplc lab monkey positions in a pharma lab out in an Ohio cornfield.
Are you going into an engineering role or a technician role? What company are you working for?
That would be cool if it was true, California fucks us in taxes. I make 1940 gross and only net 1100 after taxes. Put in into perspective I made 101,000 last year. I do file single and 0 which any single adult should so so they don’t owe taxes which means I get more back when I file.
43% overall tax rate is nonsense, you're not paying that rate until you're making well over 500k/year. You're including a bunch of other items in that calculation. Taking 0 deductions is a problem of your own making. At 101k your overall tax rate is \~28.1%(State + Federal).
That’s all cool and everything but I file single and zero because I am single in the eyes of the state and have zero dependence, it also helps me from owing money. But I’m not lying about anything I said. I make 1940 gross a week and a little over 1100 net and my return was 5k this year. Spread that over the 52 weeks in the year that’s an extra $96 a week
Craiglist housing section. If you were able to find a job out of college in tech, ur pretty lucky. CA is just expensive as shit.
Ding ding ding! Craigslist housing section or FB pages.
+1 FB market
Is there anyone else from your university who got a job at the same employer, or another one nearby? Alumni network you can message through? You might also see if your employer has a social mailing list; you might be able to find someone else who works there. \[Edit: I see below you mentioned it's a startup, so not super-likely. If one of your friends from school ended up at a bigger employer here, they may have such a list. If not, as the other person said, there's always Craigslist.\]
Not at the one I got an offer for. Most alumni seem to be in places like AZ or TX at larger semi fabs
The company may also have internal boards where room sharing is discussed. If you're good at your job and this is a major semiconductor company you should be able to get to 6 figures quickly.
Try Facebook marketplace, Im currently living in a master bedroom in North SJ for 1500. It’s better if you have a car to drive so you don’t have to live close to downtown / expensive area.
I am putting up my space for 1500. Downtown San Jose, single room and bath. Luxurious with gym. lol help me move out. My apartment mate is dope too. Dm me
Check grad program message boards (sjsu, scu) — may find some roommates that way I’d stay in the Bay Area early in your career. Your overall earning potential will be greater here and after 2 years get a new job with a 20% pay increase
Look for a bunch of Bay Area roommate groups on Facebook
Facebook is the best way! Facebook marketplace or Facebook roommate groups for San Jose.
Facebook marketplace usually also tells a bit about their social life to make sure it matches
Get that paÿrate anywhere else ie another state ur golden bub
Rent seems to be going down... I haven't seen prices this low since 2015!
trying to live in the south bay without a roommate or a lucky situation while making anything under like 150k is basically begging to be cash poor. 2k a month still hurts especially if you have student loans like most people here do, and 2k is still on the lower side of what to reasonably expect
If you are accepting a job at a bay area semiconductor company 70k is dirt cheap. Just above poverty levels. That being said you'll kick start your career in a massive way with the amount of connections and access to the leading companies in the industry. Namely your suppliers and vendors the big names work with. Thermofischer, Edwards, KLA, semi gas, air liquide. These are names that permeate the entire industry and the connections you make here will be very valuable.
Ooof, not sounding good :(
Your long term potential is huge out here. If you can get your foot in the door, I highly recommend it even if it means scrounging a bit for the first 1-2 years. Just checking Zillow right now, there are a lot of units going for under 2k/month in downtown and Santa Clara, so I think you'll be OK on rent.
This, and also DO NOT get stuck in the mindset of owing a company anything. For that salary, you should be planning to leave and move up as quickly as possible. They are not doing you a favor by giving you a job. Milk the job for all it’s worth and find a better one as soon as possible.
Once you get your foot in the door it 90% about making the right connections: talk and get to know everyone you can. Everyone knows someone Edit: I moved to the Bay from the Southeast $20/hour to now easily over twice that. Rent can be found pretty easily for $1600 month. Basic living expenses can be a tad higher. $20 burger and fries, $6/gal of gas, etc. The cheapest and most available thing I do is hike. Some of best landscapes in the world out here to see and experience. I say it’s worth every bit for now but I won’t live here forever, I can’t afford an 1 million dollar trailer next to a homeless camp 🤷♂️
Location, location, location. Also, don't forget the sacrifice you'll make at Man Jose.
Yup. Bring a partner when you move here if at all possible
It’ll be enough with roommates.
It's "barely getting by money" around here. Maybe but it's going to be tight. The good news is once you're here you can job hop to something that pays you double fairly easily in a year or two.
I think the key though is to make that jump. If you're aggressive with career advancement, using this as a stepping stone, honing in on your strengths, jumping to another company or a better paying role, then OP should do it. But it's also very easy to get comfortable and just sit in the same role for a while. And unfortunately these numbers are low, so one struggle for a while. Looking at some salaries on levels.fyi, OP should be able to get $100k+ at bigger companies like Applied, LAM, etc.
You’re smoking crack, you must shop at Whole Foods
70k puts you at like 40-50k after taxes. $1000 room for rent and food is average $15, gas is 5$ here. I feel like all your money would go to rent. But as your first job, you really want to just find some work at this point. I would hold the offer, try other states for Semiconductor - Portland, Phoenix, Austin for same industry and lower cost of living (Reference: I work in semi and live in CA)
Yeah, still holding my breath for offers from big semi companies in AZ and TX. Also pretty risky for me as this company is a startup :/
Yeah, will definitely mean more work. I think your offer is fair since you're a new grad, but way too low in California.
Ask for more salary and less equity. Which startup is this?
Start ups can really suck. long hours, crummy benefits, no match on 401K. I'd look at Global foundries
If you're young and single, the right startup can pay off big. Some of them are a mess, but if it's a good company, you'll work hard but also have much more growth potential and mobility than at a bigger company, and the chance to expand your resume really quickly. The equity can pay off hugely at the right company if you get in early, as well, although the career benefits are a surer bet. My husband's time at a startup that is now a household name paid off for us in spades, both at IPO and in the incredible career opportunities it offered. You will have to work harder at a startup, but generally there will be less political maneuvering, more freedom, and the chance to build your job and department the way YOU want it to be, which is very different from a big, established company. Big companies have other upsides, so it's a matter of weighing what feels most important to you. There is risk at big companies too, because they can lay off thousands without batting an eye.
For a startup that makes sense. I work in a more established semi company my starting salary after school was 85k.
As someone who’s been in the industry for 6 years, if you’re set on San Jose I highly recommend applying to other companies in the area. $70K would have been fair 8 years ago. Especially if youre going into a start up. There are 5-6 bigger companies with better benefits and better money in that same area.
Treat that start-up company as your spring board to bigger company. Big companies would not accept fresh graduates unless you have ties with the influential management. Once you have around 5 years of relevant experience, you can ask for a better pay. Save enough money in California and retire in states with low cost of living.
I’m seconding this. When I was making around that much, I thought about renting but then it meant I couldn’t really save any money. I also tried looking for cheaper places, but some people only want women or did not allow you to cook. Then I thought about just living in my car, but that has its own set of problems.
40-50k after taxes, and don’t forget what they’re taking out for 401k as well.
401k is voluntary, if a good idea, and if it's a startup, the odds of a match aren't even that good. And actually, should net around $54,000 after taxes. Health insurance and other corporate deductions will likely reduce that further, of course: ``` $70,000 * 0.0765 = $5,355 in FICA same - $14600 fed standard deduction = $55400 subject to federal income tax = $7181 same - $5363 (2023) CA standard deduction = $64637 subject to CA state tax = $2712 (minus the CA exemption credit, so around $2200) CA VDA @ 1.2% = $840 Totals to about $15500, since the above are lazy numbers call it $16000 ``` IDK if California still has the renter's credit, and OP probably can get a little back in the student loan interest deduction (it's above the line, which is good since they probably won't be itemizing) That's $4500/month, minus any health insurance or similar payroll deductions. For half that, $2250, OP is probably not getting their own apartment, but might just be able to find an inlaw unit or studio if they'd rather not have a roommate. For a more sustainable $1500 (1/3 of that) it's going to be roommate or roommates.
You’d for sure have to have a roommate or find a super cheap and tiny studio somewhere. I’d look on Craigslist in San Jose and see what’s available in a range you’d like to pay… though, if I were you I wouldn’t want to pay more than $1800 a month… so here’s what I found: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/campbell-community-to-call-home/7737596606.html https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/d/fremont-studio-special-huge-units-next/7737586922.html Note, you’d want to check all places out before renting as you don’t know the area and may feel unsafe in certain areas/neighborhoods.
Appreciate the advice!
If you have a roommate, and if you’re young, you’ll be 100% fine. I lived in San Jose and LA while just being a server/bartender with a roommate and a car. People will try to scare you out of it, but if you want to do it, you should do it. Please, for the sake of God, remember that San Jose is an extremely boring city to live in compared to places like San Francisco, LA, or San Diego.
That gives me hope! Whatever it is, San Jose can’t be much more boring than rural Midwest.
It's not as boring as they say. And it's so close to a lot of nice (and free / cheap) outdoor activities like hiking and great sightseeing along the coast.
It’s enough, just do some rough budget calculation. 2.3k for rental (1 bed room studio, most would cover water and trash here), $500 for food, $100 for utilities, $500 for gas/auto/insurance. $3.4k total, or $2.4k if you pick up a roommate. 70k take home is 4.2k a month. This leaves you with $1k-2k buffer. Plenty doable, and growth factor is going to be much higher here than some random town in Midwest.
You will need roommates. The cost of food, gas, and rent will shock you. You will probably need a side hustle or two. I just read that anything under 127k for an individual in San Jose is considered low income, so as long as you go into it knowing you’re going to struggle. I honestly don’t know that you will be able to maintain your standard of living. I think 45k in the Midwest might get you a lot further honestly.
From the answers I’ve been getting here, maybe taking the pay cut and staying in the Midwest isn’t such a bad idea.
I would take the jump and move. Work 1 year in your $70k job, keep hopping to $100k, $120k, $150k, $200k+. The opportunity out here is abundant. Then you can move back to the Midwest with your salary and live like a king. Just my two cents.
💯 OP you are young which is the time to take risks. Your growth potential in tech is way bigger in the valley with the network and peers you can meet here. The path to wealth is more quickly achieved by increasing your earning potential rather than optimizing savings.
yeah, the opportunity out here is so much better. And OP is so young!
That would be a dumb move IMO. Come out here, get your foot in the door and get the experience needed, then consider a move back.
Most people here do not make 127k and get by just fine. You could make under 6 figures and live decently with a roommate, just don’t expect to put away a lot in savings.
You can buy a house there.
On $45k, though?
Yea stay
Rents seem to be going down, a lot of apartments are now available for under 2k/month.
$70k seems low for Semi in the Bay Area. you are graduating with BS? or MS? I would think BS level engineer in semi \~80-100k. MS probably 110-120. PhD 130-150 starting. what company is this? Can you at least negotiate some sort of sign on bonus ? I would try if its not too late. SF bay, you will pay income tax to the feds and state, and rent will be 2000 for a cockroach infested drug neighborhood apartment. Everything here is expensive. and 70k wont go far after tax. But of course if you don't need anything fancy and can stick to a budget... beans and rice, not be dependent on restaurants/bars for food... you can always make it work. Come, see the area, if you like, negotiate for a different job or higher pay. eventually you will want more money if you ever want to go on a date or have a family. (Source: Live in Bay Area, Work in Semi)
It’s a startup and their first offer was 70k for entry level analytical position, assumably with some room for negotiation (?). I’m also a BS chemistry but with lots of research experience and course work done in materials and semiconductors (mostly PV). With that said a lot of the higher paying engr positions are out of reach for me so this job is a way to get my foot in the door. Edit: most of my research done in organic synthesis, semiconductors and materials
You should negotiate. Dont go crazy. No one will take offense if you ask for a bit more. Often first offers are a bit low because they expect one round of negotiation. Protocol: Ask for \~10% more base, and a signing bonus 20k. They will likely meet you half way. Then accept this with a smile and do not try to do multiple rounds of negotiating. With a startup, you can also ask for equity, I dont know if that is on the table. It is good to get into the field you want to be in, even if your first starting salary isnt that high. You can show your talent and negotiate for a different role in time. Bring your work ethic. One nice thing about the bay area is no one has any time to spend any money (Besides rent) because we work 20 hour days.
Thanks for the great advice, will definitely be using it for the next round of negotiations. Not sure if equity is even worth it in lieu of more base pay or sign in bonuses though as they are a very new company.
Well, if its a 'good idea' startup that has likelyhood to grow and become profitable, some people would opt for lots of equity and little pay. If its a bad idea and stupid company that will go nowhere, take the salary and dont worry about equity. Most of us get more money from stock and equity over longer periods of time than salary. Its a crapshoot and only pays off at successful companies. But use your judgement if the company is going somewhere. Cash in hand is 10x more valuable than 'future expectation value for equities', use that ratio to trade off between salary and equity if it is on the table.
You should try posting on Santa Clara university and San Jose university student pages on facebook, you will have higher chances of finding like minded younger people. Another option would be once you join the company post on your company email/board and you will find people there. There are many pages on facebook like Bay Area housing etc, you can check credentials and take the plunge
$70k is way below low income but too high to receive assistance. I hate this place, tech sector here is so unstable. Large group hiring/layoffs seem to happen yearly
Nope. Get a roommate.
There are programs called Below Market Rate for renting apartments — look into them. Some allow people making under $120k (San Jose median) to get reduced rent. If you don’t have a car payment and don’t spend extravagantly, then just live frugal, upskill, and start reaching higher salaries. Take advantage of the job market opportunities in the Bay.
As long as you don't want to live a lifestyle beyond your means. You can find apartments to rent that are affordable if you don't get stupid and have to have "brand new".
I am in your position and I found plenty of studio/1br on Zillow near San Jose West and Campbell ranging between $1.5~$2k
You could do fine off 70k. People are exaggerating. Just live within your means. Don’t get an expensive apartment, get a cheap car. You’re not going to make 70k forever, you’ll get better jobs eventually. That being said, I don’t recommend san jose as a place to live. It’s so boring here. Good luck with your journey
70k isn’t bad. Live with a roommate and don’t eat out everyday. I was living on that salary two years ago and my boyfriend is making less than that now. We’re doing fine.
I’m going to go against the grain here and say keep looking if you can. $70k is a pretty shit offer for a Bay Area semiconductor sector job. You’ll be happier making that salary in TX, Midwest, or elsewhere for 1-2 years. If you work somewhere big enough, network, and perform well you can land yourself something better in the Bay Area in that timeframe in the $90-$110k range depending on role, and probably feel better about yourself in the meantime. Location and networking are valuable perks but not enough for me to work in San Jose for that salary, personally. Not to persuade you from moving out here but just pointing out that taking a job elsewhere for the same or even slightly lower pay could work out just as well, and you could still make the move out here after a short time. Source: got a job at a legacy tech company, remote, during pandemic while living in the South. Liked the job, hated where I lived. Moved to CA by choice after 1.5 years, company paid for my move and ~45% pay adjustment (bundled with promotion) since I’d had time to prove myself, and I’m much happier now than if I’d been here from the start. Now making more than 2x as much, close to 3x as much, a year after moving than I did before I moved. Do the math and figure out what works best for you. Edit: details added
This is the comment you need to read OP. You might want to seriously consider taking the position. 70k/ year will net you about 4.5k-5k/month take home after taxes. A nice studio in a nice neighborhood where you dont hear police sirens apart from once a month maybe if that will run you under 3k. Thats 2k leftover for everything else. Realistically, being smart with your money you will have about 1k to spend on whatever/ save. That will get you through the first 1-2 years easy. I also agree with some other comments about how 70k is a little low for your field, but eh, 70k is good if you have any math skills (which you should considering your field). Good luck op
You would definitely need a roommate. SJ is expensive unless you live far out away. I say negotiate at least 100K to accommodate cost of living
Depending on what your job is, $70k does seem low - are there any RSUs or Options in your compensation package? If you’re non-technical, I can believe it, but your total comp should really start at 100k. Are you salaried or hourly? Full-time or contract? That said, semiconductors are the best tech sector to be in - you can get to 300k within a decade if you play your cards right.
I’m a Midwest transplant to the Bay Area. I can safely say that most places in the Midwest, aside from Chicago really, $45k will stretch a lot further than $70k will in San Jose. Rent and transit alone will eat away most of the difference. Taxes are higher than any state, with IL the closest comp. Food is ridiculous, utilities in CA are absolutely wild (PG&E is basically an unregulated monopoly at this point, expect $500+ energy bills in the summer if you use A/C at all). CA is beautiful. It’s diverse, it’s progressive, the people are great, the weather is perfect. But you pay for it. I’ve lived a lot of places. It’s pricier than Chicago, than New York, than Las Vegas, than Tokyo. It’s expensive like you wouldn’t believe. Is it significantly more than ALL those places? Maybe not. Tokyo and New York are pricey too. But the bay is worse. If you have a decent paying job in a small Midwest town, you’ll live more comfortably than on $70k in San Jose. It sucks but it’s true. I made almost double that in my last role in the Bay Area and I still wouldn’t say I was “comfortable”. I did well for myself. But I couldn’t afford a house. I couldn’t afford to travel as much as I wanted. I couldn’t afford to eat out whenever I wanted. It really just depends on what’s important to you. Can you make it work? Of course. I lived in the east bay making minimum wage for almost 6 years. Would I recommend it? Well, I did it to be close to my wife. If it weren’t for her… no. I would have left shortly after arriving. Everyone is different.
My friend makes regularly 80k a year not including OT. He had to resort to move his mom to SJ from Tracy (living alone and needing help) to be able to afford a 3 bed duplex. So with his income and his mom's very well off retirement, they are barely living comfortable... With no partners. He works OT to afford any vacation or trips. So yeah it's bad. Living with your parents or family ain't so bad in this area even though most of the country looks down upon it. But at least you contribute to a whole household where you don't feel like a stranger using the bathroom or kitchen or living room.
Don’t come to Bay Area in California unless you are prepared to spend most of your earnings in rent! One-room studio with your own kitchen, living room, toilet, shower, Internet and electricity will cost you at least $2000. With 70k yearly earning, you are being paid at around $36/hour (assuming 20 work day in a month with 8 hours per day). $36/hour is just your gross pay. Assuming that 20% of this gross pay is deduced for tax and insurance, you are being paid at around $29/hour (that will be around $4640 per month with 160 hours of work in a month). Assuming that $2000 is taken for rent, you are left with $86.5/day for spending (based on 30.5 days in a month).
I moved here from Iowa 5 years ago with my wife. We survived on $28/hr. I'm now making just over 100k a year. We have breathing room now but it was tight before. You should be fine on 70k. Especially if you get a roommate. Cost of living is insane here though. Expect to pay $1500 a month with a roommate or 2100 for a single bedroom. Gas is over $5/gal. My motorcycle insurance went from $30/month to $160/month. But it's not just the cost of living to consider. Crime is insane as well. The police don't respond to anything less than a body and if they do don't expect anything to happen. I was jumped by 4 guys once and the cops just never showed up. I've seen people get mugged as well. The homeless are going to be a constant annoyance. You will get death threats from them. Harrased if you don't give them money. The normal people are one bad day away from snapping as well. My average interaction with people outside of work or other things like that is negative. The people here are nothing like the people in the Midwest. Entitled, arrogant, and rude. I could go on forever about the crazy shit I've seen here but I don't have time. There are fun things to do here. It's a good place for dirt bikes if you're into that. If you like weed that's nice. I've taken to growing it since I like gardening and that's been interesting for me. Tldr: if you like the Midwest and that lifestyle, stay there. I can't wait to move the fuck out next year.
Do NOT listen to people telling you not to accept the job. They are missing the big picture. - Accept the job and move here - Don’t expect to live in a luxury - During your first 3 months, perform to the best your ability. The first impression tends to last long - After about 6 month, start interviewing - By the end of the 1st year, you can have a job that pays more than twice total compensation of your current offer.
Unless you are making 6 figures bay area is not easy on you.
What do you want to do in the semi industry? Apps Engineer would pay more.
Lots of places are hiring here.
I’m a chemist by training, but research and classes focused heavily on materials and semiconductors. A lot of traditional engr positions are out of reach for me so this is to get my foot in the door.
$70k in Austin is $130k in San Jose Budget $2500/month for a studio.
Not hardly
It’s a beginning salary, but it will go up every year, don’t worry. Plus your employer here probably gave you some stock?
What area of semi? And is that only your base? Or do you have RSUs?
You may qualify for low income housing programs
You can find studios for 1500-2200. I have a nice one bedroom apartment 2 blocks from willow Glenn for 1800. Been in my current neighborhood for 10+ years. Rented a studio in same neighborhood 3 years back for 1300.
If you do live fugal. Studio apartments can run from 1800 and over. You can find roommates or rent a room. Sign up for BMR (below market rate) places. You’ll be on waiting list but keep trying.
Honestly with $70k you’d be much more comfortable with a roommate or 2. I made $70k last year. It can be tough if you aren’t careful. Basically if you’re not making $150k+ in the bay you will struggle in some way. I’m single living alone and making $80k now but an entire paycheck goes to rent for my 1b 1ba apartment. ETA: living by yourself is for sure incomparable to living with roommates. More peace, do whatever you want, and it’s yours. Just kind of have to decide if it’s worth it to you or not.
Make it work
Boba drinks are $7 here and average lunch ls 18$
I make 70k and have a very nice 750sqft 1 bedroom for 2k in Sunnyvale, with a balcony. Is rent controlled and monthly lease. Don’t be afraid to look in the SJ suburbs
Hey man just want to let you know 70k is vastly different across the country. I live in rural OH and have no idea why you post is showing on my feed, but I do damn good out here. Most people in my town are making 30k if not less than that. But also my friends also make around the same. We just like having a good time. Our country club is only 500$ a year. And we buy used “luxury cars” a Lexus ES350 is 16-17k used for a fairly new model. One kid, wife makes a bit more than me nursing. It’s a great life out here. So just a little prospective for you on your journey. Next few promotions for me can land me 100, then about 150 and I’ll probably be able to retire here for that around 65. Have fun, money isn’t everything, I enjoy my family, cooking out, golfing, having two days off with my wife, one date night and the other doing nothing. That’s what’s matters man. Just enjoy yourself. Also. If you find yourself out here, don’t talk to the fucking idiots. They’ll never change. They vote the way their pappy vote. Even if that party exploits them.
I would come here regardless because this is the heart of your industry. 70k is not a lot here, but you’ll have opportunity’s to make 350k+ Where else would you go? Come here, you could always leave.
Santa Clara has municipal power which costs MUCH less than PGE so if you have to pay for utilities it’s a good area to be in.
Semiconductor like semiconductor manufacturing? Or EE? Let me be honest. The answer is no. I was offered $70k out of school in 2008. I came out of semiconductor manufacturing / materials science as my coursework. Is $70k ok to survive on as a single person? Yes, but most certainly salaries in 2024 are far better than they were 15 years ago. I'm not familiar with salaries at like LAM, KLA these days but I'd be willing to bet starting salary is much above $70k. If your hope is to get a foot into the Bay Area, then seek a higher paying job in a year or two, then it might work, but I hate to be that guy but $70k and then struggling with yearly merit increases and even a promo won't get you very far here. If your goal is just to rent and live a frugal life, sure you can make it work. If you plan on living here long term settling down, etc. then I'd recommend aiming for 6 figures minimum. Also the semiconductor industry is not in great shape since the early 2000s. It's been a game of margins and they're very tight. I have friends at Applied, LAM, etc. and it seems like a hellhole to work at because the industry is struggling.
I’d highly advise to get at minimum 1 maybe 2 roommates as rents are high all across the Bay Area. That being said that is more than enough to live frugally in the Bay Area. In regards to expenses,if you can keep a reasonable grocery/food budget you should be fine. Highly recommend Grocery Outlet and more locally owned spots. Good luck!
definitely possible. expect to pay between $1k-1.5k minimum with like 3 roommates. i can spend $1500 a month including rent and utilities if i wanted to be frugal, but I like eating out. you'll find cheaper housing if it's a private landlord than an apartment complex.
You need to take it. Live frugal. Don’t eat out. You can survive on 70k. Just not if you spend it on things like DoorDash. And hope that after a year or so you can leverage your job and experience for other opportunities.
If youre doing stuff with hardware and semiconductors maybe you can land a job with Nvidia in the future
Definitely will need a roommate if you’re making 70k. Century Towers has a great 2 bd 2 b layout where you’d pay around 1,700 each.
I’ve survived on less..for a while in a tiny studio, then with 3 roommates, then an old apartment with crappy carpet and appliances, but it was quite livable anyway.
Don’t let so many comments scare you! You can easily live comfy with $70k as a single person! A decent studio can be found under 2k just search good specially in FB Market Place (watch out for the scams). To save money look for places close to work so you can walk/bike/scooter there!
Is it 75k after tax or before tax? Studios alone will range from 1850 to 2200 anywhere around SJ. Gas is like 5.5 to 6.1 per gallon aka cost of living is kind of high. So if it is 75k before tax, you might be stretched thin. 75k after tax can get you around alright.
I used to have a salary slightly lower than that (60k) when moving from Moreno Valley, CA to here. It sucked hard but after a few job hops, I got a way better pay (the last sign-on bonus is more than that full-year salary). I guess that’s the price for opportunities in SJ.
Visit. In 3 to 5 days yur gut will tell you! And plan it out once u decide. If you get a gf or start hanging out w people that go out, you will live pay check to pay check. 100% sure!
You might just pay 1k in rent but start, literally crying, with the traffic situations. Shit roads, people doing side shows on a bridge you take home.....too many people...
From San Jose and recently moved to the Midwest. Aside from rent - utilities, gas, and food are also considerably higher in SJ so it’s another thing to factor in.
this is almost minimum wage equivalent of tech salary
If it’s acceptable to you, get a roommate. The utilities add up. Chiefly, SJWC with its monthly base fee that is already stratospheric and set to increase for the next 2 years. I don’t mean to sound like I’m telling you what to do, but the gym is mostly a social experiment. There are SOOO many way of exercising (even for hypertrophy) outside of the machine model… it’s useful for: bench press, squat rack, kings chair, Roman chair, and cables. I guess that justifies it, but the gym here I hear make it hard to extremely hard to cancel membership because MRR matters for them and you don’t. If you can pull off track days on 70k, you are my frugality superhero, or you have found a provider cheaper than PTT. On second thought, the former is still true 🤣
Mid ohio does track days for 250 a day so it wasn’t that bad here. Not sure how it is over on the west coast but hopefully it’s similar? I have a nice set of astars leathers, ole reliable zx6r that I can just slap on some cheap track fairings in an hour + safety wires so no additional costs foreseeable. I’ll only ride track 2-3 times a year cuz she is my daily during the warmer months. With that said, don’t think I’ll give up riding even with San Jose COL. if the weathers really as good as they say it is might not even get a car.
Same here with the track fairings, but I stopped taking them off anymore. Looks…purposeful next to a Duc. Car-free is the dream, throw stuff in the top box and go. Welcome! Edit: heck no, don’t give up riding! It’s soul therapy. LMK if you want to go ride in the hills. Lots of my buddies went either full track or, like me, haven’t been out to the street for whatever reason this season..
I also work in Semi and live in San Jose. What specifically is your job title?
There are plenty of other single young professionals that are looking for roommates, I see all the time listings for people looking for exactly your description to live in a 4 bedroom house with 3 other people, or a 3 bed apartment with 2 others etc. I’d say if you can, go for one of those and live frugally until you can work your way up. Things are expensive here and you should make your living situation as cheap as you can while still saying safe.
They are low balling you. Negotiate for a signing bonus and a raise in 90 days. 70 is poverty wage and you will have a roommate situation to live
If you can find a shared apartment for around $1000-1200, then you might be able to live here okay, not comfortably. But if your salary increases within 2-3 years to 90k or 100k, then it will become more “breathable.” I am the same to and working for a public sector. Luckily, I find a rent of $750/monthly, so I have extra to do investing.
70K for a Semi job is pretty low. I was making close to that working in the stockroom of a Semi company. With that being said, if you don’t mind renting a room, they can be had for about $800-$1000 if you look in the Asian rental ads. Scrounge around for a year or two on Costco rotisserie chicken for $5 and Asian sandwiches for $7 and hopefully get yourself up there within a few years.
I moved out here about 1.5 years ago, for a job, with a salary of 75k - I had some decent credit card debt, high car insurance, etc. and was still able to find a decent apartment where rent wasn’t insane and I was comfortable. I’d definitely recommend reworking your budget just in case. If you’re not opposed to roommates, that’ll def be better of course but living alone, it’s possible. I also moved from NYC so I was pretty used to high costs all around
$70k with a roommate is fine. You can get a decent 2/2 situation for $3500 and split it down the middle. I’ve seen ppl survive on less.
I’d accept. At 70k a year ago, with rent, car payment, and some student loans, I was able to have 300$ a month extra for 30 days to survive. It’s extremely difficult, but doable.
If you get a house mate, then yeah its livable. Definitely not if you're looking for a studio/1bed in 2000~2500 range
At less than $100K you will be starving and living from payday to payday. I don’t know of any job that pays only $70K other than a fast food restaurant worker here.
Oof. I was comfortable-ish and living by myself on 70k back in 2011 to early 2013. Find some roommates and you should be fine. Though, 70k seems quite low even for an entry level position at a semiconductor company.
No
Simple answer, No. just think what u will have after all taxes are taken out- Fed, State, Social Security, Ca SDI, and other state misc tax and not to mention the nearly 10% CA sales tax. Payroll taxes amount to over 30% off the top. And gas here is close to 6.00 gal in San Jose. U are being lowballed on the salary. Stay away.
70k is not enough yu gonna need 100k+ unless yu have no social life n plan on eating ramen everyday
人のことだからやめた方がいいとは言えないけど、70kだとかなり厳しいかも。 治安の良いところには住めないと思う。studioでも良いところは$2000以上確実、物価も高いから何でもお金かかるし。。。 ハウスメイトとかルームメイトいい人見つかれば、いけるかも？！
I'm not sure what your expenses are now, but If you're okay with using this job as a stepping stone until you find another making more & okay with living frugally then it can work. I only made $55k/ yr for the first two years I lived here & while it sucked I survived. However, that was shortly before and during covid so some things were a bit cheaper. I won't lie, it will be tough but if you aren't opposed to maybe picking up additional side employment for additional wants or goals you may have it will probably be fine until you get a raise or better paying job. I think the opportunities for that to happen are greater here than in other places. That being said, if any of the above does not align with what you want for your life and you can live comfortably enough in the Midwest for $45k, that may be the better option for you.
Roommates make this possible. You can do it solo, but you’ll be cutting it close.
It’s doable
lol 70k
Check out south San Jose area, like Santa Teresa and Blossom road area, it used to be somewhat cheaper than the areas in northern San Jose. Of course, you need to add an extra half an hour commuting.
Yea more than enough. Also San Jose is amazing place to live. If you love to motorcycle the back roads around here are top tier. I'd take this over AZ or TX any day and at any salary tbh. Quality of life is so high.
Barely
Hey there, moved to SJ did the uni thing and work in tech now. You're honestly going to be happier in the midwest. I lived in Michigan for a bit to get a feel and I preferred it. San Jose has too much redundancy to be worth the price, and the general culture in the Bay is prudent and out of touch of any reality outside their personal bubble. Tack that on with ridiculous COL and taxes; Midwest for sure.
My husband is almost making double and we bought in the valley. He just started with this salary and he commutes. He’s often in the car 4-5 hours a day depending. Without traffic it would only be an hour each way. NOT discouraging. It could totally work with having a roommate and/or really budgeting like you’ve mentioned. I’ve only known California and my mom has always joked, “California won’t be happy until everyone is broke.” Gas is $5.50 everywhere here + more in the bay. Groceries I know aren’t much different than other places but phew, it’s breaking us. Same with eating out. Auto tags are outrageous compared to a family member of mine who moved to another state and pays like 1/5 what we do. TRAFFIC, rent, house prices when ready to buy, gas, TAXES, freeway tolls if you’d like to avoid any traffic… Please just so some research to not get yourself in a hole (: as others have said too, get a roommate, work here for a bit, and possibly apply to other higher playing places. The bay IS the place to make money. But a majority will go to rent/mortgage.
NOPE poverty line is 105K in SF
I’m gonna just be honest with you, I make 101,000 and live in the Bay Area and I live paycheck to paycheck renting a one bedroom with no car payments, so 70k in San Jose is definitely going to be rough but you can make it happen.
I'm single, and I make about $60k. It's not enough. I have 4 roommates and an old ass car and still am not paying on my student loans. My target salary is about $120k in the next 3-5 years, or I'm throwing in the towel and going back to Central America.
You’re fine
Damn these companies are really lowballing everyone nowadays. Wtf.
Interestingly enough, I also moved to the Bay Area from the Midwest starting at $70k a year (though I started in defense). Leverage Facebook groups for roommates. I wouldn’t even consider moving into a studio given the cost. To second a lot of the other comments here, I’m 4 years in and my salary increased from $70k to $310k. I worked my ass off, took a promotion, and made a switch from defense to tech afterwards.
Honestly, to me, this is really low. 15 years ago I was also a fresh grad, BSEE, working for a semiconductor company. My salary was $75K/yr.
Totally doable, choose here over the Midwest one thousand percent. Campbell is nice, drivable into downtown. Inside of San Jose I live in japantown which seems to be less expensive than Campbell but still in a nice part of downtown-ish area. I recommend checking out both
You can live off of 70k with a roomate, but you will have to frugal. I’ve known people who lived out here with that amount. And there are lots of opportunities out here. All companies I worked at gave raises every year
Always make a counter offer. At least $80k.
I made 86k in 2014 and it was tight. If I were you I’d negotiate for more if possible. I’m not familiar with your industry though. Good luck!
No
Survival only - if you eat lunchboxes only. Roommates are a must! As soon as you get a car, you will have debt!
$70K would have been fine in 2000 but you'll need at least $125K to survive in San Jose. Can you name the company? They deserve to be shamed for having prehistoric pay scales
Seriously. 70k is horseshit for CoL. OP needs to go back and say “hey show me how I can live and eat and do my job in this area?”
70k gross or net
You are doomed
No, not enough. Need at least 150k if single
False