18 College Grads Share Their Jobs And How Much They Earn

13.

“I graduated in 2022 with a degree in creative writing and a minor in Spanish. Then, I moved 500 miles north of my hometown to get away from city life, and I ended up in a rural area with gorgeous natural scenery but really no creative writing jobs. I briefly worked in admissions for a small private college before they closed, and a couple of months later, I was hired at a local tribal college. Currently, I’m in an AmeriCorps service position, which comes with a living stipend of about $20K–$25K, but I will be transitioning to a permanent role as a Student Success Coordinator for about $30K–$35K annually — I’ll be the person who makes sure that students stay engaged during their college career and finish their degree.”

“I really enjoy what I do, and it’s so cool to work with the local Native American tribe. Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) aren’t nearly as recognized as they should be, and they do such good work in terms of decolonization and establishing Native sovereignty. Plus, it’s just a better work environment than other places. Our college stresses the Ojibwe concept of mino-bimaadiziwin, or ‘the good life.’ The idea is that one needs to take care of all aspects of one’s health before moving forward in life. So, it’s encouraged for us to take stretch breaks and take time to live well during the workday, which shouldn’t be as atypical as it is. Overall, I’m not earning much, but the perks of the position and the environment make it worth it.”

—23, Michigan