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Article:

Do Americans Still Value Hard Work?

New Survey Examines Workers’ Ever-Changing Relationship With Our Jobs

Supporting a Family

Whether you live to work or work to live, you still have to make ends meet. So we asked people if their jobs allow them to support themselves and their families.

Overall, 78% of respondents said they are able to support their families thanks to the jobs they hold. But a closer look and a more in-depth breakdown of those numbers reveals some interesting tidbits.

First of all, the responses indicate there’s one specific aspect of a person’s life that will greatly improve the chances of finding a job that will comfortably support a family: education. Simply put, the more educated you are the more likely you are to find a higher-paying job. Seventy-four percent of people with a high school diploma said they can currently support their families, rising to 77% for those with a bachelor’s degree, 81% for master’s degree recipients, and topping out at 87% for those who have earned a doctorate degree.

Also, the ability to support a family differed greatly by manner of compensation, with 63% of hourly workers reporting they are able to financially support their families, compared to 83% of salaried employees.

 

  • Aaron Gouveia

    Aaron Gouveia has worked as the Content Manager of Salary.com since 2011. Prior to that, he was an award-winning journalist at several prominent New England newspapers. Read more...