Re: Re: Re: Orchestra Salaries


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Posted by Sean Chisham on May 08, 2003 at 19:36:14:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Orchestra Salaries posted by WOW... on May 08, 2003 at 18:46:30:

Those are starting salaries. An E-7 with 10 years makes about $50,000/year and at least $15,000 of that is not taxed. And at 10 years, you are still fairly junior in the special bands. Most people who retire are E-8's with 20-30 years in. Those guys are raking in the dough. Too bad Washington, DC costs so freakin' much to live in.

For example I own a house inside the Beltway. It is about 950 sqft with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. I share a driveway with my neighbor and am on a .25 acre lot. This year's county tax appraisal on my house is $248,000! If I wanted a basement with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths along with a garage I would be looking at $350,000-$400,000 in my neighborhood!!! I am not talking about the fancy houses either. Fixer uppers with that fit that description still sell for well over $300,000.

Since I live inside the beltway, I also have to contend with constant traffic. Rush hour starts at 0700 and goes until nearly 1000. Starts up again at 1530 and goes until 1900.

The academy bands have it made!!!!! They get the same salaries we do and live in much cheaper locations. Downside to those bands is that they get much fewer E-8 slots and very very very few E-9 positions. That hurts more when it comes time to collect a retirement check.

All and all this is a fantastic job, but there is no such thing as the perfect job.


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