A 16 year old should absolutely make $31K

[JDPriestly]

111. And on that income, he or she can live and save for college.

College tuition at a state school in California:



Tuition and Fees $13,518 $13,518 $13,518 $13,518
Room and Board $14,992* $12,049
Total Direct Costs $28,510 $25,567 $13,518 $13,518

http://financialaid.berkeley.edu/cost-attendance

Explanation of totals $28,510 and an estimated $33,481 if you include fees, books, personal expenses, etc. if you live on-campus in a residence hall (which the parents of a 17- or 18-year old on-campus resident would probably require. I would, and even then . . . . )

$25,567 if you live in on-campus housing (cook for yourself?) $32,004 including fees, books, miscellaneous, transportation

$13,518 if you live in off-campus housing and this means, if you live in off-campus housing (not relatives or friends) $27,870 you include transportation, fees, books, personal expenses and you live in off-campus housing

$23,392 including fees, books, miscellaneous expenses and transportation if you live with family or friends (no rent I presume).

So, a 16-year-old who earns $31,000 per year working a 40-hour week can save for college.

I assume he or she is working 40 hours and finishing high school with grades good enough to get him or her admitted to college.

For most students, it would cost more than $31,000 to go to the University of California at Berkeley for one year -- according to the US Berkeley website.

So, yes. $31,000 for a 16-year-old who works 40 hours a week would be a fair wage believe it or not.

I thank you for posting this, Recursion because it kind of explains why our young people are so enthusiastic about free tuition for state colleges and other schools.

The cost of college is just much too high and the entire burden seems to be placed on the shoulders of our brightest young people.

$31,000 per year is $14.90 per hour. Almost Bernie's $15. And, yes, 16-year-olds need that kind of money if they are to pay for their college education AT A STATE SCHOOL.

Let's don't even think about the tuition that students pay at private schools if they are not on scholarship.