Nathan came down beaming into my office yesterday. He had been doing research for a project which requires him to think about his career goals. Nathan is lucky because he knows exactly what he wants to do when he “grows up”.

“I can make $61,000 starting off as a Foreign Service Officer,” he said. “And in 15 years, it will have raised to over $95,000!”

These numbers were different than the numbers he had shared with me the day before when he wasn’t as excited about the salary that came with his career choice.

“I just discovered that the numbers change depending on where you live. In Sacramento, the base salary is increased by 22%! And if I live in San Francisco, it’s 35%!”

Having been a full-time teacher for many years, I’m very aware of the salary step schedule. In a matter of seconds any teacher with their district’s schedule can determine exactly how much they would receive in salary depending on number of years and university credits. It’s simple really.

And this is very appealing to Nathan who thrives best when he knows. The discovery of this step schedule meant he could begin to plan out his future in more detail. A day earlier, when he was not aware of the adjustment for geographic location, he asked me a lot of questions about the kind of lifestyle one could live off of a beginning salary of $51,789.

“I guess I’ll have to drive a used G35,” he said. Nathan is very much into cars. John and I have no idea where this came from; we both see cars as a way to get from point A to point B the cheapest way possible. But the fact that he was willing to get the used version of his dream car showed he was trying to think realistically.

And after the discovery that he hadn’t adjusted the base salary for a starting FSO, he was ecstatic. “That’s pretty decent,” he said, beaming from ear to ear. “I’ll still have to drive a used car but this is a lot better.”

It’s hard to teach kids who mostly live in the here and now to think 10-20 years into their future. And most of them have idealistic ideas about what kind of salary they will actually be making when they first start out. Giving kids an idea of what people earn in different professions and comparing that to the cost of living for the kind of lifestyle they want, can be an enlightening experience, as it was for Nathan.

A touch of reality is always a good thing. But dreaming for a brand new G35 “completely blacked out, with an upgraded stereo system and bass, and an after-market body kit” should always be encouraged, too. Why can’t we have the things we want? Often, it’s a matter of figuring out how to get them. As Nathan takes his first job and continues down his career path, he’ll be presented with opportunities. How he handles those opportunities can impact his lifestyle. That, and being savvy with his money. Happily, he’s got that part handled. Bring on the career.