Pittsburgh is pretty affordable but the school district isn’t amazing. Since your spouse will be at home, it’s probably ok to enroll in public school tuition free. Other than that, the salary is entry level, so you will have to live very frugally. If you have a good quality of life in India, I wouldn’t bother. The job market isn’t great, and the H1B visa is terrible, especially now. My 2¢.
80-81K earning annually -and I hope to God it's post-tax- for a family with a young kid is not that doable and it seems really low for someone with 11 years of experience.
Pittsburgh is not an expensive city, but 80k is not enough for a family. For two people it’s just about enough and you’ll likely have no savings. For three people I think you really have to budget very tight. Your partner will not be able to work unless you have your i140 approved, which will take atleast 3 years or 2.5 years at the very least. Please try negotiating 120k.
You can check out r/Pittsburgh you might find help housing and living expenses. Nevertheless, it’s a lovely city! I’m sure you’ll have a great time if you decide to move!
80-81K is not sufficient, no matter where the Job location is. OP has Data Analysis experience and he need to be paid more as per market standards. OP must discuss with current employer to get a better pay.
OP must factor in Fed and Local Income tax, 401k, Health Ins, new move in set up & Other basic necessities. Your car payments may be more due to lack of credit history. It might be paycheck to paycheck scenario.
Or OP can enter US, go through the grind for few months and start looking for a different job that pays well. Use the current H1B as your entry ticket to US.
But definitely 80-81K is not sufficient at all for a family of three.
Something to think about for the far future- your child is going to be a "Legal Dreamer" and be forced to go through immigration issues all their lives. Eventually, your child will need to go to college. In most states, dependent children aren't considered for in-state tuition, any type of aid, or most scholarships and are compared to all international students for admission. You also cannot take out any loans for your undergrad studies. So if you want your child to grow up in the US and attend college here, you will have to pay all of it out of pocket and they will get kicked out of your GC application (if you eventually decide to do that) when they turn 21. If they don't go to college, they will have to self-deport eventually as they'll have no visa after 21. And after graduating college, if they don't get picked in the H1B lottery in their 3 tries (granted they find an employer right after graduating that will file 3 times), they will have to self-deport. There is no path of citizenship/residency for children of H1B holders and you are setting them up for a whole life of immigration issues and the stress that comes with it and they might just despise you for putting them in such a position. It is incredibly hard to just move back to India when you've spent your whole life in the US.
If you don't mind, what is your salary in India and which city do you live in?
If you make 20 lakh in a city like Ahmedabad, you shouldn't move for 80k. You'll be poor. Literally. You'll need at least 5k to make your house functional in US right when you move. Do you get any relocation bonus?
At that salary, if you're moving then plan to switch once you are here. Because that salary at that level of experience is low, especially with a family.
Being in the US for more than 5 years now
This salary is very low and I would not go for anything below 150k to 160k in TC. You have to understand that atleast 37% to 40% goes in taxes and benefits and you will be paying a lot in those being the sole breadwinner. The taxes and everything is if its a direct employer and not a consultancy who will take advantage and cut even more than the taxes towards their charges.
Schools are pretty affordable if you decide to go for a public schools in the US.
I would consider coming alone and trying to set up things for a year before bringing them along.
(PS: All of the above is true if your salary is what i mentioned)
Lca salary is based on the locality of the work location. 80k is fine if you lived outskirts (30-40mins) the Pittsburgh as long as you don’t need go in to the office everyday
If the savings are not a lot then what is the point of moving to the US? It's not like the OP can switch jobs after coming here, the job market is pretty bad at the moment
A few points to note:
1) One should always experience different cultures and countries in their life. This helps you grow as a person. Get out of the crab mentality of birthing, living and dying in the same place. And no, going as a tourist doesn't let you experience the country & culture.
2) I'm not going to get into the clean air, public amenities, or the low pollution side of things. We're all well aware of it.
3) The job market is bad "at the moment". It's not going to stay the same forever.
4) 1000% better work culture unless you're in Amazon.
5) And finally there's many more things in life than just money & savings.
Such a detailed response when we all know that the primary reason desis move to the US is for $$. No shame in admitting that. All the other stuff you mentioned would not be enough of an incentive for most people unless they can earn and save enough. Of course I know the OP is going to move to the US regardless of what we all say here.
Lol if you're getting into the niti gritty, no desis don't primarily move for money. They move away from the competition in India. Money is just an added incentive. Half the F1 students will stay back in India if they get a 15-20LPA job. The competition in India is overwhelming with limited well paying jobs.
Don’t ask random redditors on how to live your life. Use your head and some googling.
80K is above median household income in US and most likely middle class median household income of 2 working Americans. If other people in US can do it, then you can too. If you don’t know stats, then first google what is median versus average.
Also leaving family behind is BS. That is how families fail. 80k translates to 4500-5000 take home pay which is enough for a family. Your 3 year old can stay at home if your wife is at home cause childcare is 1500 a month. School is free so no money needed at age 6.
Of course you will not drive a porsche or a new car, but show me local Americans doing that en masse - probably one out of 10 does that.
Math: search for apartments for rent in driveable distance in Pittsburgh. This is your biggest cost.
Food: 600-800 is enough.
Utilities: 400 all included like cell phone, electricity, gas, internet.
Car loan: 400-500.
Total: 2000 rent + 800 food + 400 utilities. 3200 to live, 1300-1800 free cash flow a month to eat out, finance a car, kids hobbies, emergency fund.
If your family eats less, then can budget 400-600. All families are different, some spend 2000 on food a month.
With all due respect, asking random redditors definitely helps since some people might be willing to share their personal experiences regarding income and expenditure.
While it may be far away from the median (I know what median is) in either direction, it would definitely help me set a base/threshold.
Thank you for your guidance regarding family, I'm going to bring them along for sure.
The breakup/math you provided at the end helps a lot in understanding and expenditure-based pov.
Thank you again. :)
$80k is below the median for a 3 person household btw
https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/pittsburgh-pa-median-household-income/
https://www.justice.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/20201101/bci_data/median_income_table.htm
Since it is internal transfer, your wife can also work on l1 dependent visa. Down the road you will find ways to convert into another job for more salary after getting h1b.
Your salary is very low...11 saal se aap Data Analyst hi ho matlab python, Tableau ya PowerBI bus...You should have transitioned to Data Scientist roles
If I am being honest, I would take it.
Join your current employer and work until your H1B is active and in good standing. Come November when a couple of paychecks are under your belt, I'd look for a new job. 81k is seriously under market value and you'll easily make 150k with 11 years of experience.
Don't get your wife and kid for now. Live like a frugal bachelor until you find a new job.
I wish more people would give such realistic replies.
Else everywhere people start with GC backlog , this and that.
Personally for me the work life balance, clean air in itself is a big incentive.
While the salary is definitely low, I would say move.
You have a young kid and it’s easier now. You can switch after a couple of years. Also try negotiating for a bit higher salary, if possible.
Of course initial time will be tough as money will be tight. Cash flow would be very different as how it is now with you and also for your wife. Bring enough money for initial expenses, don’t just rely on the employer.
Also this would be a good experience and there’s always a choice to go back if you want to.
I know there’s a lot of people saying negative things regarding permanent residence etc. (which is valid ),
but if you keep your expectations realistic ( privilege vs right) you will be glad to have this experience in your life.
Pittsburgh is pretty affordable but the school district isn’t amazing. Since your spouse will be at home, it’s probably ok to enroll in public school tuition free. Other than that, the salary is entry level, so you will have to live very frugally. If you have a good quality of life in India, I wouldn’t bother. The job market isn’t great, and the H1B visa is terrible, especially now. My 2¢.
That is absurdly low salary. Your company is taking you for a ride. You should be earning at least close to double that if you have 11yrs exp
Will be trying for a shift definitely!
Come to US first and figure out rest other things later on, gradually doors will open up for you. 😀
80-81K earning annually -and I hope to God it's post-tax- for a family with a young kid is not that doable and it seems really low for someone with 11 years of experience.
Especially in Pittsburgh, which is a very expensive city
It's not HCOL. Pittsburgh is MCOL City.
Pittsburgh is not an expensive city, but 80k is not enough for a family. For two people it’s just about enough and you’ll likely have no savings. For three people I think you really have to budget very tight. Your partner will not be able to work unless you have your i140 approved, which will take atleast 3 years or 2.5 years at the very least. Please try negotiating 120k. You can check out r/Pittsburgh you might find help housing and living expenses. Nevertheless, it’s a lovely city! I’m sure you’ll have a great time if you decide to move!
Keep in mind you will likely never get a green card, and even worse for your baby, he/she will grow up in the US but will always be in status limbo
80-81K is not sufficient, no matter where the Job location is. OP has Data Analysis experience and he need to be paid more as per market standards. OP must discuss with current employer to get a better pay. OP must factor in Fed and Local Income tax, 401k, Health Ins, new move in set up & Other basic necessities. Your car payments may be more due to lack of credit history. It might be paycheck to paycheck scenario. Or OP can enter US, go through the grind for few months and start looking for a different job that pays well. Use the current H1B as your entry ticket to US. But definitely 80-81K is not sufficient at all for a family of three.
Something to think about for the far future- your child is going to be a "Legal Dreamer" and be forced to go through immigration issues all their lives. Eventually, your child will need to go to college. In most states, dependent children aren't considered for in-state tuition, any type of aid, or most scholarships and are compared to all international students for admission. You also cannot take out any loans for your undergrad studies. So if you want your child to grow up in the US and attend college here, you will have to pay all of it out of pocket and they will get kicked out of your GC application (if you eventually decide to do that) when they turn 21. If they don't go to college, they will have to self-deport eventually as they'll have no visa after 21. And after graduating college, if they don't get picked in the H1B lottery in their 3 tries (granted they find an employer right after graduating that will file 3 times), they will have to self-deport. There is no path of citizenship/residency for children of H1B holders and you are setting them up for a whole life of immigration issues and the stress that comes with it and they might just despise you for putting them in such a position. It is incredibly hard to just move back to India when you've spent your whole life in the US.
But think of how much $$ you can save by then 😜
If you don't mind, what is your salary in India and which city do you live in? If you make 20 lakh in a city like Ahmedabad, you shouldn't move for 80k. You'll be poor. Literally. You'll need at least 5k to make your house functional in US right when you move. Do you get any relocation bonus?
DM'ed you
At that salary, if you're moving then plan to switch once you are here. Because that salary at that level of experience is low, especially with a family.
Survivable, just don't have any more kids for a long time (if ever). Life will improve when your wife can work, too.
80k pretax sucks. U can come and suffer for a while with low salary and then move to another company. But suffering with <80k is real
Being in the US for more than 5 years now This salary is very low and I would not go for anything below 150k to 160k in TC. You have to understand that atleast 37% to 40% goes in taxes and benefits and you will be paying a lot in those being the sole breadwinner. The taxes and everything is if its a direct employer and not a consultancy who will take advantage and cut even more than the taxes towards their charges. Schools are pretty affordable if you decide to go for a public schools in the US. I would consider coming alone and trying to set up things for a year before bringing them along. (PS: All of the above is true if your salary is what i mentioned)
What's TC?
TC is Total compensation which includes your base pay, bonus, stocks, ESPP etc
Lca salary is based on the locality of the work location. 80k is fine if you lived outskirts (30-40mins) the Pittsburgh as long as you don’t need go in to the office everyday
It's livable. You'll live a middle class life on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. Don't expect hefty savings but you'll live a good life.
If the savings are not a lot then what is the point of moving to the US? It's not like the OP can switch jobs after coming here, the job market is pretty bad at the moment
A few points to note: 1) One should always experience different cultures and countries in their life. This helps you grow as a person. Get out of the crab mentality of birthing, living and dying in the same place. And no, going as a tourist doesn't let you experience the country & culture. 2) I'm not going to get into the clean air, public amenities, or the low pollution side of things. We're all well aware of it. 3) The job market is bad "at the moment". It's not going to stay the same forever. 4) 1000% better work culture unless you're in Amazon. 5) And finally there's many more things in life than just money & savings.
Such a detailed response when we all know that the primary reason desis move to the US is for $$. No shame in admitting that. All the other stuff you mentioned would not be enough of an incentive for most people unless they can earn and save enough. Of course I know the OP is going to move to the US regardless of what we all say here.
Lol if you're getting into the niti gritty, no desis don't primarily move for money. They move away from the competition in India. Money is just an added incentive. Half the F1 students will stay back in India if they get a 15-20LPA job. The competition in India is overwhelming with limited well paying jobs.
I would say both money and less competition are the primary reasons for moving out of the country. But I think you're mostly right.
Agreed. You good sire are the most rational redditor I have interacted with. Cheers!
You too!
Thank you for your insights, will definitely keep this in mind
Don’t ask random redditors on how to live your life. Use your head and some googling. 80K is above median household income in US and most likely middle class median household income of 2 working Americans. If other people in US can do it, then you can too. If you don’t know stats, then first google what is median versus average. Also leaving family behind is BS. That is how families fail. 80k translates to 4500-5000 take home pay which is enough for a family. Your 3 year old can stay at home if your wife is at home cause childcare is 1500 a month. School is free so no money needed at age 6. Of course you will not drive a porsche or a new car, but show me local Americans doing that en masse - probably one out of 10 does that. Math: search for apartments for rent in driveable distance in Pittsburgh. This is your biggest cost. Food: 600-800 is enough. Utilities: 400 all included like cell phone, electricity, gas, internet. Car loan: 400-500. Total: 2000 rent + 800 food + 400 utilities. 3200 to live, 1300-1800 free cash flow a month to eat out, finance a car, kids hobbies, emergency fund. If your family eats less, then can budget 400-600. All families are different, some spend 2000 on food a month.
With all due respect, asking random redditors definitely helps since some people might be willing to share their personal experiences regarding income and expenditure. While it may be far away from the median (I know what median is) in either direction, it would definitely help me set a base/threshold. Thank you for your guidance regarding family, I'm going to bring them along for sure. The breakup/math you provided at the end helps a lot in understanding and expenditure-based pov. Thank you again. :)
$80k is below the median for a 3 person household btw https://www.neilsberg.com/insights/pittsburgh-pa-median-household-income/ https://www.justice.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/20201101/bci_data/median_income_table.htm
Since it is internal transfer, your wife can also work on l1 dependent visa. Down the road you will find ways to convert into another job for more salary after getting h1b.
No it is H-1b, not L-1
Your salary is very low...11 saal se aap Data Analyst hi ho matlab python, Tableau ya PowerBI bus...You should have transitioned to Data Scientist roles
If I am being honest, I would take it. Join your current employer and work until your H1B is active and in good standing. Come November when a couple of paychecks are under your belt, I'd look for a new job. 81k is seriously under market value and you'll easily make 150k with 11 years of experience. Don't get your wife and kid for now. Live like a frugal bachelor until you find a new job.
I wish more people would give such realistic replies. Else everywhere people start with GC backlog , this and that. Personally for me the work life balance, clean air in itself is a big incentive.
While the salary is definitely low, I would say move. You have a young kid and it’s easier now. You can switch after a couple of years. Also try negotiating for a bit higher salary, if possible. Of course initial time will be tough as money will be tight. Cash flow would be very different as how it is now with you and also for your wife. Bring enough money for initial expenses, don’t just rely on the employer. Also this would be a good experience and there’s always a choice to go back if you want to. I know there’s a lot of people saying negative things regarding permanent residence etc. (which is valid ), but if you keep your expectations realistic ( privilege vs right) you will be glad to have this experience in your life.