Asking someone how much money they make is taboo, at least in American culture. Unless someone’s salary is posted publicly, most of us don’t even know how much our own coworkers or bosses make, much less complete strangers.
Google isn’t a whole lot of help on this front, as compensation in specific jobs can vary wildly depending on the market, someone’s education level, years of experience and other factors. So if we’re curious about how much someone around us makes in their job, we’re often just left to wonder and guess. We’re not going to ask out of common courtesy, and most people aren’t likely to volunteer the information unprompted because that’s also seen as uncouth.
None of that awkwardness around money questions has stopped Hannah Williams, creator of Salary Transparent Street, though. The company’s popular social media videos have garnered millions of views and likes with a simple premise: asking people on the street what they do for a living and how much they make.
And interestingly enough, people seem perfectly happy to share.
Some jobs, such as software engineer, have expectedly high wages, though even those varied quite a bit (which could be based on location, but apparently not based on experience, according to this video):
@salarytransparentstreet How much do Software Engineers make? #salarytransparentstreet compilation! #salarytransparency #paytransparency #softwaredeveloper #softwareengineer #softwareengineering
But other high paying jobs may not be as well known. For instance, a certified anesthesiology assistant shared that she makes over $200,000 a year.
Williams interviewed people in trades jobs, and that was quite eye-opening. (Did you know tattoo artists and hairdressers can make well over six figures? Perhaps they are outliers, but even if they are, holy moly.)
@salarytransparentstreet Want to get into a trade? Learn how at the link in our bio! đ ď¸đâď¸ Trade jobs are some of the most in-demand, secure, and high-paying jobs out there. #indeedpartner #salarytransparentstreet #salarytransparency #paytransparency #tradejobs #tradejob #tradejobpay #tradejobopportunities
Again, these are specific people’s situations, and people in the same job can make a wide range of wages, but one thing Salary Transparent Street does is help people know what’s possible with real-life examples.
How about something like a teacher? There’s a wide range there, too. But considering the above, it’s mostly not amazing. Watch:
@salarytransparentstreet One year ago! How much do #Teachers make? #salarycompilation #salarytransparentstreet #salarytransparency #paytransparency #teacherpay #onthisday
Salary Transparent Street has grown beyond just on-the-street interviews to include career path assistance, a salary negotiation guide, salary database and more, which you can find on their website.
If you want to see a whole lot more salary interviews with travel nurses, data analysts, UPS driver and more, check out Salary Transparent Street on TikTok and Instagram.