I’m currently working in construction in concrete and I work 50 hours a week and I make $25 an hour. I recently got a job offer to work as a medical assistant at an urgent care. The shifts would be 12 hour shifts 3days per week and I would also get $100 per diem if I were to travel to different locations.
I’m going in school for health administration and I’m going to be graduating in December of this year. In general I’m tired of working in construction even though I make take a pay cut. Any advice would be helpful.
$25 an hour at 50 hours per week vs $28 an hour 36 hours per week??
byu/Salty-Confusion9640 inpersonalfinance
Posted by Salty-Confusion9640
12 Comments
i’d take the $28/hr, 36hr a week job
4 day weekends for the win (assuming all 3 shifts will be in a row… but even if they aren’t, i’d probably prefer this)
You’d make about $400 less per week but you’d have more time to study and the job is relevant to your degree. Plus not working construction is nice
Personally, 36 hours per week sounds good. The job is probably stable year round too, and it seems relatable to your career path. Do you need the income from the higher hours?
In terms of money you’ll be making $1375 gross/week at construction vs $1008/week as a med asst. Thats about a $1500/month difference.
Sounds like being a medical assistant will be helpful for your resume since you are going into hospital administration. Or do you have connections to a job already once you finish school? If you aren’t worried about getting a job in your field post graduation, it might be best to stick to construction to build up some more savings. But otherwise it might be better to get experience in the field you are doing.
EASILY the 3×12 at $28. The MULTIPLE extra full days off is worth many many thousands a year, this isn’t even a close decision. If the per diem is that much daily that’s insane as well, there’s no question here
Look at it another way: you’re giving up ~$200/week to work ~14 hours less/week. So hours 37-50 at your construction job are paying you ~$15/hr.
In addition, the healthcare job might make that up with different location work. In addition you will be working in the field that your degree is in. In addition, you’ll have more time to focus on school.
The med assistant job seems like the far better deal. That being said, $800/mo is nothing to shake a stick at. If loosing that means you’re going to go into Credit Card Debt, or won’t be able to pay tuition, or similar, I’d be worried. But still, personally I’d rather take the job that’s closer to what you want to do, and even if you have to doordash ~10 hrs a week to make up the change, you’re still netting ~4hrs/week positive.
If you move into the medical field you are being given the opportunity to grow and learn both personally and professionally. If you stick with construction you may learn a little bit more about concrete but you will still be a concrete pourer at the end of it. There’s a seasonality to construction in most places whereas there is always a need for a good medical professional of any capacity
If you want a corporate job in A/C, upward trajectory is probably much higher in medical office. The experience is more valuable.
Only situation where I would stay I construction is if you have an ambition to own your own business in the trades. Being a worker in concrete is not a sustainable lifestyle for decades.
Can you take the medical assistant job but also pick up a shift working construction on one of your days off? That would let you get experience in the field you are studying for, while also socking away more cash. Plus, having a commitment during your 4 day weekend might help add some structure and make you more productive.
If you just look at raw math, $25 x 50 hrs is ~$1,250/week vs $28 x 36 hrs is ~$1,008/week… so yes, it’s a pay cut on paper even with the per diem.
But you’re also comparing construction hours vs a healthcare path that actually aligns with your degree and future exit opportunities. That trade-off usually isn’t just about hourly rate, it’s also long-term growth, stress, and where you want to be after graduation.
I think you should accept the job that is relevant to your degree and is 36 hours per week. If you need more money you might be able to pick up extra shifts at your new medical job or you could work a side gig. The flexibility will be helpful while in school and for your quality of life I think.
It’s better to be able too cover all your bills in a shorter work week than be forced to give all of your free time up