<p>As someone who put herself through college and law school (and had the massive student loan debt of over $140,000 to prove it) and who then lived in NYC, I understand how tough it can be to make it on $60,000 per year in NYC. </p>
<p>That said, if you can’t make a $60,000 per year job work for you then don’t take that job. If you have student loan debt that prevents you from taking a $60,000 per year job in NYC, then go and live in a more affordable city or take a job that pays more. That’s all there is to it. </p>
<p>If your goal is to take a job that will pay $60,000 per year, then you probably have to consider going to a law school that gives you substantial merit money to attend or one that is otherwise affordable for you, like a state law school. There are trade-offs. </p>
<p>Again, if there weren’t attorneys in the NYC area willing to take jobs that pay $60,000 per year, then the salaries would have to rise in order to induce attorneys to take those jobs. If the salaries aren’t rising, then you have to assume that there are enough takers for those jobs to keep salaries where they are. </p>
<p>It’s all about the choices that you make.</p>