Research several potential job roles in your desired geographical area. Provide a summary of your research including the location of the job, job title, and salary information. To research your starting salary, consider using the information provided at Salary.com and Payscale.com.
Local government hospitals may also publish this information on their websites. You should find a minimum of two sources that contain salaries to compare to help you make a judgment about a reasonable starting average salary for this position.
Consider degrees, certifications, and the number of years of experience that you have when determining what positions, you qualify for and what your salary may be.
You must include in-text citations using APA format when comparing your salaries.
Part 2: Calculations and Table of Expenses
After you have found your potential salary, set up your monthly budget using only 2/3 income to account for taxes and other deductions (called your net salary). You need to include your work for your calculations.
For example, if you anticipate making $45,000/year, then 2/3
times 45,000 = 30,000. $30,000 / 12 = $2500 and that is
what you want to use for setting up a monthly budget.
Use the table provided to fill in your monthly budget. You may add any extra categories/rows to the table needed to complete your budget.
When creating your budget, be sure to consider the following categories:
Housing and living expenses (e.g., rent/mortgage, utilities, maintenance, etc.)
Food
Student loan payments
Transportation
Childcare (if applicable)
Credit Card or other debt
Car loans
Continuous medical expenses
Emergency savings
Retirement savings
Long term goal savings (e.g., buying a home, new car, education, etc.)
Discretionary spending (e.g., eating out, entertainment, etc)
The total amount and net amount will be included in your table so you can see your balance each month. The table must be copied into your Word document. Please refer to the video directions provided in the module.
Part 3: Graphical Representation of Your Budget
Display your table of expenses as a graphical representation.
You may choose to use a pie chart or bar graph to represent your expenses. The table and graphical representation must be copied into your Word document. Do not submit an Excel file. Please refer to the video directions provided in the module.
Part 4: Reflection
In this reflection, you should reflect on your findings. This reflection section should be a minimum of 200 words.
Please address the following prompts in your reflection:
Why did you pick this location and job?
Were you surprised by your expected salary and income after taxes and other deductions were taken?
Why or why not?
What were some challenges in creating your budget?
What surprised you?
Were you able to set up an emergency/savings fund?
Why or why not?
How can you prepare for unexpected expenses?
How can you apply these budgeting tools to your current situation?
Part 1: Job Role Research (Desired Geographical Area: Austin, Texas)
For this assignment, I’ll focus on a role relevant to healthcare administration, specifically a “Healthcare Project Manager” in Austin, Texas.
Salary Research:
Qualifications:
Reasonable Starting Average Salary:
Considering my qualifications and the research, a reasonable starting average salary for this position in Austin, TX, would be approximately $90,000 per year.
References:
Part 2: Calculations and Table of Expenses
Monthly Budget Table:
Category | Monthly Expense |
---|---|
Housing (Rent/Utilities) | $1,500 |
Food | $600 |
Student Loan Payments | $300 |
Transportation (Car/Gas) | $400 |
Medical Expenses | $100 |
Emergency Savings | $500 |
Retirement Savings | $500 |
Long-Term Goal Savings (Home) | $500 |
Discretionary Spending | $600 |
Total Expenses | $5,000 |
Net Monthly Income | $5,000 |
Balance | $0 |
Part 3: Graphical Representation of Your Budget
I will use a pie chart to represent the budget.
Part 4: Reflection