I don’t know how to answer. As a junior worker, I am doing allright.
Truthfully, so am I, but not as good as my dad (or probably your dad) was doing at 40. Our dads were becoming senior guys at this point and mommy could stay home.
You didn't have an engineering management job at 26 like RC2? Me neither. It's unheard of now.
Engineering is a Geriocracy and anyone under 60 looks 'young'. It's bizarre! it's never happened in the history of the US and no one has grasped the implications yet.
Yet the greedy ol' geezers who didn't have enough kids want to lecture me about 'work ethics' and getting out of working in defense engineering if it doesn't make me happy....