A HOSPITAL worker is making seriously competitive income, even though she skipped medical school entirely.
The money still comes as part of an important role in the medical field, but her journey to it didn’t require the typical route.
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Chabely Rodriguez, 30, is a certified anesthesiologist’s assistant (CAA) and has carefully considered her financial decisions for years.
She went to a university with an affordable tuition and chose a career path that would set her up for the future. per CNBC Make It.
Saving on medical school was a breeze as well, as Rodriguez only had to get a master’s degree in anesthesiology, which qualifies her for CAA credentials.
The average cost for medical school in the United States in 2024, considering a four-year term, was $238,420, per the Education Data Initiative.
That’s a serious financial burden Rodriguez dodged, and the money she’s bringing in now is far greater than that total.
Last year, she decided to switch from a salaried position over to contract work as a traveling CAA instead.
That move alone allows Rodriguez to bring in around $300,000 a year before taxes.
Even in her previous salaried role, the CAA was making $200,000 a year, but it was starting to take its toll.
Rodriguez said she’d take overtime often and work 24-hour shifts due to a “scarcity mindset” built up from childhood.
“I always want to prepare [for the worst],” she told the publication.
“I’ve worked a lot of overtime hours just to make sure that I always have something extra.”
PROCESS PERFECTED
Except, with the contract work, the 30-year-old can stick to 40-hour work weeks with only a few extra shifts every so often if coverage is needed.
Sure, Rodriguez could be making $500,000 annually doing her current contract CAA work to the same level as before, but she wanted to have balance and avoid a negative mental health impact.
“I want to make more money, but I don’t want to burn myself out along the way,” she explained.
Medical School Cost Averages
- Total cost: $238,420
- Yearly cost: $59,605
- In-state public costs: $167,476
- Out-of-state private costs: $275,068
- Average medical school costs increase by about $1,224 yearly
- Costs can differ greatly by school and state
Credit: Education Data Initiative
“So now I’ve hit above the $300,000 mark, I feel good about that.”
Not only does Rodriguez work hard, but she invests a considerable amount.
At least 40% of her pre-tax income is put into brokerage and retirement accounts, with her total investment income reaching $500,000 as of January of this year.
Student loans for the 30-year-old totaling around $124,000 were also paid off quickly in 2023.
DEBT STRUGGLE
While Rodriguez has found herself in an optimal position, millions of other Americans her age are struggling to pay off student loan debt.
Some are even ignoring it entirely, focusing their priorities on other payments and letting their student loan debt default.
This is the case for 32-year-old Stephen Jakubowski, who found himself in almost the polar opposite position as Rodriguez.
“I just don’t even care, it’s so far down on the radar,” Jakubowski confessed to Bloomberg recently.
“It’s never been a huge priority.”
Jakubowski is currently looking for another job and trying to pay for rent and groceries on top of credit card debt and personal loan payments.
The $10,000 he owes after a two-year stint at San Diego Christian College more than 10 years ago has taken a backseat.
Currently, the collective student loan debt total in the United States is over $1.814 trillion, according to the Education Data Initiative.
Federal student loan balances per person are $39,075 on average.
At least 42.5 million borrowers have federal loan debt, and that represents 91.6% of all student loan debt.
Many Gen Z workers are also considering new career options now as many white collar positions are set to be taken over by AI.
Some are even saying that friendship is becoming “too expensive” in 2025 and have to budget spending related to it.
