A few salary resources

*"Occupational Outlook Handbook" and "America's Top 300 Jobs." Updated by the US Department of Labor every two years, these provide starting and average pay ranges across a variety of industries.

*"The Career Connection for College Education: A Guide to College Majors & Related Career Opportunities" and "The Career Connection for Technical Education: A Guide to Technical Training & Related Career Opportunities." Both books, written by Fred Rowe, provide information on average salary earnings, including the starting point of most careers.

*"Career Guide to America's Top Industries" Also put out by the Labor Department, it tracks some 40 major industries across geographic regions, including average salary.

On the Net:

*JobOptions (www.joboptions. com) Provides salary information derived from local newspapers, general periodicals, and trade and professional journals. Click on "career tools."

*Homefair (www.homefair.com) Click on "salary calculator" to get information on the cost of living in a particular city. The site evaluates the salary you are earning in your current location, and then gives you a comparable salary if you moved to a new location.

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