<prompt> Human: A little background aside from the title:-I have almost 2 years experience working in a molecular biology lab, not counting 3 years in undergrad and grad school.-I am currently in the process of publishing 2 research papers, one of which I am lead author.-My current job ends in a few months due to funding constraints.-I have applied to graduate schools to do a PhD program, although I want to know what my options are if I dont do graduate school do not know if it is worth the roughly 30kyr stipend, 70 hour work weeks 5 years of schooling plus 4 years postdoc. What types of places can I realistically work and live comfortably. 30k a year is manageable, but I do not think it is adequate for the quality of my work and experience. Plus it is only manageable with roommates and without a car. Eventually I would like to buy a house and a car and live comfortably on top of that.  <response>: Being a laboratory technician is a dead end job. Its no different than any tradesman in that its purely supply and demand and although you can see the quality of your work versus others being of higher quality, you are rarely rewarded for it financially because ultimately theres a never ending supply that is good enough. Youd be better off getting out of the lab and into the business side, especially without a phd. Consider an MBA, preferably at as big name of an institution as you can get in. In that setting you have a pathway for advancement. 