Brother Donte' Verrill-Huffman (Spring 2015) Sits Down With Wall Street Journal To Detail His Ch

Donte’ Verrill-Huffman, who works at a computer-training institute, might have made more money elsewhere but wanted to be part of his home town’s development. Verrill-Huffman poses for a portrait in his bedroom in front of the Panamanian flag hanging in his room. NICK HAGEN FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

By, Francesca Fontana

Wall Street Journal

Nov. 28, 2019 8:00 am ET

How far does a $50K salary go when you’re starting out? It depends a lot on where you live.

Recent graduates in entry-level jobs will make an average of $51,347 annually in 2019, according to recruiting firm Korn Ferry. In this series, millennial workers tell The Wall Street Journal about what it’s like to live on roughly $50,000 a year in their city. From Oklahoma City to Detroit, they share their living expenses, whether they’re able to save, and what they do for fun.

Here is the story of Donte’ Verrill-Huffman, edited and condensed from a recent interview.

Donte’ Verrill-Huffman

Age: Turns 24 on Sunday

Salary: $45,000

Occupation: Admissions manager at computer-training institute Grand Circus

Rent: $450 including utilities for a bedroom in a 3-bedroom house

What brought you to Detroit?

I’m originally from Detroit. I grew up here before I went away for college at Morehouse College in Atlanta. After graduation, I worked for the school for a year and then decided I wanted to come home and be a part of Detroit’s growth and development.