I started off in the investment sector at $29,000 a year in 2006 which assuming inflation of 2% will work it to around $37,700 a year for a job that required a university degree to get.  Yes my wage when I left the company this past December was a lot higher than that as I moved up the company ladder, but point being a lot of jobs that pay 40 to 50K a year are skilled ones that require post secondary education and so should an unskilled really make that close.  In addition if you live with someone else making minimum wage also the combined household income is $62,400 which is more affordable, it's only problematic if one lives alone and most people are married or have partners while those in their 20s usually have roommates if single to split cost and many carpool so while tough it is possible to live on that.