$30k is the median individual income in the U.S., and just below the average starting salary for fresh college graduates. So it's probably on the low side for someone with a B.S. in an in-demand field.
Cost of living varies a lot, but overall Americans are pretty rich in comparison to most Europeans (in the sense of being able to afford more imported Apple products made with child labor). Our median income is 35% higher than Germany and 50% higher than Finland. The flip side of that is that there is less of a safety net and having less money here is a lot harder. For example, our cheap urban neighborhoods are far more dangerous than comparable neighborhoods in most European countries.
Cost of living varies a lot, but overall Americans are pretty rich in comparison to most Europeans (in the sense of being able to afford more imported Apple products made with child labor). Our median income is 35% higher than Germany and 50% higher than Finland. The flip side of that is that there is less of a safety net and having less money here is a lot harder. For example, our cheap urban neighborhoods are far more dangerous than comparable neighborhoods in most European countries.