I think 40K could be pretty brutal when you've given up years of potential wages for law school to take on 150-200k of debt. And then most of your classmates are making at least 4-5x your income.

A lot of studies have found people's perception of wealth is relative, right? Making 25% what your pee/friends make would really suck.

It also depends on location. $40K in the midwest is livable, while on either coast, not so much.

Edit: ... what your PEERS/friends make ...

I try and keep perspective that there's way, way worse things than having over 200k debt and making 40k a year while working and living in a modern, Western, industrialized country.

I think the 40k number is worth emphasizing though, not as some terrible torment but as a data point that casts light on the financials of attending law school. In terms of objectively looking at the merits of law school as an investment, a 40k salary outcome is pretty awful. The opportunity cost and direct costs (in loans) are enormous and the risk of getting the low-end outcome is pretty high. There's way, way less risky ways to make 40k, and way less costly ways to position oneself to one day have a chance at a six figure salary.

"Just getting by" and "the only way you can afford your loan burden is by taking advantage of government income-based repayment and loan forgiveness programs" is not the outcome most people expect going to a decent law school, so it's important that people hear that this happens.