What's all this talk about making >$10k after 5 years when you haven't even start work?

Focus on the job you like and just go in and learn. Keep talking about big picture like semicon industry, banking or some obscure goal of wanting to make $X after X years is simply unproductive and not going to help you in anyway.

Focus on learning and networking and take all the salaries quoted here with a pinch of salt. They are like top 5% and definitely not a good way to look at things when you haven't even got 1 day of work experience.