LOL. Buddy, come to NYC and face reality. No secretary doing admin work is getting paid more than $45K here. Do you know why I know? I have many friends doing desk work and they never topped $45k. I have many friends, myself included, in research who work at least 10 hours a day, 6 days a week and we don't top $65k. Nurses and even residents (doctors in training) get between $50-$80k (few outliers get the low $90s) a year and they provide an essential skill that few can provide AND work 12-16 hours a day.
A salary of $45k is sufficient to live a modest life in NYC. Want to live in the East Village? NOHO? Greenwich? Hell's Kitchen? Gramercy? Have a full single bedroom apartment to yourself? Learn a unique skill/trade. NYC has population of ~10mil. Do you think everyone living here is making $100k? No, huge portion of the population makes $15-$20/hour and they have a modest live. Also, guess what? They also don't live in hipster, trendy neighborhoods where a bedroom cost +$1500.