earning 5k at 28 is common nowadays. If 10k then consider hard.

Not really, it depends..alot of fields and companies are able to pay that amount to young professionals nowadays.
drill engineer is well paid but they are exposed to the environment which is not good in the long term (on-site exposure of chemical substances). no pain no gain! Imagine if you are working in a nuclear radiator, u will be paid higher than that for sure...=)

A lot of people below 30 are hitting the 5k mark. I am talking about basic salary here. With master degree, you should be getting more than that. In well developed countries, they very much based on qualification. Self business is always the best way to go in term of flexiblity and profitability over the years if the business gows. Risk is, it depends on market orientation. Some just barely enough to make end meets. Depends how you view it.