Hello guys, (sorry if this is the wrong sub but Ive been a long time lurker first time poster)

I have been playing poker as a pro for the past several years after college. I made probably 250-350k after 5 years. I am now 26-27. I went to a very good undergraduate school and I was a 4.0 student.

I got into poker because it was "easy money". Now I'm thinking I need to get out and go back to school or ramp up my "poker career". Following a PhD or law school I could make six figs as well as benefits/etc, guaranteed as well as career future.

Is a poker career worth it compared to getting a PhD or going to law school? I had high academic aspirations but poker threw them off. Are any of these pros actually very wealthy from poker only and not endorsements? Is a poker career all a fantasy? I never attempted any games above 10-20 but I feel like the higher you go up the tougher the competition becomes. I feel like I wasted my youth over a card game to be honest. I thought poker players were rich and living baller life styles but most of the guys I played with are just gamblers. Please serious responses regarding a poker pro versus higher educational professional.

That's because poker is gambling and you're a gambler for playing it, whether you like it or not.

seems like you already know the answer

You will likely find that poker has ruined you (in a good way) for corporate. Going from the freedom that you had from poker to having to ask for permission to use your vacation days is a huge transition. It sounds like neither option that you outlined will truly make you happy.

The stereotypical corporate grind isn't your only option. Instead of thinking that you wasted your time playing poker, instead look at it as giving you the freedom to find an ideal fit for you. Instead of looking for an entry level corporate job, see if you can develop a private consulting career in whatever field your academic background is in. Use poker to pay the bills until your consulting career grows big enough. Eventually as an independent consultant you'll have the same freedom you get with poker. You've already proven you have what it takes to be your own boss--use the lessons and discipline you learned from bankroll management and apply that to a new career.

Even the corporate route isn't so bad, but you'll have better luck starting out with small/medium businesses instead of big firms. I left IT to play online for six years, and got a job 2 weeks after black friday even after being out of IT for 6 years (which is an eternity in IT). I got back in with a startup company with an open-minded boss, and in 2 years was working from home with much of the freedom I had in poker, but with a steady income and a more secure future.

Aside from the fact that your account lacks any sort of credibility (a proper pro would know exactly how much they had made, not plus or minus 40%) that's 50K to 70K a year...depending on the currency, not exactly top notch for a premium grade undergrad. And that's before you take in account benefits, paid holidays, the hole in your CV...yada yada.

So the answer to your question is a very simple no. And it's not even close.

Like everything else in poker, it depends. In this case, it depends on what you value more.

From a pure financial perspective, it isn't even close. White collar work exceeds playing poker, especially when you add in benefits. The vast majority of "pros" make far less than you make now. The "baller" pros depend on a corporate structure to pay for their lifestyle. The can either be sponsorship or a spouse that actually pays the bills.

Having the freedom of only reporting to yourself and no set hours you have to work has value, though. If you don't care about having a lot of money, the a poker career is worth it.