I'm a social worker instead of a doctor. I did well to not have too much school debt due to scholarships, etc., so that isn't hanging over my head - but I still get a social worker's salary.

Here's the reality -

You can have a large income and a large student loan and be living paycheck to paycheck while staying in a starter home.

Or you can have a low income and no student debt and still be living paycheck to paycheck while staying in a starter home.

But the person with the big income will eventually pay their student loan down and have other opportunities. The person with the lower income may struggle to get even minimal pay increases to improve their situation.

Both situations come with challenges as well as tough decisions to be made to improve the situation. And both people probably look at the other and envy portions of the other person's circumstances while not recognizing that they come with the less desirable consequences of those circumstances too.