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In reply to the discussion: How was Penny on the Big Bang Theory able to afford her apartment based on her Cheesecake Factory money.. Just pondering [View all]LogDog75
(661 posts)Leonard and Sheldon shared an apartment therefore rent and utilities. Leonard was an experimental physicist and Sheldon was a rhetorical physicist. When someone asked how much does a physicist make she said not that much. According to GlassDoor a physicist at Caltech in 2025 makes between $108,000 - $183,000. So, in 2006 it would be reasonable to say they each made $50,000 or more.
https://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Caltech-California-Physicist-Salaries-E22139_D_KO19,28.htm
So if Leonard and Sheldon had a combined income of $100,000 or more and had to share an apartment to make ends meet then how is it Penny making minimum wage at the Cheesecake Factory having a fully furnished apartment by herself doesn't make sense. It would make more sense if she had a female roommate to share costs.
It's just the premise of the show and something we, the audience, needn't worry about. Sometimes, we just have to suspend our the reality of the situation and just enjoy the show.
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