The cowboy's low socioeconomic status didn't give him many life options. Women, a scarce commodity on the cattle frontier, married ranchers and merchants, not poor, itinerant cowhands. Few hands could save enough of their meager wages to become ranchers themselves. Despite the lack of social and economic benefits, lots of men, mostly young, reveled in the cowboy life. The occupation continues to appeal to the individualist.
Cowboy wages remain low.
A 1989 summary of salaries by occupation placed the cowboy 247 out of 250 on the list. Many want the avoid shackles of modernity that fetter urbanites. Cowboys do nicely without office gossip, FAX machine, mortgage, and leaf blower. Good hands require little but they do demand respect. As a century ago, they'll ride the extra mile to find one lost calf.