There seems to be something wrong with your inflation numbers. According to BLS [0], $150k in August of this year has the same buying power as $118k in August of 2019.

You might check some other sources, like median USA house prices. I've looked at a few. None come close to the numbers you're claiming.

https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

> I'm incredibly frugal and barely spent any money doing anything over the past six months.

.. okay, so why do you need 150k out of the gate, then?

Just an opinion here. You seem like you might feel you’re owed something. That’s not the case.

Doesn’t matter what you studied. Or where your degree is from. Doesn’t matter what you’ve done before, or what you expect to get paid.

What matters is what you can do for an employer, and what they need. Luck plays a role in the kind of jobs that open up for you. Personality does too, also your networking skills.

Good luck in your searching. Sometimes careers go boom and sometimes they go bust. Only in retrospect can you tell where you’re at.