starting pay USD10000 should be the average pay. Unless you are quite below average in your class, it's not a dream. Don't care too much about starting pay, since your pay can be increased later
"TOP 7,哪怕TOP3,都没法保证你未来的前途" This is definitely true. So improve yourself is the most important... :-)
Also, starting pay for $10K a month (so totally $120K a year) may be average (may be averaged for all students. But for international students such as Chinese F1, this may not be true. That is why I am more concerned with what the Chinese students can get who have the similar background as me). Sometimes if one has concern for legal status, it is possible to accept position with less pay. Of course for each person, it will be case by case.
In the long run, that amount is not a lot, but still based on one's own ability and sometimes luck!