I was with a 121 cargo company for 12 years - planned to make a career there. Ultimately the flying was outsoured and we were all on the street.

When that happened, I never considered the regionals - and it was 100% because of the starting pay. (Ok, 90% - I also cringed at the idea of commuting/crash pads, etc.)

I initially took a 135 job on a Pilatus at my local airport. No commuting, 10 minutes from my house, and paid more than double what RJ first year pay would have been. That pay was bad enough - no way would I have considered 22k/yr. Insane that a mom-and-pop 135 Pilatus outfit pays over double what a 50 seat jet 121 company does.

So I suppose that, at that time, I might have considered a regional if it started at 50k - provided I felt the commute wasn't going to suck too much.

Since that time I have moved to 91/135 job on a CL604 at my local airport and now make what an RJ captain makes and I really enjoy it. I might would leave for one of a small handful of 121 airlines (not regionals) - but I've actually been working on taking my aviation career in a different direction.