If you earn 30k, what do you do?

[LondonDaytime]

I earn that (pro rata), and most people outside of London I know with ‘decent’ jobs earn around £30-40k. Nothing more really.

I’m intrigued to know what other people do for that amount. As I thought it was a decent salary. But it seems it really isn’t in some people’s opinions.

I’m a PA. I could earn about another 10-15k more in the City but I haven’t the time nor patience.

DP earns a basic salary of 40k in construction, he mainly puts up the steel frames for new buildings mainly housing. The salary is good for the industry. I on the other hand have what you would class as a low wage and earn just shy of 20k as a secretary for the NHS.

I work in the cultural sector where salaries are very low and jobs saught after. This is a good wage some in the area I work in. Some senior management's would be on 30 to 35.

I earn £32k pro rata in one of my jobs and a lot more in another but as a self employed person and I only do it one day a week. I do project management and audience development /community engagement for museums and galleries.

I'm a senior lecturer at a university and people always assume we get paid an absolute fortune.... I started on £37k. I'm now on £43k but I don't think it's a huge amount considering the responsibility, qualifications and hours I put in!

£33k, chartered accountant, qualified 1.5 years, I'd consider myself still a fairly junior team member atm.

I think it's not so much about what someone earns but what they spend. If you earn £30 and spend £35 problems. If you earn £30 and spend £25 and save the rest great.

I'm so pleased to hear I don't have a 'decent' job. Cheers!

I don't have a 'decent' job either, it seems.

I'm always intrigued by PA salaries, which seem unusually high for 'office work' without specific qualifications like law, accountancy etc. Is it that you have to be at the beck and call of your boss, possibly do some of their 'technical' work and be available at all hours?

I’ve never been at the beck and call of my boss, those jobs do exist but they pay very well usually. A good friend of mine often answers boss emails in the evening if urgent, and is on hand to book emergency flights etc. She’s paid 60k. Just outside of London.

The thing about a PA is a good one is worth their weight in gold. It’s a niche role tailored to the company you’re working for. You often need to be the eyes and ears of your boss when you’re there. It’s also a very personal relationship, for example knowing when to leave a slot free in the diary so your boss can actually catch up, has time to travel specifically, etc etc.

I think it’s a loophole into a good salary without actually having any qualifications necessary...

I earn about £35k as a nanny, it’s long hours though. It would be about £24k on standard full time contract.

Band 5 mental health nurse. That's with unsocial hours enhancements.

Starting new job for DWP Monday after losing my three businesses through COVID always been self employed. I can’t believe I’m going to be paid £28k plus pension plus holidays I’m amazed and grateful !

Conveyancing solicitor on £40,000. I qualified in 2005 but I’m in a specialist role with no management responsibilities. It suits me.

Education advisor - £34k.

My first job in the Civil Service on the Fast Stream straight after Uni was £31k if that helps.

Following this... as I’d love to be able to earn 30k+ 😅

I have a family support worker role.

Just shy of 30k as a part time teacher in an independent school in the SE

It was 50k as middle management full time before I had children.

33k as a Team Manager for a transport company

One of my children is on about £30k teacher for 5 years. No threshold extras yet - they come later.

She’d earn a bit more if she worked in London but would be worse off overall all things( housing) being considered.

She does get an extra allowance of £500 for an extra responsibility. (I think its assessment +pupil performance data)

The hours needed to do this extra responsibility work out less than the minimum wage.

@MindyStClaire In NI a trainee Accountant is more like c.£20K considering a newly qualified accountant is £30- 35K. Would find it hard to believe a trainee solicitor would be on £30K here either.

I was on £35k before tax when I was teaching full time. I have given up teaching to retrain as a pharmacist. Hoping I will be on similar when I qualify.

I can't wait to earn about £32k, it will cover all of our living costs

I'm on the path to that in higher education just need to finish my degree.

So my answer is lots of our mid leve jobs earn 29 - 33k. Not too much responsibilty, interesting work. It's a good field to work in IMO

My first job in the Civil Service on the Fast Stream straight after Uni was £31k if that helps.

Which role did you do? Well done btw
I applied this year, don’t think I made it through as haven’t heard back after the tests
Most roles I saw offered 28k

@LondonDaytime

I'm always intrigued by PA salaries, which seem unusually high for 'office work' without specific qualifications like law, accountancy etc. Is it that you have to be at the beck and call of your boss, possibly do some of their 'technical' work and be available at all hours?

I’ve never been at the beck and call of my boss, those jobs do exist but they pay very well usually. A good friend of mine often answers boss emails in the evening if urgent, and is on hand to book emergency flights etc. She’s paid 60k. Just outside of London.

The thing about a PA is a good one is worth their weight in gold. It’s a niche role tailored to the company you’re working for. You often need to be the eyes and ears of your boss when you’re there. It’s also a very personal relationship, for example knowing when to leave a slot free in the diary so your boss can actually catch up, has time to travel specifically, etc etc.

I think it’s a loophole into a good salary without actually having any qualifications necessary...

Our PAs and EAs earn very well, a couple are on 70+.

I was a PA in the same firm and was on 40 before I went on mat leave 10 years ago. I came back to a different role but if I had staid as a PA for the same person I would have been on 60ish by now.

I was never at his beck and call but yes there were late nights but there are in the role I do now, when a project is being delivered you have to complete it.

Husband earns that (including commission) as an account manager.

I'm a student so earn nada, but when finished will go into a grad role (hopefully) that should be around the same.

36k head of retail and business development for a charity. If I was in mainstream could easily add 10k plus to that