At what age did you surpass your parents salary (if at all)

[reducingfootprint]

I've always equated salary with success (i know i shouldnt) and used my parents as a benchmark
surpassed DMs salary aged 22 and have yet to surpass DFs (6 figures)

I do understand that this question could have interesting implications, but the way it's phrased makes it pointless. The OP could ask how we felt about it, what expectations there were ... those questions might give us something to think about.

If I were to answer the OP as it's asked, I could say I am a terrible failure as I've never come vaguely close to my dad's salary and never expect to do so. In fact I am comfortable, not wealthy, but perfectly ok.

My DP, OTOH, could claim wild success far exceeding that of the OP, as she out-earned both parents from the age of 18, when she got a part-time job, and these days she earns unimaginably more than they have ever considered earning, at 26k.

Do DP's parents see her as a success? No. It doesn't work like that.

Aged 15 with my first Saturday job.

She wasn't a fan of working for a living.

DMum was a nurse on 35k. DDad was in education on 80k. I am a solicitor on 30k.

They were and are happier professionally than I could ever hope for.

Probably the minute I qualified as a teacher. My dad was a blue-collar worker all his life and my mum never had a career. However, dad was also the happiest person I ever knew, so I don't think I have yet surpassed him in contentment.

What a weird thread. The answer is probably 23 but lives very different

I've never even considered measuring myself against my parents. My career pretty much taps out at 70k there are a few 100k roles but rare & hard work.

One thing my parents instilled into me was that their financial cushion meant I could chose something I liked. I really appreciate that!

Personally I have always made a measure of my salary keeping up with my age, what my parents earned doesn't at all measure their achievements in life so I'd never give that a thought. Until early 30's it was fairly paced years vs £1,000's. Since last year I'm a couple decades ahead and I'm happy enough with that.

My DM stopped work in 1961 when she was pregnant with me, and my dad died in 1976 so I can't compare really.

Neither of them would ever tell me what they earned anyway.

The thing is OP if you want to earn 500k it's quite a narrow path, law at a top firm, banking & tech or start a business.

I'm not ambitious, I'm not partial to nice things furnishings or luxury experiences, I hate getting into debt. So never been as much in debt, never earned as much as my folks. This is fine.

Not perfect, but I have a better relationship with any of DC than I did with my parents. My teenagers talk to me. This is a good barometer of success.

@tectonicplates

I'm shocked that you know what your parents' salaries are. I've never been told and would never be rude enough to ask.

I've never understood how this is rude, I'm not at all bothered by anyone asking me. I earn £10 an hour.

At 14 when I got my first paper round.

I will never earn more than my Dad, he prioritised his career, I prioritise my kids happiness. I'm happy with my choice.

I don’t find it a weird question, maybe it depends on your background. My parents had nothing when we were growing up. They desperately wanted DSis and I to have a good education, and have careers that pay well enough that we don’t have to struggle like they did.

The fact that we now both earn more than them is something that they’ve mentioned several times as they’re very proud of it. Just as I’ll be proud if my DD does the same.

Do your parents still work? Otherwise not easy to calculate to include inflation. In any case it all subjective and depends on utility function that you try to optimize, as each additional dollar earned doesn’t increase happiness linearly. And also then you might manage money better and accumulate more wealth.

My parents earned more than their parents.

I earn more than my parents.

My kids are going to have it a lot harder and fewer opportunities than me so there is a good chance they will earn less in real terms.

As long as they are happy, it's all that matters.

I will never tell my kids what I earn and I will never make them feel they have to earn more than us.

I’ve known my dads salary for decades, my mums was easy to surpass haven’t reached my dads yet.
I don’t think it’s that odd a question, as parents don’t we all hope our DC will surpass us? In many ways, but there’s no reason for salary not to be one of them, especially bearing in mind our parents salaries would have equates to more.
Why would we want it for our DC, but be weird for acknowledging it ourselves as adults?

I have absolutely no idea how much my parents earned, but I am sure it is more than I do. That's ok, I didn't go into nursing for the money. Also, as others have said, the actual salary is a meaningless comparison as houses etc cost so much less a generation ago. My parents probably earned a bit more than DH and I do, but they had 4 DC, a 5 bedroom house, 2 cars, holidays abroad, a DC in private school etc, and we can't afford any of that.

I've got no idea what my parents earned.

Strange thread. I have never thought, wow I must surpass my parents wage! I am not in competition with my parents.

I don’t know exactly what my mother earned but at an educated guess I was earning more by 24. It’s almost irrelevant because I’d have always made sure that from a point at which I was better off that she also benefitted.

I totally get you OP, I’m salary driven too. Not wealth and luxury but salary. For example I’m sat wearing clothes from Sainsbury’s and I realised that my pants were pregnancy ones, so nearly nine years old! But I push and push regarding salary. To me it’s success, I’m out earning everyone in my family. I surpassed my parents in my twenties. Now earning six figures, I’m early 40’s. I can’t tell you where this drive came from

I know what my parents earned.

Question- is everyone adjusting for inflation? Because while I earn nearly as much as my dad did in numbers, it's nowhere near what his salary was worth in the 80s.

Makes no difference as the cost of living isn’t the same, even surpassing my dads salary it would be a long way off affording the lifestyle we had growing up (private school, 5 bed house, several holidays a yr)