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Original poster

What do you consider to be a good salary?

74 replies

BrachDrum · 10/05/2022 08:02

I had a pay rise recently and shared it with a close friend, in passing, as she’d told me she’d had a pay rise recently to account for inflation. She then asked me figures and I said I wasn’t comfortable sharing…to which she said ‘well if it’s anything less than 75k it’s not worth mentioning.’

I earn a lot less than this, 52k. My friend is not at all materialistic and so this must be a genuine belief of hers. What do you think is a decent salary?! I was happy on 40k let alone 52.

OP posts:
Iwonder08 · 10/05/2022 09:04

Good salary for what? For a cleaner-pretty impressive, for a lawyer-not so much. Also it is entirely irrelevant what your friend thinks. Also a decent human wouldn't give that reply.. It is disrespectful and incentive even if she doesn't know your earning level

PestorPeston · 10/05/2022 09:06

Median disposable household income was £31,400 in financial year ending (FYE) 2021. It is arguably the most widely used household income measure. Disposable income is the amount of money that households have available for spending and saving after direct taxes, such as Income Tax, National Insurance and Council Tax, have been accounted for. It includes earnings from employment, private pensions and investments as well as cash benefits provided by the state.

Wages / salary are lower.

What always shocks me is how people with top 5% incomes are totally lack awareness of their privileged position.

saggyhairyass · 10/05/2022 09:09

I work 8 hour shifts, on a roster, so I do weekends, bank holidays, nights. I'm not a professional in the strictest sense but my job is regulated by government. I have to keep up a "licence" to ensure I'm working safely every 12 months. But day to day I don't do much unless something goes awry. It's not a difficult job, but can be stressful. Lots of internal and local politics. I supervise others. For all this I get £43k, and I work in London. I consider that to be a good deal. People I supervise are on £27-35k. Again, a good deal. Most people can cover rent and bills with that. I don't expect either myself nor my team to earn anything like that outside of London nor in the private sector. We are fortunate.

Interested in this thread?

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Employment advice
Northernsoullover · 10/05/2022 09:12

I'm struggling on 35k. I can meet my bills and don't have debt but I have taken a second job to do fun stuff (except I no longer have time for fun 😂) if I wasn't on my own with 2 kids and had another adult contributing I'd imagine it would feel like a good salary.

Pyewhacket · 10/05/2022 09:15

Depends, I'd say £100k-£150k+.

MyneighbourisTotoro · 10/05/2022 09:18

I’d say 30k is a decent wage

PestorPeston · 10/05/2022 09:18

Pyewhacket · 10/05/2022 09:15

Depends, I'd say £100k-£150k+.

Any particular reason why you think that only 3% of wage earners have a good salary?

Crazykatie · 10/05/2022 09:19

It depends what makes you happy, you can have a jet set lifestyle and be very unhappy, let’s imagine a single person, with a mortgage on a flat, working normal week, taking a few long weekends and a couple of longer holidays.

Some could do it on £30k, £40k would be comfortable, a more expensive lifestyle would cost more but would not always make you happier. I know plenty of wealthy people who are miserable and as tight as a ducks ar** as well .

TheMullerLightOwl · 10/05/2022 09:23

I think it's all about perspective. When I earned £21k I thought that a £30k salary was amazing. Now I'm on £30k, I'd consider a good salary a bit higher (£40-50k) as that's my next aim, I guess (not that I think my current salary is bad at all!)

Your friend is probably just thinking of the amount of money that she needs to fund her current lifestyle, although could have said it a bit more tactfully...

LifeInsideMyhead · 10/05/2022 09:23

I agree so often those in top 10% on these type of threads are so unaware of their privilege/ relative income.

BertieBotts · 10/05/2022 09:31

I think 30-40+ is good. Over 60k would be high to me.

user375242 · 10/05/2022 09:36

Did she not mean that 75k would be a level that would be considered bragging to tell your friends, so no need to be coy about what it actually is? I do think refusing to tell friends comes off a bit smug or like you don't trust them.

Pyewhacket · 10/05/2022 09:41

PestorPeston · 10/05/2022 09:18

Any particular reason why you think that only 3% of wage earners have a good salary?

Show quote history

I know plumbers who earn £100k , they have to because the average 3 bed house in London is £650K !. I doubt anybody down my road earns less.

I'm a senior sister in NHS ICU on band 8c central London, I earn £75K.

As I said, depends !.

vodkaredbullgirl · 10/05/2022 09:41

Anything more than what I get.

AledsiPad · 10/05/2022 09:42

According to that government spreadsheet a PP posted, our household income is in the top 5/6% (ish).

But, Joseph Rowntree reckons we're in poverty and don't earn enough to live (obviously this is ridiculous, we are not remotely close to poverty). The IFS income calculator puts us bang in the middle on the 50th centile.

Bottom line is, it's all relative to living situation. If I was a single person with no children, £30k would be flush! As a mother of 4 with a large house to run and bills comensurate with a large family, £30k would be literally impossible. Our essential outgoings are higher and no, we cannot reduce them.

A good salary to me is one with which you can live a fulfilled life. We have a nice home, albeit rented, two cars, a UK holiday each year (our preference), never worry about paying for food and our bills are always paid on time. We are incredibly fortunate (and Joseph Rowntree calculations are insane Grin ).

lassof · 10/05/2022 09:43

For me, 50k is a good salary. I earn less, I'd be really happy to get 52k.
But I also don't hide my salary. Why would you? I know it's quite a British thing in the private sector but it seems a bit pointless. Why talk about it at all if you don't want to mention amounts? Might be better not to bring it up as a topic in future?
Friend was deliberately cutting imo - not very 'friendly'

Comefromaway · 10/05/2022 09:45

The top very top earners in the company I work for earn just over £50k. I'd say that £40k was a good salary. I'm on slightly less than that. My husband is on around £32k

MintyCedricRidesAgain · 10/05/2022 09:46

I think it depends on your circumstances.

I'm mid forties, divorced with a pretty small mortgage and currently job hunting.

£20-25k would be manageable for me, £30k plus would be great.

I did calculate the costs of my dream existence a while back and I'd need a take home of about £65k for that, so better crack on with writing that bestseller 😆

richardhammondsgoatee · 10/05/2022 09:46

Well I'm a teacher so I'll never earn that much (don't want management role thanks!) not worth mentioning Ida weird thing to say. A pay rise is always good as you literally have more money than you did before 🤷🏻‍♀️ she sounds weird.

Gynaesaur · 10/05/2022 09:47

Obviously it would vary a lot depending on where you lived, what stage in your life you're at, dependents etc
Generally, I'd think of 35k as "good", 27k as "decent", 45k as high salary. I'm on what I'd class as a high salary. It's more than anyone in my family earned growing up. Still never made London house prices worth it!

richardhammondsgoatee · 10/05/2022 09:48

FWIW I earn around £42000 FTE but I work part time. After 18 years in a professional role that prob wouldn't be considered a good salary. As a teacher obviously I think it's good as I'm at the top of the payscale!

Disneyblueeyes · 10/05/2022 09:51

I'm a part time teacher on 20 something k, my partner is full time on 140k.

We're very comfortable ...but then our mortgage is small as we are in the north in a house right next to a power station so it was dirt cheap.

Completely depends on your circumstances

EnglishGirlApproximately · 10/05/2022 09:52

MN is a different world to where I live tbh so I find it hard to relate to threads about salaries. I live in a cheap area in the Midlands. I earn about £42k, DP around that (but much less over the last two years as much of his is bonus and his business was closed a lot)

We have a detached house in a nice area, both have ok cars - nothing special but not old bangers. We go abroad at least once a year, have various subscriptions etc and DS has a few paid clubs and hobbies. We feel pretty comfortable at this level and while we are concerned about the cost of living crisis we do have spare cash so can absorb it. We aren't really into 'stuff, so don't many clothes, gadgets etc which helps.

The idea of less than £75k not being worth mentioning is bonkers to me. I know very few people on that salary and everyone I know manages holidays etc.

ReallyIrish · 10/05/2022 09:52

A good friend would've congratulated you and not tried to undermine your achievement.
I think your friend was fishing to see your reaction to that comment so she can figure out if you're on a high salary.
What sense could it even be to say any pay rise or salary isn't even worth mentioning? People have to live, does she think everyone on less than 75K would be better off on benefits?
What do you work at and what does she work at?