If you were privately educated in the UK, what job do you do and how much do you get paid?

[MNisMyGuiltyPleasure]

You often hear that people who were privately educated had a better start in life and that's why they are more likely to secure better-paid jobs.

I was not privately educated but I am well paid. So I'm curious to see what jobs people who were privately educated in the UK have as adults, an how much they earn from those jobs.

And if you live in catchment for a bad one?
Please don’t say move, it’s often much more complicated than that and would have actually cost us more

I was privately educated from age 4-18. I have a degree. I'm a sahm. If I was to get a job it would be minimum wage. I've never had a good job... only done admin or reception roles. I'm quite clever but had a difficult albeit privileged childhood...which has led to me really not having the confidence or mental robustness to forge a career.

Ok, so if your options were a bad State school vs a good Private one (which you could afford) what would you do?

To the OP there are a large number of people like me who were educated neither in state nor private school. We were educated in another country. So we don't have any prejudice against either sector.

We choose the best schools for our children. If we can afford private without sacrificing our living standards we would 100% send them to private schools. And our living standards are for ourselves to decide.

THIS 👏

@Hoppinggreen obviously good private school

Not a waste of money then?

I was privately educated. I earn £35k, and I work in midwifery. My DH was not. He earns £100k working in tech.

Apologies @jobadoo . I see I have mixed you up with another poster

@ElizabethBest this so often the case!
people always say to us we could afford it but we’d rather have savings, holidays abroad, eating out more often, experiences etc as we’ve learnt to get good jobs etc you need degrees courses and qualifications

I'm still waiting for someone who thinks it's a waste and that you can get the same in state to address the point that it isn't judged by outcome but by experience. Some very casual statements here about "bright kids (and NT) in a good state school" which seem to ignore the fact that many kids are neither bright nor NT (or one or other) or that they are nowhere near a good school. If you argue that you should move to a catchment for one you are automatically implying a cost factor which makes it completely hypocritical. I used to teach in one of the most expensive places to live in the UK. Loads of people patting themselves on the back over their leftie credentials and sending their kids to state, whilst sitting in their million pound plus houses that they had to buy to achieve the catchment.

100% agree.

That money would much better invested on tutors, extracurricular activities, enriching learning activities (like learning days out) and different hobbies like a different one each semester to expand on their knowledge level.
Often though private schools are about connections and the name on the CV then you need to be smart enough to leverage that.

Theres an OP that posted the difference between her and her sis which is very stark which accounts for personal motivation to succeed.

Allied health professional. 45k but part time so it's 2/5ths of that. My husband is the same profession, but went to state school and did access course instead of A levels and earns slightly more than I would full time.

I send my DC to independent school so that they can enjoy learning and take part in lots of different activities. I am not looking at it as an investment in their financial future- it is to make their lives more enjoyable right now- the local secondary is horrific.

Sorry, not made my point clear.

Obviously, by my private school’s standards, and by those who judge ‘educational success’ by ‘salary’, I am a failure.

I do a job regarded in England as low status, and relatively low wage for a graduate profession, with very little progression after the first 6 years.

The point that I was making was that I find this perception of ‘failure’ ironic, as I use my schooling much more directly than the school’s ‘successes’, in that I actually use the content I was taught much more than my ‘successful’ peers who went into banking, engineering etc etc.

I completely agree that I could do my job with a state school education behind me - just like the other family member who is a teacher did.

I was privately educated all through school. Left work over 10 years ago to be a SAHM. Left average job £35k
Partner was privately educated from 11-16. Was 'asked to leave' after GCSEs and told he'd amount to nothing. Taught himself how to code and can earn anywhere between £150-200k a year.
Looking back at my privately educated year group, out of 90 girls. Around 30 went on to become doctors, solicitors, work in finance, set up successful businesses. The next 30 would have been a mix of teachers, nurses, scientists- so great professions- but not earning a fortune and then the rest of us with very average jobs and salaries.

I work for the family business.

I did have a start up of my own which I sold. But like Michael Corleone, just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in.

It’s not just about the results they get. Private education gives you more in terms of soft skills like confidence. My DH didn’t go private and earns quite a lot but he lacks and feels not as “well spoken” as rest of his team who all went private. Privates around our area are all selective which means they need to do a test before so only the best will get in. Schools are not the best around our end so spending the money is well worth it. State schools around here have so many SEN kids to deal with so the mid-achievers get left behind. State schools are snacking if your child is a high or low achiever but those in the middle just coast along. Whereas in private the state level “middle kids” will be pushed as everyone else is very academic.

I could write loads more but I have to go. Bottom line Private is worth it. I’ve seen some appalling private schools too so not all are worth the money. If they are selective and over-subscribed plus have a balance of not just academia but creating a well rounded student then they are so worth the money.

Name changed as outing. Privately educated, read economics at Cambridge. Went into investment banking straight out of uni. Retired in my 30s after earning about £1 million a year.

Some people have those things as well as educate their children Privately

Oops auto correct! Snacking was meant to mean amazing.

@Hoppinggreen i was talking about those who haven’t really got the means to send their kids private!

ime the main sacrifice you spot at english private schools is families who only have 2 children.

Wealthy families have four+

We are in agreement then.
I don’t think that unless there are unusual circumstances (such as SEN) you should never suffer as a family to pay for Private school
If you have the money to do it comfortably then it’s not a “waste” as you said earlier