Is it possible to earn £50k pa without a degree?

[whatnoooow]

I'm reaching my 40s and nowhere near where I'd like to be, financially.

My current salary is £30k pa and I work in financial services, with qualifications in my industry, but I don't have a degree. I think I'd probably have to stay in financial services.

I'm really struggling to know where to go from here, or how to get there.

Does anybody work in financial services who would be comfortable discussing what they do for a living and if the salary is anywhere near £50k?

Thanks you x

I'm in the NW and I'm employed, so that salary is pretty standard in my area.

I was actually looking at paraplanner duties, and did think my experience could transfer in to that role. I might look in to trainee roles in bigger companies that could offer progression.

@femfemlicious I was a PA for a few years then moved to PA to a head of Project Management. Did my APM project fundamentals, was promoted into project coordinator role, did my APM PMQ the promoted again into current role. Expect another step up in next 12-18 months.

Yes, ds and a lot of other young people in our area are ear ing around 50 to 55k at Bae systems in various roles without having a degree.

What!!! That's fantastic. What is it that you do?

My husband came out of school with no GCSEs, he has no degree.. he did 13 years military service and when he came out, done 1 interview for a job he thought was way above him but he’d try his luck… £65k a year - double the military wage he was on

I own over £70k a year with only basic GCSEs. However, I have done additional training with my profession to support my career progression to this level.

Sadly, it doesn't anymore. I just remembered there is a good book called 'Get Rich Lucky Bitch', which despite the title is quite enlightening. Someone recommended it to me once. It's a good start to help with money mindset. Definitely recommend it and stick with it as the first bit is a bit wooowoo, but I found it gave me a little push when I was stuck in a rut once and couldnt afford a coach :)

I don't work in finance but do a job that is around £50k and supervisory roles about £60k and no degree needed.

I’m on £51k with no degree plus I freelance on the side for extra. I’m a specialist fundraiser for a charity and before anyone jumps on about salaries, I raise a lot more than I earn!

My friend works in medical sales and earns 75k plus bonuses. No degree.

Another friend works in environmental sales earns 60k no degree.

When I was a childminder 20 years ago I earnt 35k which in todays money is around £55k .

My oh didn't even finish school and earns £86k plus bonus and benefits in IT, completely self taught. I earn 45k part-time in financial services either no degree. You have to keep moving jobs every couple of years.

Yes, support staff in a law firm.

Reading all these salaries I’m sorry I went into nursing now!!!

Earned more than that 25+ years ago.

Started in a junior role, worked hard and showed initiative and got a number of promotions.

No exams at any level whatsoever as I skipped them!

How about a BDM for a lender? Salaries there usually £50kish. Or try and get in on the sales support side of things. There’s definitely progression in the bigger firms. I’ve worked for a large bank for several years as a BDM, once you’re in you get involved in other areas and have the chance to see how lots of different roles work. Risk / product manager / operations

DH does but he’s taken a lot more industry exams to boost his career. Same with many of my former colleagues who have kept adding to their qualifications to progress, not having had a degree originally.
I would look at compliance for example as an area that you could move into and progress well. Ever increasing regulatory requirements.
Or the EAs to senior leaders would earn a lot more than that in the city? High pressure though.

Yes. Of course. Degrees are useful to jump through a few hoops to enter at a certain level and most places which ask for non specific degrees also offer an experience option. My DH doesn't have a degree and earns over that in civil service ( but started at lowest grade straight from school and has worked his way up).

£95k, no degree, I work in marketing & hr

I used to earn about £130k (incl bonuses) working in consultancy for one of the Big 4 - I have no A levels let alone a degree. Started as junior admin and worked my way up. My director at the time also left school at 16, and was earning >£500k, he's just retired at 55.

Currently on c£60k as I downshifted and changed industry.

It's definitely possible.

How do you get in to the big 4? Just looking at the roles advertised on LinkedIn, they all seem to be managerial positions.

Sorry I don’t have any advice but just to add you’re not the only one, I feel the same, and I have no dependants so can be extra flexible but still haven’t figured how to land a ‘good’ job. 😓

@ASDnocareer I don't have any dependents either so I can literally throw my self in to anything. I'm not afraid of long hours or hard work.

Why can't we work out how to get the big jobs? 😂. Maybe there's a secret that we haven't been told yet.

I was a pensions consultant for an employee benefits consultancy. No degree but was earning £50K in my 40s and more than that when I retired early in my mid 50s.

If you have the professional qualifications and ability, in financial services (in my experience) a degree is only an entry level requirement.

The lack of a degree never held me back.

Yes, DH has 3 GCSEs to his name and earns £60k plus bonus. I have a degree, soon to be 2 and earn £27k rising to £35k once my degree is finished. The joys of working in the public sector but at least there’s the pension!

Move into a Compliance role. As a mortgage adviser you’ll already be knowledgable about the regulations that govern how you have to conduct yourself. Compliance gave me a very lucrative career until I decided to retire in my mid 50’s. No degree and a basic salary of around 80k plus bonuses etc.