to wonder what others are earning in my location, sector and AGE?

[rummy41]

we constantly struggle for cash (we're very good though, not getting into debt, paying back student loans regularly)

and i can't help but think i've never received much payback for working so hard at uni, working long hours, it is making me feel a bit down

i'm 27 (28 next month), earn £23.5k a year, but work hard for it (stressful job don't want to go into details, butit IS office based, which is ok). i studied for 5 years at uni - 3 year undergrad in the south where i ran up student loan debts (no other option, no financial support from family, only emotional, which is fine) but nothing over and above basic living costs.

then another 2 years where i did a part time postgrad course which was professionally relevant, again helped by getting into debt with a bit of employer support. it's maths related so don't judge my english please i live in a city which has relatively high living costs compared to the city i lived in whilst a child - think something equivalent to Bristol i think.

at 27, earning 23.5k a year , is that about normal for the educational level i've put in? i seem to mix within relatively affluent circles and i KNOW it's all relative/perception, butit's hard to keep saying that when I see we have X coming in this month and Y going out!

(i suppose it doesn't help that DH is a SAHD, he would earn less than me, NMW, so it made more sense.

does anyoen know of any websites where it breaks down salary levels by sector, job and AGE? i know there are salary checkers but they're msotly based int he USA, not the UK, and besides, it doesn't take age into account (not that it should matter when it comes to earning negotiations )

rummy my first job out of uni was £14k a year.

My second was £17k.

Now, I'm on £19k, pro-rata as PT.

I feel like a fool going to uni - I should've just got a job from A levels. But like a lot of people I was told that 'it doesn't matter what you do or where you do it, just what grades you get. You will walk into any Management job going'.

Yeah. OK then!

I agree with you that you should/could earn more.
When i was your age i was earning about 35k from my main job but worked longer hours (london nanny) plus extra for weddings and parties on weekends. Not related degree and English as second language.

33k + bonus which has been between 0 and 2.5k in the last few years. No pay rise for last two but hoping that will change this year.

Just turned 32 and a PA

I am 40 next month and have degree in economics, postgrad in marketing management and accountancy. I work in London in finance and have a high basic salary with a bonus of 120--150% of basic. My husband (45) has 10 O levels, does EXACTLY the same job as me and earns five times more.
My 8 years of extra study seems not to have counted for too much in our business it seems.
Right place at the right time maybe?

I am 35 this year, work in public sector and salary is 40k

I'm 33 and work in the public sector. I took a Bsc and further qualifications through work. I earn £55k.

10 years ago when i was 28, I was earning £35 + company car. I worked in Bristol, in financial services marketing, and had a BA Hons degree and Diploma in marketing and professional qualifications in insurance.

I had 4 jobs by the time I was 28. I do think that you need to move quite a bit in the early years to ensure your salary jumps.

• first job at age 21 I earned £10k,
• second job age 22 I earned £13k (but left on £15k),
• third job age 24 I earned £17 (but left on £18k)
• fouth job age 25 I earned £22k
• at age 27 I handed my notice in for another job paying £30k and the company offered me more money and company car to stay, which I did!

I would say that your salary is very low for your age and level of qualifications.

I am 36 and degree-educated and make £12k - £14k working half-time on a self-employed basis. So if I worked full time I would earn about the same as you, but I'm 10 years on. I live in the South but not in London.

I was expelled from school and have no GCSEs. Have a couple of NVQs and a few typing exams. Earn £28.5k and 32 years old. Live in Home Counties.

I am 33 and have a BSc and an MSc (which was me retraining for a new profession). I work in the NHS so don't earn that much but generally enjoy my job. FTE salary is about 28k for 7 years experience as I came to the job as a mature student but I work part-time (3 days a week) so am on 16k. I guess the low wage is kind of accepted if you want to work in the profession I am in! Not great but I never work overtime and always finish work at 5pm.

At 21 started first job as a secretary in the Eurobond Department of an American bank, after 7 O'levels, Secretarial course, 1 A'Level, and HND in Business Studies and finishing school. Started on 6,500 (1980) did that for two years - in the second year got a bonus of 2,000. Moved to the syndicate desk and salary went up to 10,000 (bonus of 7,000) 1983. Moved to the sales desk and salary went up to 15,000 (bonus of 12,500) 1985. In 1986 with the team I was on, moved to a bigger and more prestigious bank. Basic of 23,000 and for the next 6 or 7 years earned between 90 and 130k. Was in work at 7ish and left at 7ish plus work functions and regular calls at home. Pared down when I got married - moved to charity sector for a few years - Had eight years as a SAHM from 1995. Went back to work in 2003, part time on 8k. Started at the bottom in HR, went full time in 2005, started prof quals in 2006 (finished 2008), completed masters 2010. Promoted a few times and now deputy head of department. At age 50, 43k, public sector and able to walk to work. Tend to work 9-5 but do bring work home about three times a week.

It wasn't a pre-requisite to have a degree in 1980 and lots of people in the City didn't have them. There are far too many degrees IMO and qualifications are no substitute for a very good education, for working hard, for having a "can do" attitude and being reliable and a non problematic employee.