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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking that this salary really isn’t anything to brag about

292 replies

WinterAx · 20/10/2017 06:31

A good friend’s 23yo DD has just accepted a new job where she’ll be earning 31k. Since that time, I haven’t heard the last of it with regards to what a ‘high earner’ she will be now and how much more she’ll be earning than any of her peers. I’m being told she’ll no doubt be jetting off on lots of exotic holidays and buying a Range Rover and such like. Now don’t get me wrong, this is a good friend of mine and of course she’s a proud mother but... 31k... really? Hmm Is this really considered ‘high earner’ status these days?!

Admittedly we don’t live in a city so living costs aren’t high and I know she owns property already with her boyfriend who also earns a similar amount... but I’m just genuinely interested what sort of salary outside of the city is considered to be good these days? If you can genuinely be comfortable on that sort of wage I’m thinking of semi retiring!!!

OP posts:
treaclesoda · 20/10/2017 06:34

I'm in my 40s, have a degree, as do most of my friends. Very few of us earn 31k even with 20 years experience behind us. I don't know anyone earning that sort of money at 23.

WHATISTHISNIGHTMARE · 20/10/2017 06:35

I would say it is reasonably high for a 23 year old but not mega-bucks.

I would love to earn 31K though - around £500 a week net would sort a lot of my problems!

MoodyOne · 20/10/2017 06:35

I’m in my late 20’s and I earn 19k, I thought that was good for my age 😞

Ollivander84 · 20/10/2017 06:35

I wish I earned that! (Emergency services worker)

Wingbing · 20/10/2017 06:35

Yep, this is good money for that age. My goal throughout my career was for my salary to match my age. She is ahead of that.

PseuDenim · 20/10/2017 06:36

I think that is an impressive salary for a 23 year old especially outside of London.

I definitely don’t think it puts her in the luxury holiday and Range Rover bracket yet but certainly could be indicative of potentially falling into that bracket if she continues to build her career.

What industry is the role in? That’s also relevant.

deepestdarkestperu · 20/10/2017 06:36

That’s more than my DP and I warm combined and we both work full time, so yes, I would say that’s a bloody good salary for a 23yo!

AllTheWittyNamesAreGone · 20/10/2017 06:36

Are you so sneery of a your 'good friends'?

Bobbiepin · 20/10/2017 06:37

Its not a huge salary in London but its very good for someone so young. Not quite range rover but not to be sniffed at.

BriechonCheese · 20/10/2017 06:38

I think at 23 it is an impressive start. However it is unbelievably crass to discuss it.

SonicBoomBoom · 20/10/2017 06:38

That is a very good starting salary for a 23 year old.

Especially if she's not in London.

haveabiscuitor2 · 20/10/2017 06:39

I would say for a 23 year old that is a good wage.

FluttershysCutieMark · 20/10/2017 06:40

It's certainly a good starting salary for a 23 y.o. If your friend doesn't earn that much then maybe she is getting a bit carried away because she views it as a high wage.

I'm older than your friends dd but I earn a similar figure, I'm the first in my immediate family to earn over £30k, parents didn't earn that much at all.

I get that it might be annoying and sound like bragging but maybe your friend is just really proud and getting carried away with it a bit.

WHATISTHISNIGHTMARE · 20/10/2017 06:40

My ex's nephew started off on 40K plus bonus fresh out of university, and at almost 30 earns I don't know what now. Yawn.

Where he works (bank, of course) virtually own him though.

I just hope my ds doesn't go into this line of work because it seems soulless to me.

ScarletSienna · 20/10/2017 06:42

That’s a great wage for 23! Especially when her boyfriend earns similar and they’re on the property ladder already too.

FluffyMcCloud · 20/10/2017 06:44

Yes I would say 31k is a very high earner! Gosh I'd love to earn that! And at 23 it is certainly very impressive.

SonicBoomBoom · 20/10/2017 06:45

In fact, when my DH and I were in our mid-late 20s and we had each hit 30k, we felt LOADED. We could easily have bought a Range Rover (well, on PCP).

We'd each started on about 15k (as graduates) so we were excellent at budgeting.

maddiemookins16mum · 20/10/2017 06:46

Really? I'm 53 and in a good job (Legal Exec for travel firm). I don't earn that. That is way, way more than most 23 year olds earn.

HotelEuphoria · 20/10/2017 06:46

It is a good wage for a 23 year old, but it's deffo not Range Rover money!

Ninabean17 · 20/10/2017 06:47

That's great for a 23yo. Me and my husband don't have that combined.

Original poster
WinterAx · 20/10/2017 06:48

Ok thanks everyone, this is interesting. I don’t mean to sound nasty - of course she’s proud and I get that. I’m just genuinely interested as to what is considered a good salary outside of the city. I work very hard to earn a lot more than that and honestly I’d take that sort of pay cut for a better life.

To answer the questions friend’s DD works in Corporate Governance. She doesn’t have a degree but I know she worked hard training and completing two specific practitioner qualifications in some relevant legislation over a couple of years.

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 20/10/2017 06:48

It is a high salary. I imagine she’s on a prestigious graduate training scheme. If she succeeds, the money will go up and up. So your friend is right. If she doesn’t stop bragging this can be annoying though.

AgainPlease · 20/10/2017 06:48

I was earning slightly more at 23 (6 years ago) and almost double that a few years later. It’s not a high salary for London but I’m sure it is for other areas of the UK.

Her mum is just really proud of her daughter but I’d be annoyed too if she kept going in about it.

DubiousCredentials · 20/10/2017 06:51

Well we pay a mortgage, run two cars, have a uk holiday each year and manage to live quite happily as a family of four on less than that, so I’d say it’s fricking fantastic for a 23yr old. And if her boyfriend is earning similar then yes I expect they will be able to afford nice holidays and posh (leased or financed) cars. If our household income was £60k+ we’d be in seventh heaven financially!

MyLittleDragon · 20/10/2017 06:54

That's a great salary for a 23yo.

In terms of the future earnings it really depends on what area she's working in and how she personally progresses, of course. High incomes usually come with high pressures/huge responsibilities which not everyone is cut out for.