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

[WinterAx]

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? 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!!!

Sounds like you're a little bitter OP. The girl must be very able and well thought of to earn that kind of salary at 23. She also owns a house with her bf? She seems to have her head screwed on right and I would bet she won't have to think about semi-retiring on £31k when she gets to your age.

I wonder why salary is something to boast about? Is it meant to be a reflection on the importance of the job? Surely no one believes that. So I don’t get why it’s something to boast about? I would be mortified if I thought my mum discussed my salary with anyone, let alone boasted about it.

For context- that's more than a full time doctor earns in their first year! About the same as a doctor in their second year of work and they have done 5 years at medical school so at her age it is a decent salary.

Newbie when I do my FY2 I'll only be earning 28k - I say only in regards to this post I'm aware 28k is more than others earn.

No one should show off about anything. The only reason some of us have mentioned what we earn on the other new thread is because it asks what you earn.

Also starting salary for new lawyers in big firms (US ones in particular) is about £80k to £100k now although that would be after 1 year post grad and 2 years earning about £40k a year in those firms so you would be slightly older, but not much. That is London.

Maybe a little crass to keep talking about it but it's a good wage. We only earn a little more than that as 2 full timers in their late 20s early 30s

It's a great salary for that age, but even with the joint salary, it's a long way off being able to jet off on exotic trips and buy luxury cars without that still being a big financial strain, so hopefully the daughter isn't taking financial advice from her mum.

Yes I'd say that was a high earner too.

My nephew was earning that 2 years ago at 21.

He is a gas/heating engineer, started his apprenticeship at 16 qualified at 20.

I earn half his wage, am a qualified Child Development Officer although I only work term time.
My nephew can earn more in a week than I can in a month if he does a couple of 4 hour on
Call evenings.

I think it’s a brilliant wage for someone in their early 20’s.

She's doing well. Good on her!

I'd say that's a genuinely impressive wage regardless of her age. I'm 27 and earning less whilst working in management.

It's a good salary for a 23year old but it's not in the high earning bracket for range rovers etc. It's incredibly rude to talk about it and quite embarrassing really. Maybe your friend has just got carried away. Smile politely

I live in an expensive city and am a single parent with a total income inc tax credits etc of just over 19k. 31k would be life changing for me even with 2 children so yes it's a high salary for a 23 year old with no responsibilities in a cheaper area!

Not sure the point of your question, OP. If you want to know if £31K is good in the salary market then Google it. Who are you comparing it to and what will you do with the information you find out?

Just be happy for your "good friend" that she is proud of her DD. She'll stop mentioning it soon.

What a lovely friend. Can’t you just be pleased for her?

I would love to earn 31k. I'm not even on 21k!! To me a 23 year old earning 31k is high earning

Christ almighty. That’s a huge starting salary OP. How can you not see this? Are you bitter?

As @Booboo66 said. I too am a single parent and have about the same income and I’m proud i have that. I work hard and know I could be worse off, I’ve been there. It’s a huge struggle for anyone earning below £20k as it is and those of us that do would give anything to earn £31k. To be 23 earning £31k.... and having bought a house with her boyfriend I’d say that is very accomplished.

Be proud of your friends daughter, and let her mum brag. She brags because she is proud

'I work very hard to earn a lot more than that'
OP, I think you've now seem that many here work very hard to earn a lot less than that. I don't see the point of this thread.

I agree with those who get annoyed at the assumption that 'hard work'= high earners. DH worked hard for 40 years and never earned that amount. I work hard and will never earn that amount.

Are you kidding?! At 23 that’s a great salary and presumably the only way is up if in a good career.

Slightly sounds like jealousy imo.

Our household income is round 31k supposedly (except hubby just started earning 11k a year as cabbie & has only been paid £240 for 7 weeks so far - there is a back story there); so really round 20k. I would have killed for this at 23!! I earnt 16k at 26 working as a professionally qualified careers adviser! I earned approx 26k in 2013/14 as a careers adviser working in London. I was 37 then. I had a Level 7 qual (degree & postgrad) while earning the 16k, so yes 31k for a 23 yr old is very, very high; especially without a degree (bear in mind I was a CAREERS adviser - ie know alot about jobs, careers, salaries & Higher Ed).

Think question u should be asking is not London but: is it because she works for private firm vs public services (which is very poorly paid). She is prob a para-legal or something tho, as Corporate Gov is Law related (I'm now a postgrad Admissions Assistant at a University Law School) & Law firms & other private companies (banks, etc.) tend to pay well.

But those firms want their "pound of flesh" (or to own you - as someone else posted) too; so continuing that career path will very much depend on whether she's happy wiv her work-life balance. There's always a payoff. Nice cars & holidays aren't everything - a smile costs nothing remember?

Sadly salaries have really dropped in UK. When my dh started out just over ten years ago he could expect to earn £27k+ going up to ten grand more within a few years. He then found that the same jobs are now offering ten grand less than they used to and that anything over £30K is pretty impressive, despite having ten years experience. It is a bit of a Mummy boast but when many earn half that, it's pretty good!

At 23 that's a very good salary (to put it into perspective 23 year olds with medical degrees get 22k). However, it is most definitely not high earning, successful 23 year olds easily get twice as much, some get three times as much. Some law firm even offer NQ (23/24 years old) a six figure salary plus benefits these days.