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!!!

I agree with everyone else, overall compare to the whole country it’s not an amazing salary, and probably won’t get her a Range Rover. But it is well over national average (26k) and significantly over what most 23yo are earning!!
Weird to discuss with friends in such detail though

If it was my mum, I'd be pissed off she was telling her mates my salary!

It's quite good for 23 yo, and you can see why the mother is proud. However, she should be careful and not push her child to think that she is a high earner when she is not! It's before tax for a start, and doesn't give you a high earner lifestyle. I know many people don't earn that, but I don't think people realise how much a high earner does earn. Even someone barely reaching the highest tax rate is not such a high earner (half of his salary will go into tax anyway).
It's terrible advice for a parent to encourage someone someone so young to "splash the cash", and it's very crass to brag.

I am more impressed by the fact that she owns her own property at 23.

It's a good salary for a 23 year old.

It's about the same as a new graduate's salary where I work.

31k is a very good salary for a 23 year old not working in the city.

31k is nothing to brag about. No salary should be bragged about.

No idea of a London wage but I'd say it's a good wage for a 23 year old and I would have thought it's only likely to go up.

I work 27 hours a week for a similar wage and have my own business on top which I earn a decent wage off.

I think context is everything. At 23, living outside of London-31k is amazing. At 35, living in zone 2, with nursery bills and a mortgage... well, not so much. Fwiw at aged 23 I was on 20k (this was over 10 years ago) as a grad trainee.

It's a good wage. I personally hate it when people brag about how much they earn - a friend at work does this about her partner all the time...

Coddiwomple - half the salary doesn't go on tax, even for higher rate www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-income-tax/income-tax-rates-and-allowances-current-and-past Under £31.5K she's still paying lower tax. It's a v good wage.

Late 20's and earn 60k + benefits
I still don't feel I earn a great deal for what I do and the stress

Well it is more than I earn and I support a family of 5. It is probably you with the skewed perspective.

many people are assuming this 23 to went to uni, I know of tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, brick-layers) who can easily earn more than £600 pw at 23.

It's a good salary. I am a nurse with 14 years experience and still don't earn that! Our household income is £36k between 2 adults and 3dcs. However I don't think any salary should be bragged about and success shouldn't be measured in terms of money in my opinion.

I don’t class it as “high earner” territory yet but it’s a great starting salary.
If someone on mn says “dh is a high earner” I assume at least £70-£100k.
If someone says “a good salary” is think 30-70
An average salary 20-30.

It's a pretty good starting salary but more importantly, the sector she has chosen has the potential for a lot more - I work in corporate governance and she can be on six figures when she gets to the top so her mother is right to be proud

It’s what DH and I both started on at 23 (we weren’t married then, met at work). We lived outside of London. It was a pretty good salary. No Range Rover but we managed plenty of holidays/weekends away/meals out to top end restaurants etc.
I’d be pissed off if my parents had told all their friends my salary though. Especially if said ‘friend’ decided to then post about it on a forum.

I would say she's doing well personally. Better than my chappy career (and yes I have a relevant degree and been on the field for over 10 years). Not polite to brag though, think that's the issue. I never discuss money with anyone other than DH

31k isn't up there with the highest salaries but it is a very comfortable one that can afford luxuries. In my experience you live to your means so the more you earn the more you spend which probably makes it look unaffordable to someone on 60k a year. She may not be classed as a high earner to you but probably is amoungst her family. Personally I couldn't care less if someone is a high earner. I happily took a 10k pay cut as my work life balance was appalling, why earn the money if life is miserable?

Meant crappy lol 😂

I earned 4K more than that at 23, I remember as it was the year I started a new job after working my arse off straight from school at 16.

That was in 2001. I wish I had saved some of it now!!

Very good for a 23yr old.... I can see how her proud mother's boasting must be irritating, but most mums are guilty of that from time to time, so try not to be mean let it annoy you.

LadyWithLapdog when you are paying 45% tax, I call that giving away half your salary in tax.
Even 40% is a really high rate. People love going to work and know that half their week of work is not going in their own bank account.

At 23 with no degree but relevant industry qualifications, I was outside London earning a basic of £10k.

In today's terms that's about £17k, so I'd say she has done pretty well.