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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what YOU think a high salary is?

625 replies

minimummies · 06/02/2021 21:49

Going off the back of the salary thread and the savings threads. A lot of people are aghast at the wages and say that ppl are lying!

What do you think is a high wage for say a woman in their 30's?!
Would you say differently for a man?

I think anything over 100k is a high wage for either. 25-35k would be low imo and anything in the middle would be a good salary.

OP posts:
ChocolateHoneycomb · 07/02/2021 20:08

I think good money depends hugely on:

  1. How many people you are supporting on that income
  2. Any other family income eg from a partner earning/inheritance
  3. Where you live

Here in Oxfordshire with average house price of £440k (according to rightmove, so vague figure), an income of £35k - what a lot of folks on this thread feel is a reasonable salary - won’t go far compared to where houses are cheap, but if you are a single parent of 2-3 kids compared to one adult it will be even harder!

For me it is important to not be worrying about finding money for basics, eg food/utility bills/basic clothes/basic transport etc. Good money is when you have much more choice in life, as you have the ability to pay for a greater range of options.

cordeliae · 07/02/2021 20:09

30k is a nice comfortable salary to me, anything above that is high

saraclara · 07/02/2021 20:35

Okay. I've only read 25% of this thread, so I'm only going to answer the question in the OP.
I consider ending over 50k to be a high salary.

I was a teacher and I ended my career on about 40k, which was the highest I could go without getting into deputy head level in the school I was at, and included a special needs allowance. I felt that that was a pretty good salary for what I did and with my experience.

My friend earns 70k which I consider a high salary. But he has to work in London to earn that in his field, so by the time he's spent a hell of a lot on rent, he's probably not as far ahead on standard of living as that would sound. Having said that he's a lot younger. In ten or twenty years hell probably be on the equivalent of 100k now. Which I think is a really high salary.

saraclara · 07/02/2021 20:37

I consider ending over 50k to be a high salary.

I consider EARNING over 50k to be a high salary. Thanks autocorrect

IfNot · 07/02/2021 20:43

The median income for one person in the UK is about 17.5 k. Thats very low, but is what the majority earn!
Most of the average income stats are for household income.
I would say that over 40 k is a good salary.

Ideasplease322 · 07/02/2021 21:12

@IfNot

The median income for one person in the UK is about 17.5 k. Thats very low, but is what the majority earn! Most of the average income stats are for household income. I would say that over 40 k is a good salary.
Median full time salary for UK is £31,460?

It’s important to compare like with like. OP is talking about full time salary for people in their thirties.

BlackeyedSusan · 07/02/2021 21:24

£1.92 per hour. (One pound,92p) here. Thank God for bank of mum and dad and ex isn't a twat about money and supports his children.

50k high
40k very good
35k good
30k good enough
25k ok
20k get by

LouJ85 · 07/02/2021 21:37

Anything 50k or above is what I consider high, but that's because that's more than I earn currently. In a few years when I pass that, I'll probably consider 60k plus high. When I was in my 20s earning 25k, 40k was high to me. It's all relative to what we earn, isn't it.

FredaFlintstone · 07/02/2021 21:58

It is all relative too those of you from north probably don't understand that most of us in london pay more for our mortgage payments or rent than what you are saying is a good salary

Thank goodness you're here to educate all the skint naiive thickos of 'The North'.

Even they have it good compared to us over in Wales though. We're still on dial up Internet, installed in the back room of our caves.

Is it true the streets of London are paved with actual gold?

NoOpinionNoProblem · 07/02/2021 22:22

Pffffftttt (shrug)

Shelby10 · 07/02/2021 22:31

Depends where you live or want to live. But I think 25/30 is quite the norm for lots of office type jobs, which is common career.
For where I live you can buy a 3 bedroomed family house in an area with very good schools and a few nice bars and restaurants nearby for 180k/200k.
So if a couple earn an ‘average’ wage each, it’s definitely enough.

Although there are small houses and flats for 80/100k which are also in the catchment for the best schools etc.
Overall I’d say 25/30 is decent, 40k plus very good.

Nogoodusername · 07/02/2021 22:34

Over £100K is high

Ibizafun · 07/02/2021 22:36

150k upwards

Invisiblewoman1 · 07/02/2021 22:39

@ChocolateHoneycomb I didn’t think doctors were on AFC scales?

wellthatsunusual · 07/02/2021 22:43

@FredaFlintstone

It is all relative too those of you from north probably don't understand that most of us in london pay more for our mortgage payments or rent than what you are saying is a good salary

Thank goodness you're here to educate all the skint naiive thickos of 'The North'.

Even they have it good compared to us over in Wales though. We're still on dial up Internet, installed in the back room of our caves.

Is it true the streets of London are paved with actual gold?

Grin

I'm going to add a wee nugget of info that seems to pass people by as well. When people from London scold people in cheaper areas as to how lucky they are that houses are 'so cheap' they often seem to forget that a £200,000 three bed semi is as unaffordable to someone earning £20k as a £900,000 three bed semi is to someone earning £90k. Actually it might even be less affordable I suppose, since food and utilities etc would cost a similar amount and as a percentage they'd take up a lot more of a 20k income than a 90k income.

Conundrumofsorts · 07/02/2021 22:53

[quote Invisiblewoman1]@ChocolateHoneycomb I didn’t think doctors were on AFC scales?[/quote]
Also clinical excellence awards, overtime and management additions. Plus any private work.

Snowsnowglorioussnow · 07/02/2021 22:57

Wealth and money to a large degree is a state of mind.

I know a very wealthy people, not private jet wealthy but houses worth several millions paid for, no other drag assets etc..

And they think like paupers and sweat over every penny as is that's what's made the wealthy... Literally sweating over stamps.

They don't have feel Rich at all.

I felt absolutely loaded when I started to work, a salary less than 900 s month but we had struggled on one small salary for soooo long.

However, we still heavily budget, don't splash out etc 😂😂 not that we could but it feels amazing to have the back up of two salaries the emotional and mental peace knowing of dh looses his job, we have something coming in..

So to me, my salary feels like so much money.
I know people earning 100 grand a year and again they act and feel terrified they havan't got enough.

I'd rather be where I am.

However in terms of big money, I'd say its literally lots where you can pretty much buy what you want including large houses.

SchoonerP · 07/02/2021 23:00

150k+

FrostyChocolateMilkshake · 07/02/2021 23:06

@minimummies

Under 25k to me would be extremely low and I would expect it to be a part time role if I'm honest.
Wow, very pretentious OP. Think you need a dip in the real world before you start saying crap like that.
OhWhyNot · 07/02/2021 23:14

I think anything over £60k is high

I know a number of people earning over £150k

I earn just under £35k and get by in London I know many earning a lot less many of my colleagues are (nhs) and they all get by

If you earning over £100k and are struggling you need to budget better it’s nonsense that it’s all relative. Mind you what is struggling for some is a dream for others

Fatandfifty49 · 07/02/2021 23:15

Our combined household income is 40 to 50k.
We have 2 kids and live in the South East. It's low for around here but we find it enough to live on unreasonably well.

We also have a low mortgage, don't have expensive tastes, don't feel the need to change our cars every 5 mins or replace our wardrobe every season.

You don't need as much money as you think, really, so it's pointless getting hung up on it

sbhydrogen · 07/02/2021 23:19

I'd say £85k+ is a high salary. Anything less is good though.

I don't earn that but I aspire to in the next couple of years.

OverTheRubicon · 07/02/2021 23:21

The median UK full time salary is over £31,000, the median for London only is over £38,000. Women's earning capacity peaks 40-49. The full-time worker gender pay gap is 8.9%.

So as a woman in your 30s, numbers above these would definitely put you in the richer half, but you'd need to be at least £50k to head to the upper end of salaries, and £100k+ in London to get within shouting range of the top 5%

For other lovers of statistics (or for people doubling my data), here is the link ...www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2019

IfNot · 07/02/2021 23:26

Median full time salary for UK is £31,460?

Nope. The mean average HOUSEHOLD income is around 30k. Median per person is a lot less.

wowier · 08/02/2021 00:13

The mean average HOUSEHOLD income is around 30k.

The average household disposable income (after taxes and benefits) was £30,800. This figure includes retired households.

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