salary question...

[ohtobe4]

AIBU to think a salary of £70k in the South East (Berkshire) is a good wage?
A friend of mine has a new job and reckons the salary is "average".
I live in the Midlands, so I consider it to be a pretty huge wage!
I know it's rather crass to ask, but people in the SE….Where does a £70k wage fit ?
Voting….
AIBU = £70k is average
AINBU = £70k is a big wage

Think whatever you like, why would that be unreasonable?

It's huge in the Midlands as property is cheap.

If a single person earned £70k assuming they can borrow 4.5 times their salary they can borrow £315k which in SE Berkshire often doesn't buy a one bed flat.

It doesn't go far down here. I could move to the Midlands for cheaper housing but then I don't want to live in the Midlands.

A good wage for what? A surgeon? A cashier?

Depends on the job/level/industry... but its probably about normal for a professional job requiring a university degree and 10+ years experience. Either managing a team at that salary or a senior technical role if the technical area is difficult/in demand.

Compared to those earning minimum wage of course it’s a very good salary. However, chances are he has adapted to a salary of that size and his outgoings reflect what he earns, regardless of where he lives.

@ohtobe4

AIBU to think a salary of £70k in the South East (Berkshire) is a good wage? A friend of mine has a new job and reckons the salary is "average". I live in the Midlands, so I consider it to be a pretty huge wage! I know it's rather crass to ask, but people in the SE….Where does a £70k wage fit ? Voting…. AIBU = £70k is average AINBU = £70k is a big wage

Huge in the midlands.

Average down south.

Can I go halfway? It’s nowhere near huge in the southeast but maybe a bit above average. I’m in London, on 63 and consider it good-ish but not amazing and not something I’m particularly proud of.

Yes that's a huge salary!!!

Seems high to me. I'm in SE, earn about 40k and consider myself very well paid.

Depends on the industry. Tech and finance, that's pretty average

I live in Yorkshire. The majority of people I know, personally, earn less than that. But i do know a good amount of people who earn more.

It really depends on what job you actually do. Everyone I know who earn more have very senior jobs. But most people, I know aren't in jobs where you earn that amount.

And it's not just the job. I live in the small terrace house I bought as a single parent. About a quarter of a mile outside a really posh village. We are actually classed as part of 2 different cities, as that's the boundary.

Most people who Iive there, probably my earn a lot more than 70k. But here most people don't earn anywhere near that and there.

So even though its 2 areas close together, it would be viewed differently by the people who live in those areas.

I'm on roughly that in London and it's a fine wage to live on and I save loads, but it'll never be enough for me to get a mortgage for anywhere decent.

If she works in the tech industry then it would be average

These wage stealth boast posts are so boring

Do you think she's just a modest person so would never say it was a massive salary especially if you earn less?

You've not specified an industry or her age.

@drpet49

These wage stealth boast posts are so boring

Then don't read them. If it was obvious from the title, you could just move on when you realise it's not a thread you enjoy.

Where I live (North West) that’s a massive wage . But you could still buy a house for under 100,000.

its probably about normal for a professional job requiring a university degree and 10+ years experience.
Depends on the industry, surely?

The [[https://www.statista.com/statistics/813364/average-gross-income-per-household-uk/ data is from 2019/2020] but it's in the top third of gross household income.
Therefore I'd hazard a guess it's in the top quarter of individual earnings.

I don’t live in the South East but the median London salary is £42k. So it’s a good wage.

People love to claim their higher wages are average because it helps them believe they are worth £££.

Sadly, just cos it’s a good wage doesn’t mean it buys much property.

Could well be average depending on what they do. It’s still a lot more than many people earn. Plenty of people (me included) earn less in the SE but I know a bunch of people who earn more. If they are in a technical role, or have a decent degree of seniority then that’s about the going rate. I’m mid-level managerial and earn around £50k

We have friends in the SE and to them, that would be a pretty paltry salary to live on. In their world it is quite normal to consider a 1.8M house 'too small' for their three plus children, all of whom are of course at private schools, where a brand new Land Rover is a prerequisite for running them to and from! I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture. It's very much a culture of keeping up with the Joneses I feel. Granted though, that areas differ and the SE is a large place. Our friends happen to live in places that recently came up frequently on the recent MN 'snooty towns' thread.

Dh and I love to visit, always have a wonderful time because they are all great fun and good friends, but are quite happy to drive away back to the bumpkin West Country where we feel content to be on our modest 80k income

How old is she and what does she do?

Would be hard to get a mortgage on unless there's a hefty deposit (which could have been saved if she's been on this wage for a long time) but it's a pretty good salary if renting or already owns a house.

It's around 4K a month take home so even if she's paying 2k rent and bills that's still £500 a week play money. Nice lifestyle

Am I alone in belonging to an era where it's rude to mention salaries?

For most of my friends in our demographic it's average. My friends are mostly - Mid forties, university educated, south east, didn't give up career for children.