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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If you attended private/grammar school, what is your job role and salary?

539 replies

Z3lda · 31/10/2021 08:24

Extremely nosey I know and obviously no one is obliged to share. But I'm just intrigued as it seems many are quite desperate to get their children into the best private or grammar school, but I just wondered what kind of jobs and salaries students from these schools go on to actually have? I know that education provides children with far more than just a path to a specific job and salary, but I do think many send their children to these schools for this reason.

OP posts:
Asking4Advice · 31/10/2021 08:29

I’m a teacher. Salary about £27k. Certainly didn’t achieve a high flying well paid career!

JulesRimetStillGleaming · 31/10/2021 08:30

NHS. About £40k.

Age is also a factor in this question.

I've never been motivated by money. All my jobs have been about trying to help other people.

Private school and Oxbridge might not have made me rich but hopefully it's helped me to enrich a few lives.

2reefsin30knots · 31/10/2021 08:31

I'm relatively poorly paid (50k) but I chose a specialist role that is interesting to me. Our combined household income is about 200k, but neither of us 'went for the money'. Good academic CV does give you those choices. You don't have to attend an independent school to have a good academic cv.

sst1234 · 31/10/2021 08:31

Surely age is an important factor too?

Bluecheck679 · 31/10/2021 08:33

@Asking4Advice I'm always intrigued by teacher salaries on this board. I'm a teacher (6 years qualified) and I'm on £41k. Are you newly qualified or is this a common salary? I'm in Scotland and we have set scales, I'm at the top of the main scale now.

logsonlogsoff · 31/10/2021 08:33

WC but went to a grammar and earn 3 x my parents salaries.

Tiredteacher100 · 31/10/2021 08:34

Teacher. £42,000

Tulipomania · 31/10/2021 08:34

Me: privately educated - I run my own consultancy which has a turnover of about £100k a year.

For tax reasons however, I pay myself a very low salary and put more into my pension.

DS: grammar school. Head of sales in a software business. Over £100k a year.

We are both in our late '50s.

AmberEars · 31/10/2021 08:34

I went to a private school on a full scholarship. I used to work in finance in the city earning six figures, now earn £30k (part time, so would be £45k if I was full time) as a university lecturer.

Bluecheck679 · 31/10/2021 08:34

*sorry op, I'm also privately educated and did a law degree but ultimately had always wanted to teach so did pgde

Tulipomania · 31/10/2021 08:35

DH not DS!

Original poster
Z3lda · 31/10/2021 08:35

In hindsight I should've asked for age too if you don't mind please

OP posts:
TheFlis12345 · 31/10/2021 08:35

Went to a grammar. Now early 40’s, work in marketing, £65k. I could get more if I moved role more often but I love my job so no plans to.

RussianSpy101 · 31/10/2021 08:36

We own property. I earn around £65,000 net from that per annum.

DH earns more with his business and he went to the local community school in the middle of a council estate.
Having said that, we have sent our DD to private school and our boys will be joining when they’re older.

mollycobbles · 31/10/2021 08:37

I went to a grammar school and am also a teacher, so fairly low paid. I would like to get my daughter into a grammar school too, but not because I have a particular job or salary in mind for her.

The local comprehensive school is RI and behaviour is a huge factor in that. I just want her to be able to learn uninterrupted, and have options. What she chooses to do with those options is entirely up to her and what will make her happy.

Bluecheck679 · 31/10/2021 08:37

I'm 33. Private school, now a teacher on 41k. Would like to go down management route so hopefully more once my own children are a bit older.

Pantheon · 31/10/2021 08:37

My dh went to private school. He is a university lecturer on around £40k. Late 30s. He enjoys his job and is well suited to the role, which trumps earning a higher salary imo

JustJustWhy · 31/10/2021 08:38

I'm 44. HATED (grammar) school. £28K.

OxanaVorontsova · 31/10/2021 08:38

I'm relatively poorly paid (50k)

Since when is 50k poorly paid??

LadyGAgain · 31/10/2021 08:38

You would probably need to ask the same question to those who didn't have private education as a comparator?
State school educated. Went to uni for a bachelors degree. Early 40's. 6 figure salary. Sales.

PurBal · 31/10/2021 08:39

Average job. Average salary. However, I really valued my private education. Unfortunately cannot afford to send DS. I could have pursued a more financially successful career but I love my job (charity sector). My education gave me options and pushed me to be motivated. That’s not to say I wouldn’t have had a great opportunities at a state school, DH went to a so called failing state school and has a better job than me. My brother did pursue the job with the financial reward and is qualified to do a very well paid job (6 figures) but he chooses not to because of the work life balance he’s chosen.

Thehop · 31/10/2021 08:40

I went to private school, boarded through gear 7-11

Got amazing GCSE and A level results.

I’m 42, work in early years with a degree and get minimum wage plus 5p an hour as a room manager.

If my dad was alive he’d cry.

MsSquiz · 31/10/2021 08:40

I'm a 35 year old pregnant SAHM with a toddler

DH is a 35 year old company director (no set salary - depends on dividends and director's loan repayments)

Keladrythesaviour · 31/10/2021 08:40

State grammar, 31. £27k, work for a university (non academic role).
It's not the route I planned to go down, but it works for me. I took a paycut (not huge but proportionally substantial) a few years ago to change roles and reduce hours - I used to work easily 60hrs a week for a salary, no overtime, and now my role is a set 37.5 - and I'm slowly working up again. When I reach the top of my pay grade I'll be on £30k.

Actil · 31/10/2021 08:41

In my 30s, went to private school, I do gig economy stuff online, less than minimum wage.