AIBU to think that 30K is a low salary for a 30 year old?

[username1992]

Am I being unreasonable to think that 30K is a low salary for a 30 year old?

Just that really. I'm 30 years old. Working as a commercial support assistant in construction. Earning 30K a year.

This question, or a variation of it, comes up on MN all the time. The answer is always "it depends". It depends on your priorities, your personal and family circumstances and your attitude to work.

I am 38 yo and my salary is £32k. I'm happy with that because I work 3 days a week term time only, have the flexibility to wfh occasionally or change my days if I need to, don't have to bring work home with me on evenings or weekends and my commute is 10 mins door to door. It helps that I really enjoy my job and I'm passionate about it. If I hated it or was bored I'd probably start to resent the salary after a while.

Work/life balance is a priority for me. With my qualifications I could earn more but I'm not interested. I also recognise that i'm very lucky I can afford to make that choice as DH earns a lot more than me. If he was a low earner or I was single then I would have to think about going for higher paid jobs. This would no doubt mean more hours, more responsibility and more stress.

I read the age = salary idea (which I have never heard of BTW) and I quite like that. I'd have loved to be earn😊ing 18k when I was 18 and right now 62k at 62 sounds alright!

Given the amount of information available in the internet and that you are asking the question makes me think that £30k is probably too much for you.

Salary is initially dependent on your qualifications and after a few years dependent on your capability and skills. Obviously it will vary between professions but within each profession it is capability.

I'm 38 and have 2 masters and a doctorate. I earn £36k. I believe 30k is the average.