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.

Same as the starting salary for a junior doctor if that adds any perspective.

Obviously the total career remuneration / earning potential might be very different, or then again, it might not be....

There's a lot more to knowing the value of a salary than the take home figure in the bottom right corner.

On the face of it, 30k for full-time work isn't a good salary, in my opinion. I'd say it's maybe okay if you work part-time but still not amazing. However, it depends on a lot of different things, and if you're comfortable/happy with it.

@Garliccoriander into 3 figures sterling. What, so not even reaching £1000?

Or did you forget the 000s on the end and mean a 6 figure salary?

I'm 32 and when I worked full time in university admin, I couldn't get past the £25k ceiling by hook or by crook. I'm currently doing a full-time PhD and only now earning £30k (pro rata) by teaching undergraduate and MSc courses part-time, which I would say is a pretty skilled role. After I graduate (at 33 or 34), I'll be aiming for the £35k - £40k bracket, which is more money than I could dream of a couple of years ago. It's also more than either of my parents or (to my knowledge) any of my friends earn.

For reference, I'm in central Scotland.

Depends. Are you a graduate? What position do you want to achieve? Will you be promoted soon?

The age thing is a red herring. You need to look at skills, experience, qualifications, etc., as other posters have said.
Also - it's a decent salary. But all dependent on where you live, family/children/pets, etc. on what your quality of life is.

It's a really good salary no matter how old you are, but this is Mumsnet where you'll be told it's a pittance.

55 and earn 21k in retail. 🤔

55 and earn 21k in retail. 🤔

It's pretty much bang on average uk salary for a full time worker.

So it's not low. Whether it's fair or not and whether it's enough to fund your lifestyle is a different matter.

Who knows?

if it’s basic admin a temp could do within a day of being shown and you’re based on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Hull - you’re getting seriously over paid. Lucky you.

If it’s involved admin with a degree of responsibility that requires you to use your judgement and it’s an office in Mayfair - yeah, you’re underpaid.

If anything It sounds overpaid to me.

But then I'm not sure what your job actually entails, your qualifications or experience.

That's a new one and hilarious! My first job after graduating paid £3500 in the mid- 70s. So I was 3 and a half by that calculation.

I'm nearly 40 and only just started earning that much. I have a degree and a masters, both required in my job. There's so much variation.

When I was 30, I was earning around £18k and lived comfortably with my partner who earned around the same.

Can you pay your bills, run a car if you want to, buy essentials and afford a few nice things each month? If so, it's enough. Age isn't really relevant, your disposable income is more important imo.

Depends where you are and whether its private or public.

Job title doesn't mean much, there was another thread recently about meaningless titles.

I think it depends on your location as well as your job role. I’m a middle aged office worker with a degree and will probably never earn anything like 30K. But I’ve paid off my mortgage and have savings based on the salary I have as I’m in a cheap location. Swings in roundabouts.

This is why collective bargaining in the public sector is madness. You can barely buy a flat where I live for £300k, but you can buy a three bedroom house for less than half of that in parts of Wales. And yet apart from a piddly amount of London weighting, teachers' salaries are the same. Guess where there are teaching shortages????

I will be working for the NHS after graduating. I won't be near £30k for quite a few years.

Hahaha I have all these qualifications and the jobs I’m qualified to do are around 25k (in London!) - I dream of landing a 30k job!! I did have one before I did the doctorate - it reduced my earning potential massively.

Wow that's a huge increase - what's your profession?

Absolutely they will hire another you tomorrow

It does depend on profession though. In my partner's profession the only people who would accept 30k, as a starting salary, would be newly qualified and needing experience, or those with professional misconduct going against them who can't get anything else.

I know a few teachers who have said 30k is considered a low salary.

It's not just MN, it's relevant to the person and profession. I'm around the OP's age and 30k is a lot less than the minimum you'd need to offer to attract people to my role.