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.

Well, whatever a commercial support assistant does, it must be a busy job, because the OP hasn't had time to reply yet.

Not really as salaries haven't really changed in 20 years.

Depends on whether it’s worth that amount you receive. Do the hours and amount of work you carry out reflect the £30k?

however the cost of everything else is too high.

The average national salary is even lower than that. Many people earn far less.

I was on £12k at 34, not that many years ago.

Wow, I'm so glad my mum doesn't know how much I earn. No risk on saying it to random strangers on mumsnet.

*of

Funnily enough, I always seemed to earn my age, so at 22 I was earning £22K, and at 36 I was earning £36K. I took a 6 year career break at 40 and am now earning less than my age as I am paid around the same ( £41 ) as I got before my career break.

The fact that we can't tell what you do speaks volumes.

Having an actual profession / trade means you get paid more. There are no doubts about what you can offer a company.

For example if you're an accountant you can say I have x qualification and x years experience. It's clear how you fit into a company.

If you're a [insert made up job title] it's not 100% clear how you fit in and what you can do for a company.

(Realise this might to quite be the case for public sector ie nurse teacher etc)

YABU

This is a bit off topic but would your dh not apply for aldi or lidl? I'm not in the UK but Aldi here pays almost €90k for store managers? Assistant managers €55k. I'm pretty sure lidl pays about the same.

You are being unreasonable and also a bit rude. Had it not occurred to you that as that is roughly the average salary a large proportion of people reading this world either get around this or less? No need.

Yes, its low for a graduate job at age 30. I was earning 28k 15 years ago at that age and I thought that was a low salary then for what I was doing.

Salaries have become eroded because employers have used government policies as an excuse not to give people pay rises in line with inflation.

You need to get into one of those niche strangely male dominated industries (that aren't so totally male dominated in other countries) OP, like train driving, road repairs, refuse collection, council maintenance, etc..

50 this year. have a BA, MA and Phd. I'm on £25k pro rata as an archaeologist. Prior to uni at age 29 I was on 19k as a PA.

It really depends on your job. And also your location.

SynchOrSwim
I'm closer to 40 and don't earn that. I'm not very confident which holds me back. I find my job/salary a bit embarrassing and saddening to be honest.
if you are working and contributing to society you are important. Don’t be embarrassed no matter what it is because every job is necessary x I am on minimum wage after returning to work after 4 kids OP, before that I earned 35k euro and I would have been about your age and thought I was earning very high but a lot of my friends were on 40k plus but with tons more stress. Depends on what you want out of life really

Yes, its low for a graduate job at age 30.

Where has the OP said she is a graduate?

The average UK salaries by age are:

•	Ages 16-17: £10,910
•	Ages 18-21: £17,284
•	Ages 22-29: £24,600
•	Ages 30-39: £30,865
•	Ages 40-49: £33,477
•	Ages 50-59: £31,358
•	Ages 60+: £27,508

From that link provided by PP on average throughout your life you wouldn't exceed £34k so £30k by 30's would have you bang on average.

Is that good enough? Depends on so many factors, your education, ambition, whether and when you have children, what field you work in and scope for promotion.

Happiness too is a big one often overlooked.

I'm on 30k for a degree qualified job, well just over 30k - about 34. Compared to men I know in trade jobs I wish I had become an electrician instead as a day rate atm is £300/350 a day and site managers are on 60k a year. With no uni debt. Plus you can do cash work on the side on the weekend. If I went up a notch to management I'd be on 40k, an extra 200 quid a month after tax. I want to jack it all in and buy land somewhere and live in a static caravan by the sea.

Totally depends on where you are. Age is regardless.

Depends on area but to be honest I'd say yabvu, I'm 33 and in the Midlands, worked mid level administration and accounting since I was 18 and my highest salary was 25k and that was after getting an additional qualification and 5 years service.

This country pays terrible wages to us plebs. While we doff caps and bow down to those at the top skimming off all the profit.

It's about average in the scheme of things but that doesn't mean it's not low for you, it depends on your outgoings and your lifestyle, whether you have a partner etc.

Then you were in a spectacularly well paying job, in the mid 80s in the Civil Service an average salary for an Administrator was circa £6000, you could buy a house in a posh town in North York’s for £20,000.

I think although it’s average, the average is too low. It’s not enough to actually live on comfortably and after working for 10+ years, that just isn’t fair.