The Student Room Group

Best paid jobs in the UK?

I thought I'd start a thread on what careers and jobs pay the best. I know that most people don't simply work for the money but because they have a lot of passion and enjoy their work. That's great but can't earning money also be a great passion of yours and enjoyable:smile:

These articles really got me thinking about about this topic:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/nhs/10595090/GPs-pay-Number-of-doctors-earning-100000-has-quadrupled-report-shows.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/11554820/How-much-are-lawyers-really-paid.html

Also these job descriptions:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/corporate_investment_banker_salary.htm

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/stockbroker.aspx

What do you think are the best paying jobs and the ones most likely to earn you a £100,000 salary?
My top 5 are: Doctors, lawyers, investment bankers, stock brokers and pilots
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Ali1302
That's great but can't earning money also be a great passion of yours and enjoyable


Sure. But what is the point in earning shed loads of cash if you have no time to spend it? Society puts a value of success on the amount of money you earn, but that is bonkers. Success should be a measure of happiness. Last year I was pulling in shed loads of cash off the back of a contracting job. But the price for that was that I only saw my family and kids at the weekend. That sucked big time. We are now scraping by but couldn't be happier.
Reply 2
Original post by ByEeek
Sure. But what is the point in earning shed loads of cash if you have no time to spend it? Society puts a value of success on the amount of money you earn, but that is bonkers. Success should be a measure of happiness. Last year I was pulling in shed loads of cash off the back of a contracting job. But the price for that was that I only saw my family and kids at the weekend. That sucked big time. We are now scraping by but couldn't be happier.


I thought making money was part of the pursuit of happiness? Also having no time to spend money seriously? you think that's an issue? I understand you love spending time with your family but sacrifice is sometimes necessary for success. If you save up enough money in the bank then you can spend all the time in the world as a much happier and richer man/woman when you retire.

Some of these jobs may suck up a lot of time but end up being more rewarding in the long run. How about a measure of which jobs pay best per hour as that would also take into account time?
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Ali1302
If you save up enough money in the bank then you can spend all the time in the world as a much happier and richer man/woman when you retire.


And as someone who is slowly starting to creak, I can tell you that by the time I retire, climbing Everest and sailing round the world probably won't be on the agenda even if I wanted them to be.

Sure - there is a cut off between having no money to do anything and all the money but no time. I just think as a society we see people who earn lots of money as being successful. I disagree with that sentiment.

The problem with aiming to earn lots of money is that however much you earn, there is always someone who earns even more than you, lives in a bigger house and drives a fancier car. And of course, you get trapped into that life of feeling that in order to be perceived as successful you have to earn more to buy the bigger house and car complete with the bigger mortgage and car loan. Such a trap is utterly pointless.

Meanwhile, I am down the local river chucking stones into the river with my two boys. No amount of money can buy that.
Original post by ByEeek
And as someone who is slowly starting to creak, I can tell you that by the time I retire, climbing Everest and sailing round the world probably won't be on the agenda even if I wanted them to be.

Sure - there is a cut off between having no money to do anything and all the money but no time. I just think as a society we see people who earn lots of money as being successful. I disagree with that sentiment.

The problem with aiming to earn lots of money is that however much you earn, there is always someone who earns even more than you, lives in a bigger house and drives a fancier car. And of course, you get trapped into that life of feeling that in order to be perceived as successful you have to earn more to buy the bigger house and car complete with the bigger mortgage and car loan. Such a trap is utterly pointless.

Meanwhile, I am down the local river chucking stones into the river with my two boys. No amount of money can buy that.


This.

Plus the fact that, it comes to a point where when you are really successful and have so much money, you do not know what to do with it.. so sometimes it nice to be in the goldilocks position and be happy with everything you have than amazingly rich and still feeling unhappy.
Original post by Ali1302

My top 5 are: Doctors, lawyers, investment bankers, stock brokers and pilots


Haha if only. There are some well paid jobs for pilots, but most are anything but.
Reply 6
As long as I'm able to go on a holiday once a year with my kids, able to pay the mortgage and have a car I'm pretty sure I wouldn't need anything more than that.
criminals and bankers. So criminals, basically.
Reply 8
Original post by hs1var19
As long as I'm able to go on a holiday once a year with my kids, able to pay the mortgage and have a car I'm pretty sure I wouldn't need anything more than that.


That's like the dream for most people living in the uk.
Original post by Lovinlife2
This.

Plus the fact that, it comes to a point where when you are really successful and have so much money, you do not know what to do with it.


I don't think that happens every often. All the people I know who fit into that category are generally single, lonely and a bit sad - as in not happy or fulfilled. The folks who fit into that category but who do have families tend to work so much they hardly see their families. As for the rest - their lifestyle simply balloons to use up the spare cash. So you end up going on expensive holidays, having expensive cars and houses and sending your kids to expensive schools whilst still feeling that the other lot have it easier than you. You can't win in the desperate struggle to be perceived as successful based on financials. It is a never ending road to "we just haven't quite made it."
Reply 10
Original post by ByEeek
And as someone who is slowly starting to creak, I can tell you that by the time I retire, climbing Everest and sailing round the world probably won't be on the agenda even if I wanted them to be.

Sure - there is a cut off between having no money to do anything and all the money but no time. I just think as a society we see people who earn a lot of money as being successful. I disagree with that sentiment.

The problem with aiming to earn a lot of money is that however much you earn, there is always someone who earns even more than you, lives in a bigger house and drives a fancier car. And of course, you get trapped into that life of feeling that in order to be perceived as successful you have to earn more to buy the bigger house and car complete with the bigger mortgage and car loan. Such a trap is utterly pointless.

Meanwhile, I am down the local river chucking stones into the river with my two boys. No amount of money can buy that.


Listen people would always compete with other people whether it be money or sports or anything were you can be better than another person. Life is a competition. If an entrepreneur wanted to start a business he/she has to think big. Whenever I see billionaires their always smiling, it's rare that you ever see a billionaire frown I mean they literally have nothing to worry about.

At the end of the day if your in the top 1% earning £100,000 you have a lot more to offer your family than if you were on minimum wage. The important thing is to do it the right way and in my opinion if it's legal it's right.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by ByEeek
I don't think that happens every often. All the people I know who fit into that category are generally single, lonely and a bit sad - as in not happy or fulfilled. The folks who fit into that category but who do have families tend to work so much they hardly see their families. As for the rest - their lifestyle simply balloons to use up the spare cash. So you end up going on expensive holidays, having expensive cars and houses and sending your kids to expensive schools whilst still feeling that the other lot have it easier than you. You can't win in the desperate struggle to be perceived as successful based on financials. It is a never ending road to "we just haven't quite made it."


Listen we live in a competitive world. You can't however assume that money makes people change in that way or makes people depressed. Sometimes it's good to aim big even if your doing well yourself you have to keep yourself motivated in life. What I do know for certain is that the top 1% live more comfortable and carefree lifestyles than the rest of us well most rich people anyway(I hope).
Reply 12
Original post by cole-slaw
criminals and bankers. So criminals, basically.


Hey listen I don't mind them being criminals as long as they are "legal" criminals that's fine by me. Maybe I should start understanding the criminal mind so I can make it to the top 1% too lol.:biggrin:
Original post by Ali1302
Listen people would always compete with other people whether it be money or sports or anything were you can be better than another person. Life is a competition. If an entrepreneur wanted to start a business he/she has to think big. Whenever I see billionaires their always smiling, it's rare that you ever see a billionaire frown I mean they literally have nothing to worry about.

At the end of the day if your in the top 1% earning £100,000 you have a lot more to offer your family than if you were on minimum wage. The important thing is to do it the right way and in my opinion if it's legal it's right.


This is life as you have defined it.

Life is only a competition if you choose it to be so. I do question exactly who you are racing against though. Similarly, you don't have to think big to be an entrepreneur.

You appear to be saying that if you in the top 1% of earners you are successful. I am saying not necessarily. If you are spending all your time working, what is the point in accumulating money?

It is the uber rich I pity the most. One of the joys in life is wanting something you can't have or working towards something you really want. If you can have everything, life surely becomes pointless.
Reply 14
Original post by ByEeek
This is life as you have defined it.

Life is only a competition if you choose it to be so. I do question exactly who you are racing against though. Similarly, you don't have to think big to be an entrepreneur.

You appear to be saying that if you in the top 1% of earners you are successful. I am saying not necessarily. If you are spending all your time working, what is the point in accumulating money?

It is the uber rich I pity the most. One of the joys in life is wanting something you can't have or working towards something you really want. If you can have everything, life surely becomes pointless.


I understand what you mean, people just need motivation in life. If you don't think about getting richer or more famous in the case of celebrities, you lose your sense of purpose. I didn't just mean the top 1% but richer people in general live more comfortable and carefree lifestyles. You can't assume the uber rich can get everything it's not simply about consumerism. You can always feel better by giving back and making a huge difference in peoples lives.In general we need entrepreneurs cause they not only make money but create jobs. We should be grateful for such creative people and competition is what drives our economy. It's best to view things positively.
(edited 8 years ago)

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