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What would you consider a decent salary?

My friend and I were discussing this earlier. He was saying how he would consider anything above £100k a decent total pay package,but personally I think anything above £70k is decent.
(edited 7 years ago)

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You're compensated for an accident or injustice. Not for making money come out of computers.
Reply 2
Original post by Reality Check
You're compensated for an accident. Not for making money come out of computers.


I think the word is sometimes used instead of "pay" as in you're compensated for your work?
Original post by serions871
I think the word is sometimes used instead of "pay" as in you're compensated for your work?


Yes, I know that, but I was taking issue with the use of the word like that. To most people, greedy city bankers being 'compensated' for doing a job really does stick in their craws. It's not terminology I'd recommend anyone uses unless they're in the market to alienate people quickly.

To answer your question, the average salary is about £25K if i'm not mistaken. Three times that, £75K is clearly 'decent'. But for greedy people, it's never enough, so I'm not sure this question actually has an answer.
Original post by Reality Check
You're compensated for an accident or injustice. Not for making money come out of computers.


Pedantic. Plenty of companies refer to salary & benefits package as compensation - perhaps the person asking the question has had more dealings with companies that use this term than those who use 'total package', 'salary' 'wages' 'pay'... In the scheme of things, it all means the same.

As for the question, I'm leaving uni on £30K, which I think is more than decent - at this stage. At different stages in my life what I think will be decent will shift as I progress through my career... Anywhere upwards of £60K base by the time I'm 40 and I'll consider that decent (taking in to account my current career goals and plans - should they change, so will that number).
I would consider anything over £100k to be 'decent' for someone with good experience, but I'm quite ambitious so I'm aiming to earn more than that. Depends on your perspective I guess.
Original post by pmc:producer
Pedantic. Plenty of companies refer to salary & benefits package as compensation - perhaps the person asking the question has had more dealings with companies that use this term than those who use 'total package', 'salary' 'wages' 'pay'... In the scheme of things, it all means the same.

As for the question, I'm leaving uni on £30K, which I think is more than decent - at this stage. At different stages in my life what I think will be decent will shift as I progress through my career... Anywhere upwards of £60K base by the time I'm 40 and I'll consider that decent (taking in to account my current career goals and plans - should they change, so will that number).


I'm very similar in terms of what I'm on now and where I'd like to be in the future. I'd like to be on above 60k a while before I'm 40 but it's relatively rare in the sector I'm currently in so it depends on whether I move around to compensate for this (very likely).

Depends massively on the sector and your age. And what you prioritize/care about in your work. Overall would agree with a few people about that 60/70k is 'decent' but that would be for a bit later on in your career rather than 20s.
(edited 7 years ago)
£30K a year would do me up North; more than enough to live well, get a Ribble Valley property and a decent car with
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Ikr, "you can do your whole shopping in Yorkshire for £2".

Paul, the apprentice 2005
It obviously would depend on where you live. Someone living in London would need a higher salary, than say, someone living in Bradford.
Original post by RedManc
Ikr, "you can do your whole shopping in Yorkshire for £2".

Paul, the apprentice 2005


Plus you'd actually still be able to get a house up north on 30K.
Reply 11
Aye, that's true, and you pay it off quite quickly
Reply 12
Depends on your living arrangements and spending really, to me something like £40k is decent
Original post by serions871
My friend and I were discussing this earlier. He was saying how he would consider anything above £100k a decent total pay package,but personally I think anything above £70k is decent.


Decent for me would be £60-70k base before the peak of one's career - especially so if you have kids.

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Original post by RedManc
Aye, that's true, and you pay it off quite quickly


You'd be able to get one in a decent area like Wilpshire too
Reply 15
Yeah, that's true. Anywhere, away from London and the South East would be decent. With the exception of Luton, some areas of Birmingham, Bradford, Dewsbury, Chesterfield, Mosborough, Savile Town.
30k-40k a year, decent standard of living. Esp. if you're living by yourself.
Original post by RedManc
Yeah, that's true. Anywhere, away from London and the South East would be decent. With the exception of Luton, some areas of Birmingham, Bradford, Dewsbury, Chesterfield, Mosborough, Savile Town.


Yeah. :u:
Reply 18
Original post by Nirvana1989-1994
Yeah. :u:


I though you were going to get angry, because I said Mosborough. :h:
It depends upon your expenses - e.g. living in London, buying a house, paying overseas university fees, etc, is expensive. For me, decent would vary from £100k (no mortgage, cheap area) to £300+k (expensive area, e.g. London, Silicon Valley) PA.

A realistic starting salary in computing (outside London) is ~£35k for a top graduate. A career peak salary (outside London) is ~£150k, for someone very good.
(edited 7 years ago)

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