Is Earning Over 60K+ Still Considered A Good Wage These Days??

Cybercubed · 02-06-2012 08:36PM #1

One of my younger friends of applying for civil engineering at university.

But one of the things that bothers him though is that civil engineers aren't paid that well. Nice starting salary of 25k but only 60k once at the top. He's considering doing another career because of its poorer pay.

But I was shocked to hear him say this and thought 60k was considered a good wage?

Is the standard of living becoming so high that 50k-60k nowadays is becoming a poor wage? Particularly for university graduates??

Is the average wage really rising that fast nowadays that if you're not 60k+ you'll struggle in life??

Dermighty · 02-06-2012 08:37PM

No.

Pushtrak · 02-06-2012 08:38PM

How long would it take to get to 60k though? Maybe thats his point.

Brinimartini · 02-06-2012 08:38PM

if its not it should be

krudler · 02-06-2012 08:39PM

hell no, thats double what a lot of people in retail or non managerial jobs earn. I'd be happy out if I was on that a year

c_man · 02-06-2012 08:40PM

A wage? Earn?? What the bloody hell are you talking about?

*fixes monocle*

Shane732 · 02-06-2012 08:40PM

Cybercubed wrote: »

One of my younger friends of applying for civil engineering at university.

But one of the things that bothers him though is that civil engineers aren't paid that well. Nice starting salary of 25k but only 60k once at the top. He's considering doing another career because of its poorer pay.

But I was shocked to hear him say this and thought 60k was considered a good wage?

Is the standard of living becoming so high that 50k-60k nowadays is becoming a poor wage? Particularly for university graduates??

Is the average wage really rising that fast nowadays that if you're not 60k+ you'll struggle in life??

Ohhh I can see this thread going horribly wrong.

mattjack · 02-06-2012 08:42PM

'Swirls brandy' ... 'kicks the manservant'

Dudess · 02-06-2012 08:42PM

It was never considered not a good wage. If some people would like a maximum salary that's a lot higher than it, doesn't change that it's a good wage.

Shane732 · 02-06-2012 08:43PM

If €60k was the maximum that I could earn per year I wouldn't be happy with it.

The comment you made about engineers isn't correct. A couple of years ago engineers were making money for fun. Even still there is still plenty of money in engineering.

mikemac1 · 02-06-2012 08:43PM

Sure everyone is calling themselves engineers these days

Battered Mars Bar · 02-06-2012 08:45PM

60k is a great wage in the real world. I'd assume he'd have a lot of opportunities for nixers as well outside of that...doing stuff like

...engineering with civility and other such things :pac:

woodoo · 02-06-2012 08:46PM

Just go on the dole and have 4 or 5 kids and you'll get 60K far quicker and not have to work.

CamperMan · 02-06-2012 08:46PM

€10,000 a year is a good wage for me.

not yet · 02-06-2012 08:46PM

I don't know what a tracker mortgage is.........

cocoshovel · 02-06-2012 08:46PM

That sounds like a lot of money to be honest. Also, what really annoys me is how people chose their career paths based on how much money they will earn.

I went to a college opening day this year and every courses selling point seemed to be aimed at how much graduates get paid. Was ridiculous.

Sea Filly · 02-06-2012 08:47PM

No.

I earn one third of that. Fortunately, I love my job.

dlofnep · 02-06-2012 08:48PM

Depends on who you are, where you live, and what your expectations are. 60,000 a year seems dandy to me. Ideally I'd like to be on 70,000+ a year.

Rocky_Dennis · 02-06-2012 08:48PM

That's a serious amount of money to earn for telling people "The bearing is gone in that"

forfuxsake · 02-06-2012 08:49PM

It's a decent wage.

A friend of mine earns that. He gets about 800 a week after tax etc. His boom-time mortgage takes 350, leaving him 450. He smokes a pack a day, more at weekends and this takes another 70, leaving him 380.His car costs him about 100 a week(tax/insurance/loan repayments) with another 80 on fuel for his commute. So now he has 200 left but from that he still has to buy food, clothes, medical bills and everything else for four people.

If the mortgage was lower or if his wife got a job they would be more comfortable but the moment the cost of childcare would more or less equal his wife's potential salary if she could get a job but she can't anyway.

Dudess · 02-06-2012 08:49PM

woodoo wrote: »

Just go on the dole and have 4 or 5 kids and you'll get 60K far quicker and not have to work.

A mathematical impossibility.

Sea Filly · 02-06-2012 08:49PM

dlofnep wrote: »

Ideally I'd like to be on 70,000+ a year.

Wouldn't we all?

forfuxsake · 02-06-2012 08:54PM

Dudess wrote: »

A mathematical impossibility.

it could well be if you consider that somebody with 5 kids in dublin would get

188+135+30+30+30+30+30+37+37+37+37+37= 658X = 35k+ another 1000 a month in rent allowance = 47k

+medical card, school uniform money, confirmation money.

60k less tax etc etc is less

flash1080 · 02-06-2012 08:55PM

Cybercubed wrote: »

One of my younger friends of applying for civil engineering at university.

But one of the things that bothers him though is that civil engineers aren't paid that well. Nice starting salary of 25k but only 60k once at the top. He's considering doing another career because of its poorer pay.

But I was shocked to hear him say this and thought 60k was considered a good wage?

Is the standard of living becoming so high that 50k-60k nowadays is becoming a poor wage? Particularly for university graduates??

Is the average wage really rising that fast nowadays that if you're not 60k+ you'll struggle in life??

€60k at the top is incorrect.

cocoshovel · 02-06-2012 08:55PM

You'll probably struggle with that amount if you keep a big celtic tiger attitude and want a huge house in the middle of nowhere, a holiday a year and big car. Live within your means. Personally, Im shocked to hear you're shocked at that wage.

Cuddlesworth · 02-06-2012 08:55PM

krudler wrote: »

hell no, thats double what a lot of people in retail or non managerial jobs earn. I'd be happy out if I was on that a year

You seem surprised. I'd consider a top end of 60k low for a educated technical role.

flash1080 · 02-06-2012 08:58PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

You seem surprised. I'd consider a top end of 60k low for a educated technical role.

€60k isn't the top end for that profession.

Firegaurd · 02-06-2012 09:08PM

Average Industrial wage is about 35k, so 60k would be alright

Ben D Bus · 02-06-2012 09:16PM

The jobs market is as cyclical as any other market.

Just because a job pays €60K when you enter college doesn't mean it will pay the same when you leave. It could double, it could half.

In fact if a job is paying well, loads of people sign up for the course and when they all qualify 4 years later, they create a glut which drives rates down.

Construction is the obvious example these days. How many people chose a career in construction in 2006/7? Of them, how many are involved in that today in Ireland?

Follow a career path you think you will enjoy. Do not choose a career based on what's hot today.

But to answer the OP, 60K is a good wage but it's nothing special for a good experienced professional.

Sea Filly · 02-06-2012 09:24PM

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

I'd consider a top end of 60k low for a educated technical role.

Ben D Bus wrote: »

But to answer the OP, 60K is a good wage but it's nothing special for a good experienced professional.

Serious la-la land going on here.

Rothko · 02-06-2012 09:28PM

I'd take it

Is Earning Over 60K+ Still Considered A Good Wage These Days??

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