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

Cybercubed

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

No.

Pushtrak

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

Brinimartini

if its not it should be

krudler

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

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

*fixes monocle*

Shane732

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

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

Dudess

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

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

Sure everyone is calling themselves engineers these days

Battered Mars Bar

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

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

CamperMan

€10,000 a year is a good wage for me.

not yet

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

cocoshovel

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

No.

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

dlofnep

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

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

forfuxsake

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

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

dlofnep wrote: »

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

Wouldn't we all?

forfuxsake

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ben D Bus

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

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

I'd take it

flutterflye

Is €60k the most he could earn?
If so, then, yeah, I would think that's low for the top wage.

But as a wage in general - that's feckin loads!

hobochris

Sea Filly wrote: »

Serious la-la land going on here.

not at all.

its about supply and demand.

Their is a demand for educated + expereinced technical people that far outweighs supply.

Often these area's are difficult to get into, as they are interlectually taxing and often not for everyone (high drop out / failure rates in college).

hobochris

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

not really comparing like for like, comparing unskilled to skilled.

questionmark?

forfuxsake wrote: »

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.

His weekly pay is £800 after tax!

My heart bleeds for him his life must be like so hard like :rolleyes:

Stop smoking or start smoking rollies.

£100 on the car per week before fuel? Tell him sell the car. I'm guessing he isnt 18 with that wage, mortgage etc... so why the hell is it costing this much? Keeping up with the Jones.

Also add this to his income

In 2012 Child Benefit is €140 per month for each of the first two children. From 1 Jaunary 2012 the rate for the third child is €148 and for the 4th and each subsequent child is €160.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/child_benefit.html

Shane732

Sea Filly wrote: »

Serious la-la land going on here.

:pac::pac:


For a professionally qualified person €60k is nowhere near the high end of the scale.

Hell a very good newly professionally qualified person is capable of earning €60k.

areyawell

60k is a very well paid job. Average wage these days is 30-35k. How many jobs on irish jobs do you see with a wage of 60k. Probably 1% of them. Stop talking nonsense and living in a fairly land. Best paid jobs these days are probably programming as there is a massive demand in Ireland for them. Unless you have management material or very good at the work 10 or twenty years down the line ya might hit that wage

Jen Pigs Fly

Ehhhhhhh yea


What's his number? I'm on the look out for a rich sugar daddy

humbert

More importantly, if he becomes a civil engineer all the other engineers will make fun of him.

Max_Charger

Shane732 wrote: »

Hell a very good newly professionally qualified person is capable of earning €60k.

shenanigans

Sea Filly

Shane732 wrote: »

:pac::pac:


For a professionally qualified person €60k is nowhere near the high end of the scale.

Hell a very good newly professionally qualified person is capable of earning €60k.

There are highly-qualified and knowledgeable post-doctoral researchers in my workplace who might be just about on 40k.

Suppose it depends on the area.

I'm a researcher and get paid 20k per annum. But my job is hardly worthless, now is it?

Shane732

Sea Filly wrote: »

There are highly-qualified and knowledgeable post-doctoral researchers in my workplace who might be just about on 40k.

Suppose it depends on the area.

I'm a researcher and get paid 20k per annum. But my job is hardly worthless, now is it?

True it depends on the area and more importantly the individuals ability.

I'm not at all saying anyone's job is worthless, far from it.

Sea Filly

Shane732 wrote: »

True it depends on the area and more importantly the individuals ability.

These people are all very good at what they do.

some random drunk

60k? If I was on half of that I'd be happy.

In fact I'd consider selling my body to old, bald, fat men if it meant I would earn 60k per annum.

Shane732

Sea Filly wrote: »

These people are all very good at what they do.

I'm not disputing that point.

I was more referring to a persons ability within what industry they are in. For example perhaps in the industry the researchers you are talking about work €40k is the top of the salary range.

In the industry I'm in the people with the most ability generally rise to the top and generally receive the highest remuneration packages provided they are able to negotiate etc...

Icepick

If that's not enough for you, start a business. There are plenty of opportunities in engineering.

krudler

hobochris wrote: »

not really comparing like for like, comparing unskilled to skilled.

I work in a call centre but I wouldnt consider myself unskilled,underpaid sure :pac: every job has some sort of skillset

CommanderC

Your friend sounds like a muppet. Probably won't get to the top of whatever career he chooses :pac:.

scwazrh

Icepick wrote: »

If that's not enough for you, start a business. There are plenty of opportunities in engineering.

+1 on that


You don't leave college and hit €60 k in a few years and be happy at that level . Keep educating yourself and start your own consultancy and then you will earn serious money as a construction professional.To me if you have a 9 till 5 job €60k a year is great But if you want to earn real money you need to become self employed and work 60-70 hr weeks and then there is no limit on the wages scale.

Dudess

My dad was a civil engineer and didn't get €60 grand, even after working up the ranks, although he was public sector - and despite the bullsh1t people write here, public sector pays less for such roles than private sector does.

freeze4real

I remember arguing with some boardsies that once I graduate the only job I'll go for is one that pays €45000 per year. That's salary in Ireland is too much for a graduate but it's being paid in some places like the UK Canada or the states.


In my area of profession I expect to get €60000 within 4 - 5years.

There are also individuals who get €450000+ and they're less that 26yrs old. THE.g those guys who work in quantitative fields. My bro for example works in a financial trading firm his mates if 23 earns 55000 per year plus 10% bonuses.


Yes they're jobs that pay that amount but it's. It those jobs that require no skills e.g call centre.

In the Uk those that earn over €60000 are a lot I mean a lot. Ireland is just s h i t in terms of ranges of employent.