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graduate starting salary

dealgirl
Posts: 24 Forumite
The average starting salary for a graduate is said to be about £25,000 (although this varies according to different sources). Im at quite a good uni where the average starting salary is quite a bit higher than that. Yet most the jobs I come across are paid less than this. If £25,000 is the average, there must be many jobs that pay more than this, but I dont know where they are. Or are they only for law and medicine graduates, etc?
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Comments
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An average salary is just that - an average (in other words, an educated guess!). The figure that you quote is based on 2008 graduates, and since then the world has spun and shifted quite a bit. Graduates, like everyone else, are "worth less" because there is so much competition for jobs that employers don't have to feel the need to offer attractive salaries to employ them. And of course you have to factor in that an "average starting salary" kind of misses out a rather important statistic - how many graduates "don't start", as in can't find work, or are employed in dead end, temporary work because there is nothing else for them.
Rather than fixate on what a "graduate salary" means, I would suggest that if you are looking for that first job you concentrate on what useful experience a job could offer, what skills you would gain from it, whether there are training and promotion prospects and so on. You can't put a figure on these things, but in the long term they pay off more than starting salary does.
And I can't speak for medicine - but in law those who want to practice law still have a lot of work experience and training to obtain before they are likely to see £25,000. Pupillage for a newly qualified barrister is generally a lot less than that per year - unless you are very lucky - and competition is so firece that some graduates may never get a place.0 -
Depends if they mean the starting salary for those who get on a graduate development scheme job rather than just any old job0
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From what I have seen most jobs offer 18k to 23k. although some sectors offer higher salaries (Financial services etc) some upto 35-50 most are below the 25-28K that the news channels and papers tell us.
However there are jobs with basis salaries of 15-18 and offer on target earning of 30-40k and there seems to be a lot of these jobs on offer, so i presume these kind of sales jobs push the average up a bit.
Even medical students start on basic amounts i believe and pharmacy students are lucky to get over 18-21 for their pre-reg year.
I wouldn't worry too much of the pay level at the moment, instead focus on obtaining a job which can help you progress your career.0 -
I started on £8.5K in my first job after graduation, back in 1985."You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"0
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The statistics are warped for "graduate" jobs, as I very much doubt they include all those who are forced to take any job, graduate or not!
I'd say a realistic average would be nearer £21k!Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)0 -
The City - that's where the fabulous graduate starting salaries are £60k+.0
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Depends if they mean the starting salary for those who get on a graduate development scheme job rather than just any old job
That is what they mean. The average salary for a graduate (level) job. Not the average of what new graduates earn. My company pays a starting salary on the grad scheme of £28k, but we also employ office admin staff at much lower salaries and many of these have degrees these days.0 -
Or are they only for law and medicine graduates, etc?
The salary offered will vary widely with the type of degree you have done and the type of job you apply for. There is no point comparing the starting salary of a computer scientist working for an investment bank in London and an archaeologist working on a dig in Northumberland.loose does not rhyme with choose but lose does and is the word you meant to write.0 -
Salaries can be as low as £10k outside of London
Those average figures are biased due to The City (higher cost of living)/Investment Banking/Top Law firms/OTE etc.0 -
Thanks for all your help. Sorry, I was only referring to london, and I know the money is better there! lol0
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