Is £15,500 salary a year a crap wage?

Question

I am 24 female and work in a university.

How old are You and how much do you earn?

Im in Nottingham

Yes I am on accelerated salary. Im also starting a part time MBA in Oct this year.

Answer 1

I worked for a charity for over thirty years and now am on £80 a week benefit due to health problems.

I am not saying that is good, but when you have to manage, that is what you do. It's a question of keeping to a budget.

In Charles Dickens "David Copperfield" there are the famous lines ...
"Mr. Micawber was waiting for me within the gate, and we went up to his room (top story but one), and cried very much. He solemnly conjured me, I remember, to take warning by his fate; and to observe that if a man had twenty pounds a-year for his income, and spent nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence, he would be happy, but that if he spent twenty pounds one he would be miserable."

Answer 2

For a twenty four year old it is about right. Unless you studied something vocational at college or uni (e.g. medicine, law etc) or are sitting professional exams in accountancy/HR or the like then your salary will probably not top 20k until your late twenties.

The average salary in the UK is about 22.5k although outside London this can be as low as 17.5k so if you think about it you are only 8k away from being on a better than average salary.

I wouldn't rely on a degree to get you more money though. With such a large amount of graduates on the market most degrees are practically worthless. If you want to earn more money you would be better going in for one of the professional bodies listed above. Other wise, it will be the waiting game.

Average salary (national average is £22,411)
·South-east: £25,221
·Scotland: £22,230
·East Midlands: £22,528
·West Midlands: £22,529
·North West: £22,102
·Yorkshire and Humber: £21,085
·East of England: £21,936
·Wales: £20,391
·South-west: £22,205
·North-east: £20,353
·Northern Ireland: £17,366

Source - Payfinder survey 2005

Answer 3

It's not great but I live and work in London where salaries are higher.

There are lots of variables which will affect your salary, such as location, qualifications, experience, responsibility.

If you live in an area where cost of living is cheaper (including house prices) then it is normal that you will have a lower salary.

If you can happily survive on that salary and you enjoy yout job then don't worry about it.

If you're not happy or are struggling then do something about it. Apply for another job, ask your boss for a raise or get some more qualifications under your belt so it's easier to progress.

The most important thing is that you're happy in your job though. It's better to be happy and earn less than to earn loads but hate getting up every morning or never having any time to enjoy it.

Answer 4

It depends what you are doing to earn it, I suppose. My niece is on about that money, but she is 18 and works as an admin assistant, and thinks it's really good money.

I'm a forty something lecturer, and on about 28K. When I consider the hours I put in, the qualifications required, and the complexity of some of the work, it seems a pittance. Yet on the other hand, I can honestly say I love my job (most of the time!) and wasn't attracted by the salary, so I suppose I can't moan.

Answer 5

Yep.

I'm a uni leaver and even just sh*tty agency work (as in work in accounts payable) im on about 18-20k per year and this ISNT for a career either - it's just for money.

Im thinkin rather than work at a university, you should do a course - it will open up doors for you and mean you wont be on a "capped" wage for the rest of your life.

Just make sure you study something worthwhile AND at a good uni. You'll probably have more fun going when you're a bit older as well cos you wont have as many inhibitions or insecurities + you'll have more life experience.

Answer 6

Universities are not known for being high paying. If you are furthering your education though, you certainly can expect better in the future.

I am 52 and I retired early, so I am not in a good position to tell you about current salaries. I am in the U.S. also and salaries vary widely here state to state.

Answer 7

It's not great, but am trying to find a new job right now, and can't see anything that pays much more, unless you're into It and Hr.
I have a degree and other qualifications, but am working part time at the moment on £9100 pa. I'm 37

Answer 8

No - I think that's a pretty good salary. I work in a University, too, and it took me nearly five years after starting work (I, too, am a graduate) to get to a 15 grand salary. If you work in a library, you get paid peanuts... even if it's one of the most prestigous university libraries in the world.

I'm now working in another university library, on 25 grand - and have been working for nearly 15 years, and consider myself lucky.

Answer 9

its better than nothing or living on benefit,Nottingham's living expenses are not has high as in the south of England, so you could well earn some more else ware , you would be paying a lot more to live, try to see your job as a stepping stone to a brighter future, you'll be able to go places and be well respected

Answer 10

I depends on wether you are required to fight international crime in a cat suit with 2 other gorges girls. One blond and one that for somereason looks like lucy lou and never see the identerty of you employer only talking to a black man that used to be bill murry if this is the case then Yes!

but if you are taking numbers off a pice of paper and putting them into a computer and telling people over the phone what stage it is at then No!! you get paid more than me!!