Under the Microscope: Graduate Media Salaries in the UK
In a previous post of mine, I was discussing the ethics of unpaid work experience interns. I then read this illuminating article on the G that featured award-winning journalist Johann Hari from the Independent. Hari commented that he earned £9,000 a year as a part-time worker @ the New Statesman. He could only afford this job due to the fact that he was still kotching with his parents in London! This figure of £9,000 is £1,000 lower than that figure I mentioned in my previous post. So on average, how do media salaries for graduates in the UK look like ?
1. Media Planner - According to prospects, a media planner help identify the vehicle to raise awareness for a client’s brand. Salaries can range from £15,000 - £20,000. Bear in mind that rents in North London can be £90 per week if you are flatsharing.
2. PR officer - Salaries can range from £12,000 - 25, 000. This is healthier with the latter figure but not the former lol. I wonder how much Max Clifford, the PR guru, himself earns…
3. Editorial assistant [at a book publishing company] - Prospects notes that this position can amass a salary of £16,000 - £18, 000. Prospects also notes that overtime is sometimes needed and not paid.
4. Sub editor - Prospects reveals that “Starting salaries range from £17,000 to £20,000 on a local paper or small magazine and £20,000 to £23,000 for a larger regional or national paper”. The site also warns that this is a popular position that ends up driving salaries down too.
This salary numbers highlight a lot about how graduates will be fighting for jobs in London. I am not slagging off the low pay in terms of bitching about it. I was always aware media jobs were not exactly going to be banking style jobs. I just find it very interesting how they can be so varied in their pay. The price of living in London is so incredibly expensive, it does make more sense to live at home if you can or just live outside London. I am excited at the prospect of doing a Masters in England but I feel worried for my mum and the burden it will have on her financially. And then the fear of earning £9,000 is enough to turn any aspiring magazina into a banker lol! Any thoughts on graduate salaries ? Also the impending credit crunch hints that things will get worse before they get better.
[all salary information sourced from prospects career website]
April 27, 2008 at 3:07 am
hum… that’s a relatively small pay in my opinion, even as a Newbie especially in London its damn near nada. I thought things had changed for the better.
and 20k / year after taxes you are under 17k . my advice once you are in London , please forget the “i want to live outside of the town” , NO. most companies refuse to hire anyone who lives too far from the inner city, considering the fact that the center line and half of the other lines are always late. They don’t take that risk, because everyone in their company owns a car. I suggest you look for a place in the inner city even if you share the house with 3 people, trust me its worth.The stress you get from missing the train causes way too much internal damage. Especially when you value your position and when you know it is prized.
April 27, 2008 at 9:32 am
@lechatnoir, wow, £3,000 in taxes is fucking steep. thats true, missing the train is a pain in the arse; as well since trains to London are always delayed !!! I think media salaries are awful but banking ones are very high