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What's the average student salary?

I'm applying for all the usual positions, but I was a bit shocked when I saw that McDonald's pays you only £4,6 an hour! Whereas minimum wage in France is €8,35, and with the pound being so close to the euro, that *should* come out at around seven pounds or so. Pretty shocking, considering the difference. But anyway, should I expect to find any better paying jobs out there, or are all student jobs typically this badly paid in the UK? What's a realistic amount a student can expect?

Anyway, I've still got loads of places to apply to, so we'll see. But if I get accepted for the job at Mickey D's, should I take it or continue looking for something better? Considering I'll probably need the money, and that if I wait around too long all the jobs might get taken (I can't imagine there are millions upon millions at Aberystwyth).

Reply 1

Svenjamin

17

If you work in fastfood places or in retail then chances are you're probably not going to make more than 5.50/6 an hour. Try looking for jobs within the university itself, they are usually very well paid. I was paid 7.50 an hour for working in kitchens at catered student halls.

Reply 2

Zedd

12

Most supermarkets will pay you the same rate as everyone else which is in the region of £6/hr. Take the McDonalds job and work while you look for something better.

Reply 3

Alexandra1234567

15

Tesco 18+ pay is £6.70ish an hour, and time and a half on Sundays which lots of supermarkets no longer offer.

But yes, MORE MONEY PLEASE.

Reply 4

mahaneap

13

There are three levels of minimum wage, and the rates from 1 October 2008 are:

* £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older
* A development rate of £4.77 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive
* £3.53 per hour for all workers under the age of 18, who are no longer of compulsory school age

Personally, I wouldn't work for less than £5.73. My friends work in McDonalds, earning 4-something per hour, while they stand next to someone doing exactly the same job for £5.80 per hour.

Reply 5

Titch89

14

G50

I'm applying for all the usual positions, but I was a bit shocked when I saw that McDonald's pays you only £4,6 an hour!

Which is illegal, as minimum wage for 18-21 year olds is £4.77 p/h.

Reply 6

maxfire

14

meh, I got £4.80 working at Bhs when I was 16.
The low pay was annoying.
But I've just had an interview at a library where they pay £5.50, which is better XD

Reply 7

G50

OP

2

Titch89

Which is illegal, as minimum wage for 18-21 year olds is £4.77 p/h.

Well, this is what it says:

Starting Pay Rate: £ 4.00 - Age 16-17
£ 4,6 - Age 18-21
£ 5,52 - Age 22+

Not like it makes a huge difference... it's peanuts all the same. I'll try applying at the supermarkets too.

Edit: also, it's completely stupid to make a distinction between adults who are aged between 18-21 and all the others, in terms of salary.

Reply 8

New...Romantic

16

I get around about £5 an hour working in a pharmacy which is a reasonably skilled job compared to most other Saturday jobs. I'm a bit surprised at what people are actually getting paid, especially the Tesco one.

But the euro to pound conversion thing is fairly pointless, it just doesn't work that way. Maybe you just have to lower your expectations a little.

Reply 9

Zedd

12

G50

Well, this is what it says:

Starting Pay Rate: £ 4.00 - Age 16-17
£ 4,6 - Age 18-21
£ 5,52 - Age 22+

Not like it makes a huge difference... it's peanuts all the same. I'll try applying at the supermarkets too.

Edit: also, it's completely stupid to make a distinction between adults who are aged between 18-21 and all the others, in terms of salary.

Where are you getting those rates? They can't be correct. Worth noting though that for 16-17 year olds they could pay you as little as £3.53 legally.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nmw/

Reply 10

G50

OP

2

Straight from the McDonald's recruitment website. IDK, maybe it's an error.

Reply 11

sandettielightvessel

1

G50

£ 5,52 - Age 22+

This rings a bell - the Minimum Wage has risen every year since it was introduced so I'd hazard a guess that this is what it used to be a while ago, and it just hasn't been updated.

Edit: also, it's completely stupid to make a distinction between adults who are aged between 18-21 and all the others, in terms of salary.

I agree - considering we are not supposed to discriminate on the grounds of anything, including age - yet it is alright to pay people less?

Reply 12

Jennie1987

17

Working in supermarkets I was paid minimum wage and as I got promoted I probably only got up to £5.65 but having uni job of student ambassador and getting office work I rose to £7.87 and now on £8.54, its all a matter of experience and industry.

Reply 13

romeosbitch

15

In my first job aged 15 I earnt £3.00 an hour. The highest wage I've had so far is temp work at £6.50, getting £6.25 at the moment. I wouldn't work for less than £5.35 now seeing as I was being paid that at 17.

It's stupid if at 21 you are being paid £4.77 an hour and standing next to your 22 year old friend being paid £5.73. It's such a big difference as well. Same job same pay I think. Your age doesn't dictate how well you can scan a barcode etc etc.

Good places to work are hospitals, I got £6.24 aged 18 to empty bins and places such as boots and marks and spencers who have a reputation for treating their staff well.

That said if you can't afford to be picky take the job and earn some money.

Reply 14

G50

OP

2

Now that I think of it, I'll be turning 22 not too long after term will start, so I'd quickly get bumped up to £5,52. But then again, McD's is pretty... special, if you're in the back doing the food. I've worked there before, during the summer. What I mean by that is that £5,52 is an ok salary for students, but it's harder to justify it when you go through all the crap that you do at McD's when you're making the food. The stress of rush hours, managers going mad, the occasional burns, and it quickly gets tiring. I'd definitely go for a job in a supermarket over something in a kitchen (especially a fast food one), if possible. Hell, even being at the cash register and taking people's orders would be better than being in the "kitchen".

Reply 15

Comp_Genius

4

5 pounds an hour flipping burgers is excessive. 1 pound an hour is more like it.

Reply 16

G50

OP

2

Comp_Genius

5 pounds an hour flipping burgers is excessive. 1 pound an hour is more like it.

Obvious troll is obvious.

Reply 17

sandettielightvessel

1

G50

Now that I think of it, I'll be turning 22 not too long after term will start, so I'd quickly get bumped up to £5,52.

Nope, you'd get put up to £5.73 (or, after October, £5.80) - they cannot pay below the minimum wage.

Reply 18

TheSophist

14

sandettielightvessel

Nope, you'd get put up to £5.73 (or, after October, £5.80) - they cannot pay below the minimum wage.

at where I work we were told no pay increases, which I think they said includes any minmum wage or else theyd be force to make people redundant (retailer)

What's the average student salary?

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