Zoe Woolacott | 07 Jun 2022

Pay for degree apprentices closes the gap with pay for graduates

Starting salaries for degree apprentices have risen by 8% this year, according to IDR’s latest study of pay and conditions for these trainee roles. This continues the upward trend in pay for these roles that we have observed over the last four years, alongside more sluggish pay growth for new graduates, that has narrowed the pay gap between the roles. Degree apprentices can now expect to earn an annual salary of around £20,500 on commencement of training – up by £1,500 from a median starting salary of £19,000 in 2021. Meanwhile the typical starting salary for traditional graduate roles remains unchanged since last year at £28,000.

The difference in starting salaries between new degree apprentices and graduates this year is the narrowest gap we have seen since our observations began in 2018 when new graduate salaries were some £11,564 (73%) above the median salary for degree apprentices. Our latest study finds that the pay lead for graduates has shrunk to 37%, or £7,500 above that for degree apprentices.

Want to know more?

Further information and full findings from our study, based on responses from 73 major firms across the economy in the UK, are available in our report ‘Graduate and Apprentice Pay, 2022’. Find out more here:

Pay Climate subscribers - a detailed article about the study will feature in the next issue of Pay Climate due on 9 June.