Summary of Statistics

SUMMARY
This year’s survey was based on 1063 valid responses from participating individuals, of which 22.6% were male and 77.4% were female, compared with 76.5% female and 23.5% male last year (based on a sample of 800 respondents).

UNION MEMBERSHIP
15% were members of a union, once again with the NUJ having the highest membership. As with last year, this was once again spread evenly among all sizes of company.

TRAINING
41.6% received training in the last 6 months. However, following on from recent correspondence in the pages of the Bookseller, training still seems unobtainable at grass-root level.

Editorial Training was top with 13.1%. Right on its heels was Computer Training (PC) and Personal Skills (Presentation, Negotiation, Time Management). Marketing Training also figured high at 9.3%. Of the 13.2% who had never received training 4.7% had worked in publishing between 2 and 5 years.

“It seems to be incredibly difficult to get in-house training as a desk editor, if you have not been on a publishing degree (which have work placement elements). I have been trying for a while now and getting nowhere.”

THE SALARIES
The average salary of all respondents was £22,655, 1.45% lower than the average of £22,984 from last year. (However, although the sample of respondents was broadly similar to the 2001 survey, caution is required when making comparisons of these overall figures, since they are affected by exact composition of these samples in terms of, for example, age, job level and length of time in publishing’)

80.1% have had a salary review within the last twelve months, with 0.8% having started a new job, so one can assume their salary level has changed too.

However, it appears that 9.4% of all respondents had their salary ‘reviewed’ but it was not increased in any way. A number of staff have been given new responsibilities or a new, senior, job title, but have not been given any increase.

"I have been promoted and not received a salary increase although I've been with the company for over 2 years. This is typical of book publishers and should stop!”

“Although I have been promoted during my time at my company this was only because all other editors left. I was not consulted or even asked if I wanted to take on more work and I have not received a pay increase.”

“No more money – but we’ll give you a posh job title”

32% of respondents who had received a salary increase within the past year had received an increase of 1-3%. Surprisingly, the level of increase or length of time between salary reviews is not related to redundancy levels, with employers who have lost staff and those who have not, all variable in their review rates and length of time of review.

23.6% of respondents who have had their salary reviewed in the past year have received an increase of between 3% and 6%, which compares well against the current rate of inflation at 1.5%.

The average salary of all male respondents was £26,123 and the average for females, £21,644 a difference of £4,479. However, when we exclude the highest earners, the differential reduces, but the fact is that men are still getting paid comparatively more than women.

1.6% of respondents were earning up to £12,000, and 49.3% are earning between £12,001 and £20,000.

The average starting salary, taken as that for the 19-23 age group who have been in their job and publishing for less than a year is £14,353 up in line with inflation on last year from £14,146.

But bearing in mind how much graduates can earn outside of book publishing, this still should be a matter of concern. Many respondents mentioned in their comments the salaries of their peers in other fields and are truly despondent.

However a number of entrants are now fully aware of the pay structure and are quite happy to make the sacrifice, though even here one respondent mentioned that their low pay had an influence on their job.

“ I love working in publishing and feel that my prospects are good. I've always wanted to work with books and this is my first 'proper' job after university, so I feel lucky to be here. The money, as we all know in publishing, is not great! Most of the time I find myself just about getting by, but at the end of the month I am desperate for my pay! That sometimes makes my job difficult.”

“I love publishing and I love my job but it's so expensive to live in London and it worries me that on my salary it's hard enough to pay rent eachmonth, let alone think about luxuries or saving anything. I don't see why publishing salaries have to be so much lower than the average graduate starting salary.”

“I think I'm in the minority in publishing, as I'm very happy with my job, its responsibilities and my salary. I have over the years 'managed' my salary expectations, and know lots of people who earn far more than me and lots who earn less; and when I feel depressed about never being able to make my million, I know that I could always changes industries. Publishing may be poorly paid, but it's what I love.”

But the level of despondency at higher levels should be of concern. A number of the additional comments were from those who had been working in the industry for a number of years who appear to be thoroughly depressed about their pay in relation to their standard of living.

“I have 8 years' experience in publishing and a managerial role with, however I earn barely over £20k. I can't afford to live in the town where I work (not London) or to buy a car. I have long since given up trying to keep up with my friends and I often have to make up excuses not to go out for meals or away for the weekend.”

“Outside of publishing, yet still within the arts, my friends who have graduated two years after me have started on a wage I may achieve in another year, says it all doesn't it really!”

“I'm educated to graduate diploma level and in publishing I earn less than most receptionists.”

“Advice to graduates: Don't do it. There are plenty of careers which are AT LEAST as interesting and rewarding, and pay double the money that you will be paid working in publishing.”

“Every year the senior management discount the contents of this survey, saying that it misrepresents the financial situation of more junior employees, yet what other profession expects intelligent and committed graduates to survive in London on £12000 a year? And the same senior management is then surprised when those junior employees become swiftly demotivated. Can they not see a connection?”

“I wish I had chosen a different career path ten years ago. All my peers earn much more money than I do, and are given regular pay reviews. I feel undervalued and underpaid for the job I do, given the 100% commitment that I give to the company.”

“I have since discovered that job satisfaction does not make up for a salary which is embarrassingly lower than that of many of my non-publishing university graduate friends, especially as the industry is by and large centred on London, with its high cost of living. Nothing can beat holding a finished book which I have worked on in my hands, but if my salary prospects do not considerably improve in the next couple of years I will be looking to enter another, better paid, industry.”

“If I decide to leave publishing it will be primarily due to the low salaries. I nearly left last year but was drawn to another publishers as I love the industry. However, as house prices continue to rise in the South East I may be forced to leave. The thought of living in a 'student' style rented house after my 30th birthday is not appealing”

AVERAGE SALARY BY JOB TITLE

“Thank you for your survey and let's carry on dreaming that the Senior Director may take notice one day - oh no, there go some flying pigs!”

If you would like to be involved in the consultation process for the Salary Survey 2003, please email us at survey@bookcareers.com and we will contact you nearer the time.

This data has been extracted from the Bookcareers.com Salary Survey 2002, sponsored by Thebookseller.com, with the 2002 data verified by Book Marketing Ltd. The full report costs £199 and can be purchased from survey@bookcareers.com.
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