What Level of Starting Pay are your Students Willing to Accept when they Graduate?

Flexjobs just released some interesting results from a study they conducted which answers that question.

  • Perspectives on Starting Pay: 23% of respondents said “$24,999 or less” is the lowest pay they would accept or have accepted for their first job, while 24% were split evenly between the $25,000 to $29,999 or $30,000 to $34,999 range. 
What’s the lowest pay range you would accept or have accepted for your first job?
Answer ChoicesResponses
$24,999 or less23%
$25,000 – $29,99912%
$30,000 – $34,99912%
$35,000 – $39,9998%
$40,000 – $44,9999%
$45,000 – $49,9997%
$50,000 – $59,99912%
$60,000 – $69,9996%
$70,000 – $79,9995%
$80,000 – $99,9994%
$100,000 or higher4%
  • Almost one-quarter (24%) of women said they would accept or have accepted a salary of $24,999 or less for their first job––slightly higher than the average and seven percent higher than men who said the same (17%).

  • Additionally, 14% of men said the lowest pay range they would accept or have accepted was $80,000 or more, compared to six percent of women. 
  • Entry-Level Salaries in 2024: Despite workers’ willingness to accept a lower pay range for their first job, only two percent of respondents believe “$24,999 or less” is a realistic entry-level starting salary in today’s job market.

  • Nearly half (49%) of workers agreed a realistic starting salary in 2024 should fall between $40,000 to $49,999 (26%) or $50,000 to $59,999 (23%).
What do you consider to be a realistic entry-level starting salary in 2024?
Answer ChoicesResponses
$24,999 or less2%
$25,000 – $29,9996%
$30,000 – $39,99915%
$40,000 – $49,99926%
$50,000 – $59,99923%
$60,000 – $69,99913%
$70,000 – $79,9997%
$80,000 – $89,9994%
$90,000 – $99,9991%
$100,000 – $120,0002%
$120,001 or higher1%
  • Between generations, 27% of baby boomers, 26% of Gen X, and 25% of millennials said $40,000 to $49,999 was an acceptable starting salary in 2024.

  • Men and women showed slight variances in what they believed to be a realistic entry-level salary in 2024:
    • $30,000 to $39,999: Women (16%), Men (14%)
    • $40,000 to $49,999: Women (27%), Men (23%)
    • $50,000 to $59,999: Women (23%), Men (22%)
    • $60,000 to $69,999: Women (12%), Men (14%)

Here is a link to the full report: 2024 Financial Pulse Report