[gambiting]

I've got friends who are doing PhDs in computer science(in UK) and they both had to do a Masters course first - but they have funding for the whole duration, including the masters course. I actually work as a C++ programmer, and they both make more than I do, doing a PhD is very well paid, at least in Computer Science.

[triplesec]

rarely is PhD well-funded in the UK. You're not living well at at all, and TA positions are not the norm as in the US. The US has much more money for these. Even in CS, the people you talk of must be very lucky with rare, google-level/industry-funded positions.

[TheOtherHobbes]

Most PhD listings I've seen offer around £15-18kpa plus remission of fees.

But there are a lot of incredibly badly paid software/technology jobs in the UK, so it's not at all impossible for someone to be earning less than that in industry.

[gambiting]

My friends are each making £30k per annum, the stipend itself is 25k but they make at least 5k a year just marking exams and giving practicals. With it being tax free, it's easily equivalent to a job paying £35-40k(they are both at a Russel Group university).

I, on the other hand, make £25k per annum, and that's before tax :P

[triplesec]

tax free? I didn't know that! Still, terrible money for london at least.

You need a new job somewhere that pays basically decent rates if you're IT or a developer!

[gambiting]

Well, I don't live in London. My fiancee also works in IT, she makes 30k per year, and we can easily afford to rent a 4-bedroom house, have two cars, and save enough each month to get a mortgage in a couple years. I really like my job and I'm comfortable financially, so why would I need a new job, especially if it meant moving to the crazy city like London. No, thank you.

[triplesec]

why does the UK not value tech jobs as well a the US?