Part-time student? Best UK cities offering student work

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A new study reveals the easiest UK cities for students to find a job, and Preston ranks first as the best city for kick-starting a career, with the lowest student competition per job posting. Furthermore, the same review reveals how job hunting in Manchester is notably easy, with the city leading the list for the number of working students.

A recent study by the company Edumentors analysed major cities around the UK to determine which locations are the easiest for students to find a job. Key factors include the number of working students in the cities, part-time job post availability, the ratio of students to job posts, average part-time salary, and cost of living. The research identified the most student-friendly cities for employment in the UK, with statistics showing that about 56 percent of UK students work part-time while studying.

The top ten optimal areas for work are:

1. Preston
2. Bath
3. Southampton
4. Leicester
5. Bradford
6. Manchester
7. York
8. Liverpool
9. Oxford
10. Coventry

As shown in the rankings above, Preston stands first among the easiest cities in the UK to find a job, with the lowest competition rate of 3.87 students per job. Preston offers excellent employment prospects with over 28K students and 4K available positions. Students enjoy one of the highest average monthly wages at £1,433, while the manageable living costs of £848 keep the city within reach for most budgets.

Bath secures the second spot with a competition rate of 4.52 students per job. The city is home to 32,400 students, 18,144 of whom are working, sharing access to 4,012 part-time roles. Average monthly earnings are £1,337.50 while living costs are kept at a moderate £797.53, making Bath a financially affordable city for students.

In third place, Southampton has a job competition rate of 4.90 students per role. Its 33,865 students, including 18,964 working students, compete for 3,866 part-time jobs. Southampton also offers the second-highest average monthly salary of £1,474.09. While living costs reach £878, the higher wages make it an attractive location for working students.

Leicester ranks fourth, with 4,730 available jobs, which are balanced with about 5 students competing for each position. While the monthly pay of £923 isn’t the highest, students benefit from the city’s budget-friendly living costs of £751, the lowest among the top 10. Affordability and job availability make Leicester attractive for budget-conscious students seeking a work-study balance.

Bradford is the fifth-easiest city for students to find a job, with a competition rate of 6.06 students per job. With nearly 50K students sharing 4,580 job openings, the competition stays relatively low. Affordable living and a solid £1,125 monthly salary make Bradford a smart choice for working students.

Manchester ranks sixth with a ratio of 6.17 students per job despite having the largest student population on the list at 84.8K. Of these, 47.5K are working, competing for 7,701 part-time roles. With an average monthly salary of £1,265.63 and living costs of £856, Manchester remains a prime destination for job-hunting students.

York is seventh, with 6.34 students per job posting. Among the 31.5K students in the city, about 17.6K are employed across 2,785 available positions. With an average monthly salary of £1,200 and living costs of £878, York provides a solid balance between earning potential and expenses.

Liverpool comes eighth with a job competition rate of 6.67 students per position. The city is home to over 36K working students, more than Preston and Bath. It also offers the second-highest number of part-time jobs at 5,349 positions.

Oxford takes ninth place with 7.11 students per job. The city supports 25K working students across 3,527 positions. Students in Oxford enjoy the highest average monthly salary of £1,483, which helps balance the higher living costs of £884.

Coventry rounds out the top 10 with a competition rate of 7.94 students per job. The city’s 82,135 students, of whom 45,996 are employed, compete for 5,792 part-time positions. The generous £1,335 monthly pay and wallet-friendly living costs of £790 make it an attractive living place for many working students.

Such findings challenge the common perception that larger cities automatically offer better opportunities for student jobs. In reality, smaller cities often provide students with greater chances of securing work.