Pro rata simply means adjusted for your hours
If you've been looking at job adverts, you may have come across the phrase "£24,000 pro rata" and wondered what it actually means. Don't worry. You're not the only one.
Pro rata simply means the salary is adjusted to match the number of hours you work.
Here's an example
Imagine a full-time role pays £24,000 per year. The advert says the role is 20 hours per week, £24,000 pro rata. If full-time hours are 40 hours per week, you're working half the hours.
So your actual salary would be £24,000 ÷ 2 = £12,000 per year. You aren't earning £24,000 for working part-time. The £24,000 is the full-time equivalent.
Why does this matter?
It's important to understand whether the salary in an advert is the actual amount you'll receive or the full-time equivalent.
When you see "pro rata", check:
- How many hours you'll work
- What the full-time hours are
- What your actual annual salary will be
- Whether holiday entitlement is also calculated pro rata
If you're not sure, ask
If you're not sure, ask the employer. There's nothing embarrassing about checking what a salary means before you apply.
In fact, understanding things like salary, tax, pensions and workplace benefits is an important part of starting your career.
Sources and review
This guide was last reviewed on and is based on the following official sources. Rules can change, so always check the source for the most current position.
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