On Average University Graduates Earn £10k More Per Year Than Non-Graduates

The latest Graduate Labour Market Statistics from the Department for Education show that, in 2017, English-domiciled graduates and postgraduates had higher employment rates than non-graduates and the average, working-age graduate earned £10,000 per year more than the average non-graduate.

Key Findings

• In 2017, graduates and postgraduates had higher employment rates than nongraduates. 
• Although graduates and postgraduates had similar overall employment rates in 2017, postgraduates had much greater high-skilled employment rates, with 77.8% of all working-age postgraduates in high-skilled employment compared to 65.5% of all working-age graduates. 
• In 2017 the average, working age graduate earned £10,000 more than the average nongraduate, while on average postgraduates earned £6,000 more than graduates. 

Talking about the Department for Education's report, Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: "These latest figures show that, on average, university graduates continue to earn substantially more than non-graduates and are more likely to be in employment. A university degree remains an excellent investment.

"University graduates are also in increasing demand from employers. The latest annual survey from the Institute of Student Employers revealed that the graduate jobs market is expected to grow this year, with an estimated 11 percent rise in vacancies.

"While graduate salaries are an important factor, we must be careful to avoid using it as the single measure of success in higher education. Many universities specialise in fields such as the arts, the creative industries, nursing and public sector professions that, despite making an essential contribution to society and the economy, pay less on average."