Universities UK on graduate outcomes

Could you imagine a world in which 99 per cent of courses result in the overwhelming majority (as defined by an independent regulator) of graduates moving on to skilled employment or further study?

Despite everything you read to the contrary, that is the world in which we live. New research from Universities UK highlights the rarely heard reality that getting a degree is pretty much always a good life choice.

Drawing on Longitudinal Education Outcomes data, the report draws comparisons between longer term graduate outcomes and those of non-graduates with qualifications between level 3 (A levels) and level 5 (HNDs and suchlike).

There are small regional variations, but graduates are much more likely to be in paid employment by age 31 than their peers. Overall, non-graduates earn more than graduates before the age of 22 (while graduates are students, basically) – above this age (from 23 onwards) graduates begin to earn more. By the age of 31, your average graduate earns around £8,000 more a year – and this holds whatever your economic background.

Data on the impact of particular institutions is a little less robust, but Universities UK does note that studying at a higher education institution (as opposed to an FE college or alternative provider) appears to confer a benefit when it comes to median earnings and sustained employment or further study. There are also variations based on deprivation – if you’ve not accessed free school meals you are more likely to earn more and more likely to be in work or further study. There’s also a variation in the graduate premium based on your ethnicity.

If you heard Vivienne Stern on the Today programme (or have caught up with her exemplary twitter thread) you’ll be aware how this (excellent) research has been deployed in discussion around that ridiculous conservative policy proposal. Though numbers are low, apprenticeship outturns of level 3 and above will be included in the non-graduate components of this data.