Skip to Main Content

The Destinations of Post Graduate Leavers of Higher Education 2017: Executive Summary

Department for Education Comments

The Department for Education offers the following analysis of the graduate labour market:

In 2016, working age (aged 16-64) graduates earned on average £9,500 more than non-graduates, while postgraduates earned on average £6,000 more than graduates. These gaps were narrower for the young (aged 21-30) population, with graduates earning £6,000 more than non-graduates, and postgraduates earning £4,000 more than graduates, on average.

Between 2015 and 2016 young postgraduates saw a 1.8 percentage point increase in the proportion of high skilled employment, to 75.3%.

Graduates that studied Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, on average, had higher employment rates, greater high-skilled employment rates, lower unemployment rates and higher median salaries than the graduate population as a whole. 

Within the working age population, Law, Economics and Management (LEM) graduates earned, on average, £1,000 more than STEM graduates. We see a similar pattern for the young population, with young LEM graduates earning £2,000 more than young STEM graduates. 

Department for Education - Graduate labour market statistics: 2016

 

University of Sussex Class of 2017 Headline Facts

  • 87% of postgraduate degree leavers were in work, work and study or further study (86% in 2016)
  • 90% of employed postgraduate degree leavers were in graduate level work (93% in 2016)
  • 80% of postgraduate degree leavers were in work (77% in 2016)
  • 7% of postgraduate degree leavers were primarily in further study/training (10% in 2016)
  • 4.3% of postgraduate degree leavers were unemployed (5.3% in 2016)

Main Destinations by Sussex Department

All Post Graduates

Taught Post Graduates

Research Post Graduates

Due to rounding, percentages may not add up to 100%