Higher education in numbers

In 2022–23, there were 260 higher education providers in the UK that returned data to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). This webpage includes data from these publicly funded providers and does not include those that return data to the Alternative Provider record. For further information on higher education providers visit HESA's website.

In 2022–23, there were 2,937,155 students studying at UK higher education providers.

• Undergraduate: 2,053,520
• Postgraduate: 883,635
• Full time: 2,356,915
• Part time: 580,235
• Students from the UK: 2,175,530
• Students from the EU: 95,505
• Students from non-EU countries: 663,355

(Source: HESA Student record 2022–23)

• In 2022–23 there were 240,420 academic staff and 398,170 total staff (excluding atypical staff) employed at UK higher education institutions.
• Staff employed on academic contracts made up 52% of staff working in higher education institutions.
• 16% of academic staff with a known nationality had an EU nationality, while 18% had a non-EU nationality.
• 8% of non-academic staff with a known nationality had an EU nationality, while 5% had a non-EU nationality.

(Source: HESA staff record 2022-23) 

• The latest National Student Survey, published in 2024, found that 85% of students were satisfied with the quality of their course. 
• 85% of respondents agreed that they were happy with the teaching on their course
• 87% of respondents were happy with their learning resources
• 82% were happy with their learning opportunities.

 (Source: 2024 National Student Survey)

• In 2023, a record 23% of UK 18-year-olds from low participation neighbourhoods (POLAR4 quintile 1) were accepted to study a full-time undergraduate degree through UCAS, compared to 14.1% in 2012.
• The entry rate of state school students in England who, while aged 15, were in receipt of free school meals, has increased from 13.0% in 2012 to 19.1% in 2023. 

(Source: UCAS 2023 End of Cycle report)

• 554,465 people were accepted through UCAS to start an undergraduate course in the 2023 cycle.
• In 2023, 752,025 people applied through UCAS to an undergraduate course.

(Source: UCAS 2023 End of Cycle report)

• In 2022/23, 4908 new graduate start-ups were created.
• 145 new university-owned or part-owned spin-off companies were created.

(Source: HESA Higher Education – Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey 2022/23)

Figures for 2022/23 show that the total income for the sector was £43.9 billion. This was made up from the following sources:

• Tuition fees and education contracts: £27.0 billion 
• Funding body grants: £6.2 billion
• Research grants and contracts: £7.3 billion
• Investment income: £0.9 billion
• Donations and endowments: £1.0 billion
• Other income: £9.0 billion

Figures for 2022/23 show that the total operating expenditure by the sector was £48.6 billion.

(Source: HESA Finance Record 2022/23)

• The survey of 2023 graduates revealed that 87.7.% of respondents were in employment or unpaid work.
• In 2023, the median, English domiciled graduate salary was £10,500 more than the median non-graduate salary.

(Source: DfE Graduate labour market statistics: 2023)

• By 2035, more than 11 million extra graduates, in addition to the 15.3 million graduates currently in the UK workforce, will be needed to fill jobs in the UK by 2035.
• 88% of new jobs by 2035 will be at graduate level.

(Source: DfE Labour market and skills projections: 2020 to 2035).

• 73% of UK graduates credit going to university with enabling them to find the job they wanted in under a year.

(Source: The value of going to university).

• In 2021-22, the economic impact of the universities across the UK was £265 billion.
• This includes £70 billion generated from local spending of universities.

 ​(Source: London Economics (2024), The impact of the higher education sector on the UK economy)

The 2022 Research Excellent Framework rated 41% of the research submitted as 'world leading' and 47% as 'internationally excellent'. 

(Source: Research Excellent Framework (REF) 2021)