What did graduates do after higher education in 2022?

This group graduated during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the data showing what they were doing after lockdown restrictions were lifted.

Despite these graduates facing significant challenges, today’s data shows higher education continues to provide good outcomes, and graduates view their outcomes positively.

Read the latest version of this article: What did graduates do after higher education in 2023?

This comes at a time when there is much interest in the benefits and outcomes of degrees.  

In England, the Office for Students (OfS) has recently started regulating the quality of higher education, largely informed by measures of completion, continuation and progression to high-skilled employment. 

There are also continued questions about the number of graduates and the graduate jobs market. We have recently addressed some of the myths in this area, and set out why a degree continues to benefit individuals and the wider economy.

The data published today provides further evidence to inform this debate.

The data covers students graduating during the pandemic and tells us what they are doing in 2022, 15 months after they graduated.  

Overall employment and unemployment 

82% of graduates were in employment or unpaid work, the majority of which (61%) were in full time employment, an increase of four percentage points compared to 2019–20. 10% were in part-time employment, or a combination of employment and further study.

The proportion of graduates unemployed (5%) was one percentage point lower than in 2019–20 and two percentage points lower than in 2018–19.

High skilled employment

78% of graduates from higher education providers were employed in high-skilled jobs, an increase of one percentage point compared to 2019–20. This was 74% for non-science subjects and 84% for science subjects.

Salaries

Over half (53%) in employment were earning more than £27,000 just 15 months after graduation, a five percentage point increase compared to 2019–20.

Graduate reflections

A significant majority of graduates in employment or further study were positive about their career progression, with:

• 86% agreeing their current activity fits with future plans
• 78% saying they were using what they learnt during their studies
• 93% saying they found their employment or study to be meaningful