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73% of UK graduates say going to university got them the job they wanted
Our new data reveals that 73% of UK graduates credit going to university with enabling them to find the job they wanted.
- Research from Universities UK highlights the value of going to university, including that 73% of UK graduates say they found a job reflective of their ambitions in under a year, thanks to their university education
- Crucially, during a cost-of-living-crisis, almost two-thirds (64%) say that going to university has improved their job security
- 78% of UK graduates say the support they received at university helped them gain employment, and 97% of business leaders polled also revealed that graduates reach managerial positions faster, as a result of going to university
- 71% of business leaders also believe that going to university enables graduates to build crucial transferable skills, framing UK universities as an essential training ground for UK industry, equipping the next generation with the skills to return UK PLC to growth
- The research also suggests that going to university can act as a stimulus to upward social mobility. For 78% of graduates and 71% of business leaders who were the first in their family to attend, going to uni opened doors to companies, and likely led to a higher starting salary than students not first in their family to attend
Compelling new data released today by Universities UK (UUK) reveals that 73% of UK graduates credit going to university with enabling them to find the job they wanted. And, in an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, almost two-thirds (64%) say that going to university has improved their job security, while 78% say the support they received at university helped them gain employment.
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The value of going to university
The research, based on the perspectives of 3,500 UK graduates and 3,500 business leaders (business owners, founders, board members, CEOs, directors, and senior managers) across the UK, also reveals that 79% of graduates say going to university enabled them to build skills that have proved professionally valuable. And, for 76% of UK graduates and 78% of business leaders, going to university helped to build their self-confidence.
Over two thirds of UK graduates (67%) and business leaders (71%) also believe that going to university enables graduates to build vital transferable skills that help them in their career; framing UK universities as an essential training ground for UK industry.
These findings are supported by the insight that over a quarter (28%) of UK graduates first gained employment through a direct connection to their university or degree course, and 77% of business leaders say that going to university opened doors into relevant companies for them. These findings highlight the strength of existing ties between universities and the private sector, and their central role in addressing skills gaps for UK industry.
The research from UUK also outlines the broader impacts of going to university on gaining employment. 73% of graduates say they found their job/ role in under a year. Furthermore, 97% of business leaders say university graduates reach managerial positions faster, as a direct result of going to university.
Supporting career development
According to the research, nearly two thirds (61%) of business leaders think graduates typically progress faster through the ranks of their business; a finding that could be linked to the insight that seven in 10 also believe that going to university gives graduates good sector and industry knowledge. What’s more, where graduates and non-graduates are able to perform the same role in their organisation, 85% of business leaders would expect to see graduate employees earn more than non-graduates after just three years.
Mature students can also benefit financially from gaining a degree. On average, business leaders expect previously non-graduate employees who obtain a degree relevant to their role to see an increase of 20% in earnings.
Impact on social mobility
Interestingly, the research looked in particular at UK graduates and business leaders who were the first in their family to go to university. Of these, 78% of graduates and 71% of business leaders said that going to university opened doors into companies for them. Meanwhile, 73% of business leaders believe that going to university introduces graduates to peers who can help them build their careers, and 77% of graduates said a degree helped them build skills that have been professionally valuable.
The research also suggests that going to university can act as a stimulus to upward social mobility amongst families with no prior history of going to university. Those who were the first in their family to go to university had a slightly higher average starting salary than those who were not the first to attend – £30,111 versus £27,754 – findings that are compounded by a report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies on behalf of the Department of Education, which found that university graduates who were eligible for free school meals are more likely to enter the top 20% of earnings at age 30 than free school meal students who did not attend university. Nearly 60% of business leaders who were the first in their family to go to university said that going to university helped them become senior faster, while 51% said it helped them fast track their career.
Findings from our data and wider evidence show the role of universities as equalisers across the UK jobs market; enabling all graduates to unlock career opportunities – not just those with strong family connections or a history of higher education.
This new research clearly demonstrates the value that graduates benefit from when they go to university in the UK. The benefits captured by this research are numerous – from job security and career ambitions, to earnings and social mobility. They highlight how highly UK universities are regarded not just by those who attend them, but also by those who hire their graduates and benefit from their skills.
It is clear that Universities play a huge role not only in preparing graduates for employment, but also in teaching them crucial, transferable life skills that will serve them throughout their career. Ultimately, what this research demonstrates is that our universities play a powerful role in helping graduates forge successful career paths that can help return the UK economy to growth and continue to power our public services.
Vivienne Stern MBE
Chief Executive of Universities UK
Notes to editors
These findings are based on bespoke consumer research conducted by Censuswide among 3,505 UK graduates and 3,506 business leaders of a nationally representative make up. The research was conducted between 16/06/2023 and 26/06/2023 for UK graduates and 16/06/2023 and 27/06/2023 for business leaders. All respondents were sourced using an accredited online research access panel.
Development Economics mapped the results from the survey against existing data sets and reports, outlined below:
- The Relative Labour Market Returns to Different Degrees, Institute for Fiscal Studies on behalf of the Department of Education, 2018
- Which University Degrees are best for intergenerational mobility, Institute for Fiscal Studies on behalf of the Department of Education, November 2021
- Graduate Outcomes Survey Data, Higher Education Skills Agency (HESA), May 2023
- Provisional Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office of National Statistics (ONS), Table 21.7a, 2022
- ONS Monthly Vacancy Data, ONS Vacancy by Industry data, Office of National Statistics (ONS),Mar-May 2015 to Mar-May 2023
- The Hard Truth about Soft Skills – workplace lessons smart people wish they’d learned sooner: Klaus, Rohman & Hamaker, Collins, 2007
- Crawford et al: Comparative Analysis of Soft Skills, Michigan State University, August 2011
For more information, please contact Ellie Gill Jones at MHP Group: ellie.gilljones@mhpgroup.com / uuk@mhpgroup.com
About Universities UK
Universities UK is the collective voice of 140 universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its mission is to create the conditions for UK universities to be the best in the world; maximising their positive impact locally, nationally and globally. Universities UK acts on behalf of universities, represented by their heads of institution.
