Oxbridge or Ivy League:
Who is in the lead?
Considering the high costs involved in pursuing a degree at the world's best universities, prospective students should be able to find out the return on investment that they can expect, as they prepare to sign up for hefty student loans.
We have analysed 5,013 salaries from Oxbridge and Ivy League alumni to compare the returns graduates can expect on their degrees. The eight American institutes of teaching excellence clearly come top of the class when it comes to pay. However, across all institutions the gender pay gap is just as bad.
Top Universities Rich List
| University | Salary | Bonus | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| IVY LEAGUE | £81,000 | £8,000 | £89,000 |
| Harvard | £97,000 | £8,000 | £105,000 |
| Brown | £86,000 | £10,000 | £96,000 |
| Princeton | £79,000 | £11,000 | £90,000 |
| Dartmouth | £77,000 | £12,000 | £89,000 |
| Pennsylvania | £79,000 | £9,000 | £88,000 |
| Columbia | £79,000 | £9,000 | £88,000 |
| Cornell | £81,000 | £6,000 | £87,000 |
| Yale | £65,000 | £8,000 | £73,000 |
| OXBRIDGE | £64,000 | £5,000 | £69,000 |
| Oxford | £65,000 | £5,000 | £70,000 |
| Cambridge | £63,000 | £5,000 | £68,000 |
American Ivy League Universities have the upper hand with earnings of almost 30% higher than Oxbridge. Higher earnings in the US when graduating from Ivy League universities is a contributing factor to the US luring some of the best brains away from the UK.
Return on investment: Oxbridge back in the race
| University | Junior Professional earnings | Tuition fees for an Undergraduate degree | Earnings/ Tuition Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard | £120,000 | £34,000 | 3.5 |
| Oxford | £58,000 | £17,000 | 3.4 |
| Cambridge | £58,000 | £18,000 | 3.2 |
| Pennsylvania | £103,000 | £39,000 | 2.6 |
| Brown | £93,000 | £38,000 | 2.5 |
| Princeton | £80,000 | £34,000 | 2.4 |
| Yale | £85,000 | £37,000 | 2.3 |
| Dartmouth | £80,000 | £38,000 | 2.1 |
| Columbia | £86,000 | £41,000 | 2.1 |
| Cornell | £78,000 | £38,000 | 2.1 |
Thanks to its lower fees, Oxford and Cambridge closely follow Harvard with pleasing return on investment. Cornell trails behind with fees of £38,000 per year and median compensation of £78,000.
Bachelor of Arts versus Bachelor of Science
| University | Arts | Science | Upside of a Bachelor of Science |
|---|---|---|---|
| IVY LEAGUE | £93,000 | £98,000 | 5% |
| OXBRIDGE | £66,000 | £67,000 | 1% |
| Oxford University | £72,000 | £69,000 | -4% |
| Cambridge University | £63,000 | £66,000 | 5% |
Graduates with an Ivy League Bachelor of Science degree earn 5% more than those with a Bachelors of Arts degree. However, at Princeton, Bachelor of Science degrees boost earning by a staggering 42%. At Oxford though, the tables are turned with Bachelor of Arts holders earning the most, leveraging Oxford's excellent reputation for Humanities.
No leader when it comes to the gender pay gap.
| Universities | Men | Women | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy League | £135,000 | £91,000 | 33% |
| Oxbridge | £86,000 | £57,000 | 34% |
Unfortunately, both Oxbridge and the Ivy League institutions are evenly matched when it comes to producing young professionals with uneven pay between men and women. The current gap stands at over 30%, a shocking figure considering women in these samples are high achievers aiming for top jobs.
Have it in both ways!
Earnings are clearly higher in the US thanks in part to a strong bonus culture. The huge costs of high-end degrees however leaves students well out of pocket by the time they graduate. Why not aim for the best of both worlds and stay in the UK to achieve a top degree then strive to move to the US for better earnings?
Emolument provides bonus and salary statistics based on data submitted directly by professionals like you. It is free, anonymous, and already a trusted tool for thousands of professionals worldwide. Are you paid enough? Click here to find out now.
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