Best paying universities and degrees for graduates

In its latest study, Emolument.com analysed 2,400 salaries from graduates (less than 2 years' experience) with a bachelor degree from UK universities to find out which institutions and fields of studies guarantee the best income. Results show that a degree from a top university doubles the rate of pay.


Pay by university

University Rank Graduate Pay
London School of Economics 1 £38,000
City University London 2 £36,000
Cambridge University 3 £35,000
Oxford University 4 £34,000
Bath University 5 £33,000
Edinburgh University 6 £32,000
Durham University 7 £31,000
Imperial College London 8 £31,000
Loughborough University 9 £30,000
Warwick University 10 £30,000
Bristol University 11 £30,000
University College London 12 £29,000
Manchester University 13 £29,000
Aston University 14 £28,000
Nottingham University 15 £28,000
Birmingham University 16 £27,000
Sussex University 17 £27,000
Middlesex University 18 £27,000
Keele University 19 £27,000
King's College London 20 £27,000
Southampton University 21 £27,000
Strathclyde University 22 £27,000
Leicester University 23 £26,000
Leeds University 24 £26,000
York University 25 £26,000
Queen Mary University of London 26 £26,000
Exeter University 27 £26,000
Hull University 28 £26,000
Glasgow University 29 £26,000
Surrey University 30 £26,000
Staffordshire University 31 £25,000
Liverpool University 32 £25,000
Essex University 33 £25,000
Heriot-Watt University 34 £25,000
Kent University 35 £25,000
Hertfordshire University 36 £25,000
Gloucestershire University 37 £25,000
Newcastle University 38 £25,000
Cardiff University 39 £24,000
Sheffield University 40 £24,000
University of East London 41 £24,000
Northumbria University 42 £24,000
Huddersfield University 43 £24,000
Brunel University 44 £24,000
Greenwich University 45 £24,000
Lancaster University 46 £24,000
London Metropolitan University 47 £24,000
Plymouth University 48 £24,000
Portsmouth University 49 £24,000
Royal Holloway 50 £24,000
The Open University 51 £24,000
University of East Anglia 52 £24,000
University of the West of England 53 £24,000
Westminster University 54 £24,000
Leeds Metropolitan University 55 £24,000
Northampton University 56 £23,000
Kingston University 57 £23,000
Nottingham Trent University 58 £23,000
Bangor University 59 £23,000
Canterbury Christ Church University 60 £23,000
Reading University 61 £23,000
Sheffield Hallam University 62 £22,000
Coventry University 63 £22,000
Oxford Brookes University 64 £22,000
Birmingham City University 65 £22,000
Bournemouth University 66 £22,000
Brighton University 67 £22,000
London South Bank University 68 £22,000
Manchester Metropolitan University 69 £21,000
Roehampton University 70 £21,000
Southampton Solent University 71 £21,000
University of the Arts London 72 £21,000
Swansea University 73 £21,000
West London University 74 £21,000
De Montfort University 75 £20,000
Salford University 76 £20,000
Ulster University 77 £20,000
Aberystwyth University 78 £19,000
Queen's University Belfast 79 £19,000
University of Central Lancashire 80 £19,000
Anglia Ruskin University 81 £19,000
Goldsmiths University 82 £19,000
Liverpool John Moores University 83 £19,000
Cardiff Metropolitan University 84 £18,000

*Median Salary & bonus


Twice as good? Highest paid graduates (LSE, at £38,000 per year) earn more than twice as much as lowest paid (Cardiff Metropolitan University - £18,000 per year).


Are all degrees worth it? According to our data, those starting their career without a higher education degree can expect a salary of £19,000 at the beginning of their career, inches from the amount lower paid graduates will earn (graduates from the bottom 10 universities earn less than £20,000). From a solely financial point of view, a degree may not always be worth it.


What is the pay gap between disciplines?

Subject Graduate pay*
Economics £33,000
Engineering £28,000
Management & Strategy £27,000
Mathematics & Statistics £27,000
Computer Sciences £27,000
Accounting, Business & Finance £27,000
Physics, Life Sciences & Healthcare £27,000
Law £26,000
Modern Languages £26,000
Humanities (History, Geography, Politics...) £25,000
Chemistry & Natural Sciences £23,000
Psychology £23,000
Media, Marketing & Communication £21,000
English Literature £21,000
Fine Arts & Design £19,000

*Median Salary & bonus


Pick wisely... Regardless of the university, the subject students pick can mean a £14,000 pay difference at the beginning of their career: predictably, economy graduates earn £33,000, while fine arts & design grads only earn £19,000.


Science & business pay more than arts: The 7 best paying majors are all in business, sciences or economics, and offer salaries of up to £33,000 to graduates. Even the best paying art major (modern languages at £26,000) only reaches 9th place out of 15 subjects.


Alice Leguay, Co-founder & COO at Emolument.com said: 'With fees due to increase by over £9,000 this year, and students graduating with over £50,000 of debt on average, it is worth asking if the financial rewards a degree brings are worth the investment. Beyond a hoped-for increase in pay upon graduation, university offers opportunities for friendships, self-development through societies and sports, and a wealth of learning. However, if a degree cannot secure higher pay, it may be that university can no longer be seen as an investment but a boon only available to the well-off.'

 

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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