What do postgraduate students do and earn?
Our tables give a snapshot of jobs and earnings in the UK once you’ve graduated from a postgraduate course.
CONTENTS
What do postgraduate students do?
Many students continue after their undergraduate degree and study at postgraduate level to enhance their career prospects.
The tables below show what students of each subject area do after full- and part-time postgraduate study, ranked by four destinations:
- Employed
- Self-employed
- Engaged in further study
- Unemployed
Please note, this is a smaller version of the full table. The percentages may not add up to 100% due to the exclusion of four measures:
- Running their own business
- Developing a professional portfolio
- Voluntary work
- Other (which includes travelling, caring, retired and other reasons you may not study or work)
Postgraduate students' destinations after full-time postgraduate study
| Subject | Employed | Self-employed | Further study | Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and related subjects | 76% | 4% | 9% | 4% |
| Architecture, Building & Planning | 79% | 3% | 3% | 5% |
| Biological Sciences | 74% | 3% | 15% | 3% |
| Business & Administrative Studies | 76% | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| Computer Science | 77% | 3% | 8% | 4% |
| Creative Arts & Design | 45% | 21% | 7% | 5% |
| Education | 90% | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Engineering & Technology | 76% | 3% | 10% | 5% |
| Historical & Philosophical Studies | 64% | 4% | 18% | 4% |
| Languages | 62% | 6% | 19% | 4% |
| Law | 75% | 4% | 9% | 4% |
| Mass Communications & Documentation | 73% | 9% | 4% | 4% |
| Mathematical Sciences | 75% | 1% | 16% | 3% |
| Medicine & Dentistry | 77% | 3% | 15% | 2% |
| Physical Sciences | 77% | 2% | 14% | 4% |
| Social Studies | 79% | 2% | 8% | 4% |
| Subjects allied to Medicine | 81% | 2% | 10% | 3% |
| Veterinary Science | 81% | 0% | 13% | 2% |
Postgraduate students' destinations after part-time postgraduate study
| Subject | Employed | Self-employed | Further study | Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and related subjects | 76% | 5% | 5% | 1% |
| Architecture, Building & Planning | 85% | 3% | 2% | 1% |
| Biological Sciences | 72% | 7% | 7% | 2% |
| Business & Administrative Studies | 82% | 4% | 2% | 2% |
| Computer Science | 78% | 4% | 6% | 2% |
| Creative Arts & Design | 45% | 17% | 6% | 2% |
| Education | 87% | 2% | 4% | 1% |
| Engineering & Technology | 85% | 4% | 2% | 2% |
| Historical & Philosophical Studies | 45% | 7% | 13% | 2% |
| Languages | 50% | 10% | 13% | 3% |
| Law | 79% | 5% | 5% | 2% |
| Mass Communications & Documentation | 75% | 6% | 5% | 3% |
| Mathematical Sciences | 72% | 3% | 8% | 5% |
| Medicine & Dentistry | 79% | 9% | 4% | 1% |
| Physical Sciences | 75% | 3% | 9% | 4% |
| Social Studies | 81% | 4% | 4% | 2% |
| Subjects allied to Medicine | 84% | 5% | 3% | 1% |
| Veterinary Science | 69% | 14% | 8% | 0% |
- READ MORE
- Postgraduate course chooser
- League tables
What do postgraduate students earn?
The higher earning potential of doing a postgraduate degree draws many students into continuing their studies.
The table below shows the average salaries of postgraduate students from different subject areas entering employment. The three skill levels – high, medium and low – reflect the UK's Standard Occupational Classification's major groups 1–3, 4–6 and 7–9 respectively.
| Subject | High-skilled | Medium-skilled | Low-skilled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and related subjects | £26,000 | £19,000 | £20,000 |
| Architecture, Building & Planning | £30,000 | £27,000 | £18,000 |
| Biological Sciences | £28,000 | £18,000 | £17,500 |
| Business & Administrative Studies | £34,000 | £21,500 | £20,000 |
| Computer Science | £32,000 | £21,000 | £19,000 |
| Creative Arts & Design | £25,000 | £19,000 | £16,000 |
| Engineering & Technology | £32,000 | £26,000 | £19,000 |
| Historical & Philosophical Studies | £26,000 | £20,000 | £18,000 |
| Languages | £26,000 | £20,000 | £18,000 |
| Law | £26,000 | £20,000 | £19,000 |
| Mass Communications & Documentation | £25,000 | £20,000 | £17,000 |
| Mathematical Sciences | £33,000 | £20,000 | N/A |
| Medicine & Dentistry | £36,000 | £21,000 | £18,000 |
| Physical Sciences | £30,000 | £22,000 | £17,000 |
| Social Studies | £30,000 | £21,000 | £18,000 |
| Subjects allied to Medicine | £33,000 | £20,000 | £17,500 |
| Veterinary Science | £36,500 | N/A | N/A |
Date source: HESA 2017–18, published July 2020.
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