New data from the 2027 Guardian University Guide suggests artificial intelligence may already be reshaping job prospects for UK graduates in computer science and economics, two subjects that had previously enjoyed strong employer demand. Coding and software development were the fastest-declining graduate occupations last year, while demand for graduates in well-paid finance-related roles such as economists and management consultants also fell, prompting experts to link the trend directly to AI's growing ability to perform coding and analytical work quickly and cheaply.

The graduate outcomes survey, run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and covering more than 350,000 former students 15 months after graduating in 2024, found the proportion of computer science graduates entering coding or programming jobs fell from around 40% to 28%, while those moving into any graduate-level role dropped from over 60% to 50%. Matt Hiely-Rayner of Intelligent Metrix, who compiles the guide, and Charlie Ball of Jisc both said AI's role was hard to ignore, though Ball noted some graduates were shifting into related fields like cybersecurity, and that finance employers were divided between adapting roles to include AI skills and cutting jobs outright. Separately, the wider university league table placed Oxford, Cambridge and the LSE in the top three overall, with Birmingham climbing to a record 14th place.