POLL OF THE DAY: Is university worth the money any more?
The Daily Mail has published analysis identifying the 20 university course groups with the worst graduate employment records, ahead of A-level Results Day this Thursday, when such courses will still be recruiting through Clearing. The findings raise questions about the value of a degree, given the substantial debts many students take on, prompting the paper's latest reader poll asking whether university remains worth the money.
The worst-performing course had almost a quarter of its graduates out of work five years after finishing, with a median salary of just £24,900 among those in jobs. All 20 courses on the list had at least one in six graduates unemployed after five years, and five had median salaries below £25,000. This is despite many graduates accumulating more than £50,000 of debt, including three years of tuition fees exceeding £9,000 annually.
- Daily Mail names 20 worst university courses for graduate employment outcomes
- Worst course: nearly 25% jobless after five years, £24,900 median pay
- Graduates often owe £50,000+ despite poor job prospects
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Higher education in England has become far more expensive since tuition fees were raised, with many students now leaving university owing more than £50,000 once maintenance loans are included. Fees have stood above £9,000 a year for undergraduate courses, and this debt is only written off after several decades, which has fuelled a long-running debate about whether a degree still pays for itself. Employment outcomes vary widely between subjects, with some graduates struggling to find work or high-paying jobs years after finishing their studies.
A-level Results Day, when hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their exam grades and confirm university places, falls this week. Clearing is the system universities use at this time of year to fill any places left unfilled by students who missed their offers or are applying late, meaning lower-demand courses are often actively recruiting during this period.
Graduate earnings and employment data, gathered several years after students finish their courses, are used to compare how different degree subjects perform in the jobs market. Such figures are regularly cited in discussions about value for money in higher education, particularly for courses with comparatively poor employment or salary records once tuition costs are taken into account.