Graduate job prospects vary dramatically depending on which university students attend, according to new data compiled for the Daily Mail's University Guide. Imperial College London tops the table, with 96.5% of its graduates in high-skilled employment within 15 months of finishing their degree and average earnings of £39,000, while at Bath Spa and Buckinghamshire New only 47.6% of graduates secure similarly skilled roles. The figures matter because tuition fees are rising past £30,000 for the first time this year, even as the proportion of graduates landing jobs matching their qualifications falls, meaning many students are taking on substantial debt without a clear pay-off.

Across the universities featured, the share of graduates in high-skilled jobs has dropped from 74.8% in 2023 to 71.1% now, a decline attributed to a weaker economy, employers cutting graduate trainee schemes and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on recruitment. The High Fliers research organisation's Graduate Market in 2026 report also points to low employer confidence and reduced recruitment targets. Despite the gloomier picture, some less prominent universities are outperforming bigger names, including Cumbria (86.5%), Worcester (79.8%, named University of the Year for Graduate Jobs), Derby (77.6%), Robert Gordon in Aberdeen (77.3%) and Teesside (77.1%).