Australia’s higher education system is delivering strong benefits for graduates, according to a new report released today.
The Higher Education Outcomes – Exploring Administrative Data Report looks at how graduates move from study into work and how their careers progress, using long-term linked data to fill important knowledge gaps. The findings will help guide future policy and ensure the higher education system continues to meet Australia’s needs.
Overall, the report confirms that higher education leads to strong labour market outcomes across a wide variety of careers. Graduates in fields such as Mining Engineering, Medical Studies, and General Medicine stand out for both high starting salaries and rapid income growth, averaging a 35% increase within 5 years of graduation.
Graduates in Education and Engineering show a clear link between qualifications and career paths with 72% of Education graduates becoming teachers and 60% of Engineering graduates entering professional engineering roles.
Graduates in Management, Commerce, and Society and Culture demonstrate exceptional versatility, transitioning into over 70 distinct occupational groups and showcasing broad employment potential. The research also highlights the financial benefits of further study. Postgraduate qualifications significantly boost earnings, particularly in Business, where postgraduates earn a median of $54,800 more annually than their undergraduate peers.
The new report marks the beginning of an ongoing program of work designed to better understand how students transition into the workforce and to support a more inclusive, high-quality higher education system.
Download the full report, to discover more insights.
