Female graduates feel the benefits of university sooner than men

GOING to university pays off faster for women than it does for men, an analysis has found.

Within five years of graduating, women on average are earning more than they would have done if they had not gone to university. However, almost one in five (18.6 per cent) male graduates are still paid less five years after they finish university than if they had they taken a vocational qualification or gone straight into work.

The analysis, published by Onward, the think tank, is based on the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data published by the Department for Education (DFE). The figures, published for the first time last year, include the tax records of thousands of university graduates after one, three and five years of completing their degree.

It comes ahead of the publication of the Augar review, which is this week likely to recommend that tuition fees be cut. Last February, Theresa May ordered a review of post-18 education led by Philip Augar, a former equities broker.

Ministers have previously criticised universities for running “threadbare” courses in a rush to get “bums on seats”.

Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, recently criticised the proliferation of “low-value, low-quality” courses that churn out graduates who go into poorly paid jobs and are unable to pay back their student loans.

Onward found that men who have taken degrees in creative arts, communications, English, agriculture, psychology, philosophy and languages at some universities will earn less than the national living wage, on average, five years after graduation. Universities UK has said that it is “irresponsible” to discourage people from studying at university, adding: “Salary outcomes shouldn’t be the only measure of value. Many graduates work in the public and charitable sectors or creative industries that make hugely valuable contributions to society and enrich our lives.”