France
+25%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Graduate jobs and salaries in United Kingdom
Updated Data years: 2024, 2025 How we use data
Quick answer
In United Kingdom, employees with tertiary education earned a median of £3,250 a month in 2025 (PPP$ 4,633) — +20% compared with all employees. Their unemployment rate was 2.8%, against 3.4% for all adults aged 25 and over (2025).
Sources: ILOSTAT (ILO) · OECD
- +20%degree premium: tertiary-educated vs all employees (2025)
- £3,250median monthly pay with tertiary education (2025)
- 2.8%unemployment, tertiary-educated adults 25+ (all adults: 3.4%, 2025)
- 10.4%unemployment, tertiary-educated 15–24 year olds (2025)
Do graduates earn more in United Kingdom?
| Education level | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | £911 | 1,298 | -66% |
| Basic education | £2,084 | 2,971 | -23% |
| Intermediate education | £2,249 | 3,206 | -17% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | £3,250 | 4,633 | +20% |
| Short-cycle tertiary | £2,708 | 3,861 | 0% |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | £3,276 | 4,670 | +21% |
| Master's or equivalent | £3,666 | 5,226 | +35% |
| Doctoral or equivalent | £4,333 | 6,177 | +60% |
| All levels | £2,708 | 3,861 | — |
The degree premium ranks 108 of 128 countries with data. That is below the Europe and Central Asia median of +25%.
Earnings over time (PPP$ a month)
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
PPP$ values are in current international dollars, so part of the rise reflects inflation.
Earnings compared with upper secondary education (OECD)
The OECD compares the earnings of adults aged 25–64 with each level of education to those who finished upper secondary school (= 100). Latest year: 2024.
| Education level | Index (upper secondary = 100) |
|---|---|
| Short-cycle tertiary | 111 |
| Bachelor's or equivalent | 133 |
| Master's, doctoral or equivalent | 149 |
| All tertiary | 135 |
| Below upper secondary | 72 |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Full-time, full-year earners.
Which occupations pay the most in United Kingdom?
Median monthly earnings by occupation group in 2025, from highest to lowest. Examples link to our career profiles.
| Occupation group | Local currency a month | PPP$ a month | vs all employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers Construction manager, Marketing manager, Project manager, Supply chain manager | £4,082 | 5,819 | +51% |
| Professionals Software developer, Web developer, Data scientist, Data analyst | £3,501 | 4,991 | +29% |
| Technicians and associate professionals IT support technician, Paramedic, Biomedical scientist, Paralegal | £2,791 | 3,978 | +3% |
| Craft and related trades workers | £2,791 | 3,978 | +3% |
| Plant and machine operators and assemblers | £2,500 | 3,564 | -8% |
| Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers | £2,193 | 3,127 | -19% |
| Clerical support workers | £2,167 | 3,088 | -20% |
| Service and sales workers Police officer | £1,816 | 2,589 | -33% |
| Elementary occupations | £1,365 | 1,946 | -50% |
| All occupations | £2,708 | 3,861 | — |
Are graduates less likely to be unemployed in United Kingdom?
| Education level | Adults 25+ | Young people 15–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Less than basic education | 7.2% | — |
| Basic education | 4.8% | 29.0% |
| Intermediate education | 3.6% | 14.1% |
| Advanced (tertiary) education | 2.8% | 10.4% |
| All levels | 3.4% | 15.2% |
Unemployment among tertiary-educated adults is the 34 lowest of 130 countries with data. The Europe and Central Asia median is 3.6%.
Unemployment over time, adults 25+
Advanced (tertiary) educationAll levels
Graduate employment by field of study in United Kingdom
Employment rate of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education, by field of study (OECD, 2021).
| Field of study | Employment rate |
|---|---|
| Generic programmes and qualifications | 91.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary Agriculture, Veterinary science | 88.6% |
| Services Hospitality and tourism, Sports science | 88.1% |
| Engineering, manufacturing and construction Aerospace engineering, Architecture, Chemical engineering, Civil engineering | 86.8% |
| Social sciences, journalism and information Criminology, Economics, Geography, International relations | 85.5% |
| Information and communication technologies Computer science | 85.5% |
| Business, administration and law Accounting and finance, Business management, Law, Marketing | 84.4% |
| Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics Biology, Chemistry, Data science, Environmental science | 83.2% |
| Education Education | 82.6% |
| Arts and humanities Design, English literature, History, Modern languages | 82.0% |
| Health and welfare Biomedical science, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing | 81.9% |
| All fields | 84.6% |
Studying and working in United Kingdom
Rules on student visas, work after graduation and recognition of qualifications change often. Use the official sources below and check the date on any advice you read.
- Official study portal
- Student visa and residence information
- Working after graduation (official)
- Public job portal
- Recognition of foreign qualifications
Studying or working in the UK? Our UK edition compares UK universities, degree courses, fees and graduate earnings by university.
Guide: how to choose a country to study in · Guide: getting your degree recognised abroad
Country context
- Population
- 69.5M (2025)
- GDP per person (PPP)
- $64,607 (2025)
- Tertiary enrolment (gross)
- 80.4% (2023)
Questions about graduate jobs in United Kingdom
Do graduates earn more than non-graduates in United Kingdom?
According to the International Labour Organization, employees in United Kingdom with tertiary education earned a median of £3,250 a month in 2025, compared with £2,708 for all employees — +20%. The degree premium ranks 108 of 128 countries with data.
What is the unemployment rate for graduates in United Kingdom?
In 2025, the unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and over with tertiary education in United Kingdom was 2.8%, compared with 3.4% for all adults. Among young people aged 15–24 with tertiary education it was 10.4%.
Which jobs pay the most in United Kingdom?
The best-paid occupation group in United Kingdom in 2025 was “Managers”, with median monthly earnings of £4,082 (PPP$ 5,819). Professionals, the group that includes most graduate careers, earned a median of £3,501.
Where can I find official information about studying in United Kingdom?
Start with the official study portal and immigration pages linked on this page. They set out entry requirements, student visas and any rights to work after graduating, which change more often than most guides are updated.
Compare with other countries in Europe and Central Asia
Compare United Kingdom side by side
-
-
Italy
+21%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Germany
+42%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2022) -
Türkiye
+70%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Spain
+29%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025) -
Poland
+19%
more for tertiary-educated employees (2025)
Sources
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by education — LFS - Labour Force Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — LFS - Labour Force Survey, 2025
- ILOSTAT — Unemployment rate by age and education — LFS - Labour Force Survey, 2025
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Relative earnings and employment by field of study
- World Bank — World Development Indicators — Population, GDP per person (PPP) and tertiary enrolment
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). United Kingdom: graduate salaries, jobs and unemployment. https://coursetojob.com/countries/united-kingdom/ (accessed September 26, 2026)