A UK study has found that half of university graduates still earn below the national median salary five years after leaving university.
The research shows that more than 150,000 graduates each year struggle to reach the full‑time median wage of approximately £35,000 (about HK$360,000). Some 11% of graduates earn less than £24,000 (about HK$250,000). Furthermore, just 57% of graduates are in full‑time employment 15 months after graduation.
Critics argue that the current higher education system is steering young people towards "debt‑ridden degrees," as students may accumulate as much as £50,000 (about HK$520,000) in related debt per year on average.
A recent poll also found that around one‑third of British people believe a university education is no longer worth the time and money, a proportion more than double that of 20 years ago. Many graduates who had hoped to secure a better future through higher education are instead facing heavy debt and limited returns in the job market.
The study tracked approximately 300,000 university graduates from the class of 2017, analysing their earnings between 2022 and 2023.
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