More graduates are in work but they're earning less

Graduates in England have seen a fall in their median salary of more than £1,000 in the past five years but more are in work than at any time since 2007, according to Department for Business, Innovation and Skills data. Graduates earn much more than people without degrees, with an average wage of £31,200, compared to £22,100. However, in 2010 graduates typically earned £32,396. The median salary for people with a postgraduate qualification rose from £37,180 to £39,000 during the past five years, whilst for non-graduates it rose from £20,800 to £22,100. Some 87.5% of working-age graduates were employed during the three months to March, the highest proportion since the end of 2007, when the rate was 88.3%. This compares with an employment rate of 69.3% for non-graduates. There was an improving employment market for graduates aged 21-30, with only 3.9% unemployed, again the lowest for this time of year since 2007, when it was 3.5%.