Graduate Outcomes 2021/22: Summary Statistics - Graduate activities and characteristics
- Summary
- Graduate activities and characteristics
- Activities by previous study characteristics
- Graduate salaries and work locations
- Graduate reflections on activities
- Notes
Some tables were updated on 4 July 2024. See 2021/2022 Graduate Outcomes data error for details.
What were the activities of graduates?
Of graduates who responded to the 2021/22 survey, 89% were in some form of work or further study (down from 90% in the survey of 2020/21 graduates). The remaining 11% were either unemployed or doing another activity such as travelling, caring for someone, or retired.
Figure 4 shows:
- The proportion of unemployed UK domiciled graduates increased between 2020/21 and 2021/22, from 4% to 5% respectively. The proportion of unemployed graduates domiciled outside the UK also increased, from 8% to 9%.
- The proportion of UK domiciled graduates in full-time employment decreased from 62% in 2020/21 to 61% in 2021/22. Although, this remains higher than proportions in 2017/18 to 2019/20.
- The proportion of non-UK domiciled graduates in full-time employment is at its highest level since the Graduate Outcomes survey began (59%).
- In 2021/22, the proportion of non-UK domiciled graduates in further study (including employment and further study) decreased by 3 percentage points relative to 2020/21. In the same time period, the proportion of UK domiciled graduates dropped by 1 percentage point.
Given that we are reporting on a subset of graduates from the total target population in this survey (i.e. those who responded to the survey – the sample), we cannot be completely certain that any statistics we create from that sample are exactly the same as the statistics we could have created if every single graduate in our target population had responded. A confidence interval gives us a statistical way to indicate a range of values within which we can be reasonably confident the ‘true’ (i.e. total population) value would fall. For Graduate Outcomes data, 95% confidence intervals are used which means that there is a 95% chance that the interval calculated from the sample covers the true value. The width of the confidence interval gives some idea about how precise an estimated value is: the wider the range from the stated percentage, the less the precision. More information on confidence intervals and survey weighting is available in the methodology statement.
The census point of the survey is at 15 months after graduation which means that many graduates may have undertaken other qualifications such as Master’s degrees during this period. At the point of the survey some may only just be completing those further qualifications. The interim study filter allows you to include or exclude graduates who are likely to have spent most of the 15 month period in full-time study from tables and charts. Whether you choose to include or exclude these graduates will depend on your intended use for the statistics. For example, if you are assessing the rates of unemployment of graduates it may not be fair to compare graduates who are likely to have spent most of the 15 months in the labour market with those who have only recently entered the labour market. In this example it may be more sensible to exclude graduates who have spent most of the 15 months in full-time study.
Figure 4 - Graduate outcomes by activity and domicile
Academic years 2017/18 to 2021/22
Show:
Reset filters | Reset sort | Download table (csv) | Download source data (csv) | About SB268 Figure 4
Figure 5 shows:
Sex of graduates
- Among 2021/22 graduates, the proportion who were in full-time employment, employment and further study or who were unemployed, was higher for males than females, while the proportion of graduates in part-time employment was higher amongst females relative to males.
- Across all five years of the survey, a higher proportion of female graduates who had previously studied part-time were employed part-time compared to those who had studied full-time. Conversely, among male graduates, a higher proportion of those who had studied full-time were employed part-time compared to those who had studied part-time.
Age of graduates
- Between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 cohorts, all age groups experienced an increase in the proportion of non-UK domiciled graduates in full-time employment. Conversely, the proportion of UK-domiciled graduates under 25 in full-time employment decreased, while the proportion for those aged 25 and above remained the same.
- Relative to 2020/21, graduates aged 21-24 were the only age group to see an increase in the proportion of unemployed graduates in 2021/22, while the proportion remained unchanged for all other age groups.
- In 2021/22, the proportion of graduates in full-time further study was greatest amongst those aged 20 and under and lowest in those aged over 30.
The HESA student record includes date of birth information collected from HE providers. Graduate Outcomes survey results are linked to the HESA Student record. Age is then calculated for graduates at 31 July of the reporting period (the end of the academic year in which the graduate gained their relevant qualification).
Graduate disability status
- A lower proportion of graduates with a known disability went on to full-time employment than those with no known disability.
- A larger proportion of graduates with a known disability were in further study (including employment and further study) relative to graduates with no known disability.
Graduate ethnicity
- Of UK-domiciled White graduates, 63% were in full-time employment, a higher proportion than graduates from any other ethnic group.
- In 2021/22, Black graduates domiciled in the UK were more likely to be in part-time employment than any other ethnic group.
- Graduates of Black, Asian, Mixed or Other ethnic backgrounds were more likely to be unemployed than White graduates.
The HESA student record includes ethnicity information collected from HE providers (see ethnicity definition).
Graduate Outcomes survey results are linked to the HESA Student record. Ethnicity data in the HESA Student record is only collected for UK domicile students. To view ethnicity data in Figure 5 use the domicile filter to select 'All UK' or one of the UK nations.
Some tables and charts within this release contain data from more recent years only due to the large amount of data included within them. Data for all applicable years can be found in the corresponding CSV files.
Figure 5 - Graduate outcomes by activity and personal characteristics
Academic years 2017/18 to 2021/22
Show:
Reset filters | Download table (csv) | Download source data (csv) | About SB268 Figure 5
Figure 6 shows:
- UK domiciled graduates from full-time undergraduate courses were more likely to be in full-time further study if they had attended a privately funded school than if they had attended a state-funded school or college.
- A higher proportion of graduates from state-funded schools or colleges went on to full-time and part-time employment than those from privately funded schools.
- Those with a socio-economic classification of higher managerial & professional occupations were more likely to be in full-time further study compared to other classifications. Socio-economic classification relates to parental classification if the graduate was under 21 years old at the start of their course.
Index of multiple deprivation (IMD) uses data pertaining to the domicile of graduates. When a country of domicile is selected in the filter below IMD data for other countries will be hidden. The various indices of multiple deprivation use similar methodologies, but differ in the indicators used, the time periods included and the sizes of the areas they cover. These factors mean that IMD is not comparable between UK administrations.
Figure 6 - Outcomes of undergraduate UK domiciled full-time graduates by participation characteristics
Academic years 2017/18 to 2021/22
Show:
Reset filters | Download table (csv) | Download source data (csv) | About SB268 Figure 6
Figure 7 shows:
- Between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 survey, there was an increase of 2 percentage points in respondents employed in permanent/open-ended contracts, this group accounts for 76% of all respondents in employment in 2021/22.
- Among graduates who studied part-time, a higher proportion (86%) were employed on a permanent/open ended contract than those who had studied full-time (73%). In contrast, a smaller proportion of graduates who studied part-time (10%) were employed on a fixed-term contract than graduates who had studied full-time (19%).
- In 2021/22, 79% of graduates who had studied at postgraduate (taught) level were on a permanent/open ended contract. This proportion is greater than any other level of study. Conversely, graduates at other undergraduate level had the lowest proportion (8%) on a fixed-term contract lasting 12 months or longer relative to all other levels.
- The proportion of graduates on a permanent/open ended contract was lower for those who had studied at a postgraduate (research) level (65%) than it was for any other level. However, the proportion on a fixed-term contract lasting 12 months or longer was up to twice as high as all other levels of qualification.
The 'work type marker' allows you to filter the data by the type of work the graduate reported as being their most important activity.
Figure 7 - Employment basis of graduates working for an employer in the UK by level of qualification obtained
Academic years 2017/18 to 2021/22
Show:
Reset filters | Reset sort | Download table (csv) | Download source data (csv) | About SB268 Figure 7
Figure 8 shows:
- At the time of the 2021/22 survey, 22% of graduates running their own business were non-UK domiciled.
- The majority (90%) of graduates from undergraduate courses reporting self-employment/freelancing as their most important activity were UK domiciled, whereas 68% of equivalent graduates from postgraduate courses were UK domiciled.
- Less than 10% of graduates who studied part-time and went on to self-employment/freelancing, running their own business or developing a creative, artistic or professional portfolio were non-UK domiciled.
The ‘work population marker’ allows you to view data either based on all graduates who report one or more work-based activities, or alternatively to focus on those graduates who state that one of these activities is their most important activity. Whether you choose to use data for graduates where work is an activity or focus on just those where work is the most important activity will depend on your intended use for the statistics.
Figure 8 - Graduates running own business, self-employed/freelancing or developing a portfolio by domicile
Academic years 2017/18 to 2021/22
Show:
Reset filters | Reset sort | Download table (csv) | Download source data (csv) | About SB268 Figure 8
Release date
13 June 2024, 9:30
Coverage
UK
Release frequency
Annual
Themes
Children, education and skills
Issued by
Jisc, Clockwise, Festival House, Jessop Avenue, Cheltenham, GL50 3SH
Press enquiries
+44 (0) 1242 388 513 (option 6), [email protected]
Public enquiries
+44 (0) 1242 388 513 (option 2), [email protected]
Statistician
Luke Perrott
Pre-release access
View pre-release access list for this release
Graduate Outcomes open data repository
View detailed information by provider
User guide
View the Graduate Outcomes user guide
