Differences in student outcomes

How do student outcomes differ according to various characteristics? Here, we look at outcomes measured in terms of class of degree awarded and employment six months after graduation. In addition, at a sector level, we consider how student outcomes have changed since 2013-14.

Our analysis is based on:

• degree outcomes of graduates who graduated in 2016-17
• employment outcomes of those who graduated in 2015-16.

Key points

Degree outcomes

Age: In 2016-17, 79 per cent of young graduates gained a first or upper second class degree, compared with 67 per cent of mature graduates.

This shows a slight increase from 2013-14 figures of 75 per cent of young graduates and 64 per cent of mature graduates.

Sex: More female students than male students gained a first or upper second class degree: 81 per cent of female graduates compared with 76 per cent of male graduates.

Disability: The gap between graduates without a disability and graduates in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) remained at three percentage points from 2013-14. The same gap exists between disabled graduates not in receipt of DSA and those without a disability (three percentage points since 2013-14).

Ethnicity: There has been a small decrease in the difference in outcomes between graduates of different ethnicities between 2013-14 and 2016-17. The highest proportion gaining a first or upper second class degree was white graduates with 82 per cent. The lowest proportion was black graduates with only 60 per cent. Among Asian graduates, the proportion gaining a first or upper second class degree is 72 per cent.

The difference between the proportions of white and black graduates has decreased from 23 percentage points in 2013-14 to 22 percentage points in 2016-17. The difference between proportions of white and Asian graduates has reduced from 12 percentage points in 2013-14 to 11 percentage points in 2016-17.

Educational disadvantage: The gap between Participation of Local Areas (POLAR) quintiles 1 and 5 gaining a first or upper second class degree has remained at 10 percentage points since 2013-14. The gaps between all other quintiles have also remained comparatively stable over this time.

Employment outcomes

Age: Mature graduates continue to do slightly better than young graduates: 77 per cent of mature graduates are in highly skilled employment or further study compared with 73 per cent for young graduates.

Sex: Among female graduates, 73 per cent are in highly skilled employment or further study compared with 72 per cent of male graduates. This gap has increased slightly from 0.2 percentage points in 2013-14 to 1.0 percentage points in 2015-16.

Disability: The gap between graduates without a disability and graduates in receipt of DSA has increased: from 2.0 percentage points in 2013-14 to 2.6 percentage points in 2015-16. The gap between disabled graduates not in receipt of DSA and those without a disability has increased from 2.2 percentage points in 2013-14 to 2.8 percentage points in 2015-16.

Ethnicity: Black graduates have a 69 per cent rate of highly skilled employment or further study, while the rate for white graduates is 74 per cent. This gap has decreased from 7.0 percentage points in 2013-14 to 5.0 percentage points in 2015-16.

Educational disadvantage: POLAR quintile 1 graduates have the lowest percentage in highly skilled employment or further study while quintile 5 graduates have the highest proportion in highly skilled employment or further study.