Graduates of Higher Education had median earnings of €475 per week in 2016, or €24,700 per annum, according to CSO analysis.

The Higher Education Outcomes: Graduation Years 2010-2016 is the largest ever analysis of graduate ‘destinations’ ever carried out, said the CSO. 

The most popular sectors for new graduates in 2016 were wholesale and retail, health, professional and scientific, and education. Over half the graduates in substantial employment in the first year after graduation worked in these sectors.

Tracking earnings beyond the first year after graduation, the report found that on average earnings rose to €670 per week after five years, having hit €545 after three years — a rate of increase of about €65 per week per year.

What fields of work paid best and worst? Education graduates' median earnings were €625 per week, followed by €610 for health graduates. Third in line were ‘information and communication technology’ graduates, at €565.

In Association with

The lowest median earnings were in the ‘arts and humanities’ field, €355 weekly for the 2016 cohort. The second lowest earnings was among 'services' graduates, €380 per week, while graduates from 'social sciences, journalism and information' received €440 per week in the first year after graduation.

The CSO points out that many graduates in these fields continue in higher education while in part-time work, which may partly explain the lower figures.

Five years on, the picture was different, with ICT graduates taking the highest weekly earnings at €815 (€42,400 p.a.).

Graduates with level 9 awards (masters degrees and postgraduate diplomas) earned €560 per week while those graduating with an NFQ level 10 qualification (doctoral degrees) had the highest weekly earnings of €710 per week (€36,900 p.a.).

One in four of those graduating in 2016 had re-enrolled in higher education the following year, down from one in three (for the 2010 graduation class.

The Higher Education Outcomes report was developed in collaboration with the Higher Education Authority and used the National Data Infrastructure. Both reports on the CSO website are interactive, with facilities to drill down into the data online.

The Higher Education Outcomes report can be viewed here, and the Further Education Outcomes report here.