The London universities with the highest and lowest graduate salaries, ranked

Graduates from London School of Economics and Political Science were earning more than their peers from other universities in London five years after graduation, according to fresh figures. The data was accompanied by encouraging comments from a spokesperson at money website Save the Student, who said that today’s students feel increasingly confident about securing employment after university.

The data, released by the Department for Education, demonstrated that first degree graduates from London School of Economics and Political Science reported a median annual salary of £55,500 in 2021-22, five years after leaving their course. In contrast, the lowest-earning graduates were from Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, earning a median salary of £20,800 five years after leaving their course.

Those who selected courses in economics at London School of Economics and Political Science saw the highest earnings, with a stunning average of £73,700. Contrastingly, alumni who studied sociology, social policy, or anthropology earned around £35,400 per annum.

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These figures highlight that the university boasts the highest average salary when compared to all other institutions in London, which collectively averaged earnings of £28,300.

Other universities that performed above the London average included the Royal Veterinary College with a median salary of £38,000 and University College London where graduates earned £42,700 per annum. In contrast, students at the Royal College of Music earned a median salary of £22,500 five years after graduating.

Overall, positive advancements were seen across the board, with the majority of providers and subjects witnessing graduate earnings increase at or in excess of inflation rates since 2015-16. Graduates from nearly three-quarters of all universities experienced median earnings that escalated by a minimum of 13 per cent in 2021-22 compared to figures from 2015-16.

Tom Allingham, Communications Director at Save the Student, asserted: “On the face of it, this data paints a promising picture for graduates. However, it’s worth noting that the dataset only runs to the 2021-22 tax year, and therefore doesn’t include much of the sky-high rates of inflation witnessed throughout most of 2022 and 2023.”

He mentioned that it’s currently uncertain if this year’s summer graduates will see their earnings keep pace with inflation like those before them. “Nonetheless, the future looks bright for many graduates particularly those from STEM subjects and perhaps explains why in our own research, the proportion of students confident about finding work after leaving university has increased dramatically in the post-Covid era, up from 38 per cent in 2021 to 58 per cent in 2023,” he said.

Additionally, the data revealed that female graduates from the London School of Economics and Political Science had a median salary of £50,400 five years post-graduation, compared to their male counterparts who earned £61,400, indicating an 18 per cent gender pay gap. The data across all London universities also indicated that the earnings of students with degrees in STEM subjects outpaced those who studied performing arts and humanities.

Median graduate salaries at London universities, five years after graduation

1. London School of Economics – £55,500
2. University College London – £42,700
3. King’s College London – £42,300
4. Queen Mary University of London – £38,700
5. Royal Veterinary College – £38,000
6. City University – £37,800
7. Brunel University London – £34,300
8. Birkbeck College – £32,100
9. London Southbank University – £32,100
10. University of Greenwich – £31,000
11. University of Westminster – £29,900
12. Kingston University – £29,900
13. Roehampton University – £28,500
14. Goldsmiths College – £28,100
15. Middlesex University – £27,700
16. Ravensbourne – £27,700
17. London Metropolitan University – £27,400
18. University of Arts London -£26,300
19. University of East London – £25,600
20. Rose Bruford College – £22,600
21. Royal College of Music – £22,500
22. Conservatoire of Dance and Drama – £20,800

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