The Aspire Guide - Flipbook - Page 13
Qualifications and Earning Potential
Your level of qualification has a huge impact on what you could earn in the future. Research from the
Office for National Statistics shows that annual earnings for graduates is higher as they are more likely
to work in high-skilled jobs than non-graduates. The graph below shows that as you achieve higher level
qualifications, your average annual salary increases.
Average Annual Salary for Your Level of Qualification3
£40,000
£35,000
Annual Salary
£30,000
£25,000
£20,000
£15,000
£10,000
£5,000
£0
22
24
26
28
30
32
Graduate
34
36
38
40
42
44
Age
Apprenticeship
46
48
50
52
54
A-Level (or equivalent)
56
58
60
62
64
GCSE (A*-C)
The university you choose to attend can have a huge impact on your potential lifetime earnings. As you can
see in the graph below, individuals who attend a Russell Group university earn more than non-graduates.
However, individuals who attend a non-Russell Group university actually earn less than non-graduates who
choose to do a Higher Apprenticeship. Therefore, simply going to any university does not guarantee a higher
earning potential and it is important to decide if university is the right option for you.
If you decide university is right for you, making the leap to a university with more demanding entry
requirements can pay off hugely in the medium to long term. Applying to the most selective university
possible can be pretty daunting, especially if it’s far from home. But it also presents all kinds of exciting
opportunities - from high-quality teaching, to work experience, to the exploration of a brand new city and
environment, so don’t undersell yourself! Look into Foundation Years which are sometimes offered if you
don’t quite have the grades.
Average Lifetime Earnings by Type of Qualification4
£2,000,000
£1,788,140
£1,800,000
£1,597,610
Salary (£/lifetime)
£1,600,000
£1,400,000
£1,200,000
£973,180
£1,000,000
£800,000
£1,377,100
£1,385,260
Higher
apprenticeship
(Level 4)
Non-Russell
Group degree
£1,437,130
£1,021,300
£695,950
£600,000
£400,000
£200,000
£0
No qualifications
A-Levels
Advanced
apprenticeship
(Level 3)
Higher
apprenticeship
(Level 5)
Russell Group
degree (excl.
Oxbridge)
Oxbridge
degree
Type of qualification
13
