§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the earnings of graduates relative to those of non-graduates; and what assessment he has made of the impact of gender on the earnings of graduates. [41593]
§ Dr. HowellsCompared with those who obtain the qualifications to go to university but choose not to do so, graduates on average see their earnings rise by broadly a fifth by their early 30s as a direct result of their higher qualifications.
Comparing the gross weekly earnings of people whose highest qualification is a degree with the gross weekly earnings of people whose highest qualification is 2 or more A levels shows that both male and female graduates earn more than male and female non-graduates throughout their working life.
The pattern of earnings for young women graduates is broadly similar to men, but diverges after the age of 30. Women's earnings are lower than men's on average, reflecting a greater likelihood of part-time work or time out of the labour force. However, after allowing for this, the earnings of graduates compared with non-graduates remains greater for women than men.