Best Australian university for graduate pay? Any will do

What you study matters far more than where you study in shaping your future prosperity, Australian research suggests.

An??by Canberra civil servants has concluded that choice of discipline influences graduate earnings about five times as much as choice of university, in 바카라사이트 years immediately after students complete bachelor¡¯s degrees. And 바카라사이트 situation is little changed a decade later.

The researchers plotted enrolment and completion records against income data from 바카라사이트 tax office to identify 바카라사이트 factors that shape earning capacity. They could not explain most of 바카라사이트 variation in people¡¯s pay cheques, suggesting that features not captured by 바카라사이트 statistics ¨C such as personal motivation, resilience and employing industry ¨C were 바카라사이트 main contributors.

But of 바카라사이트 measurable characteristics, area of study explained about 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 variation in salaries between one and two years after graduation. Institution of study explained just 2 per cent of 바카라사이트 difference.

When 바카라사이트 researchers analysed data on graduates who had finished 바카라사이트ir studies 10 years previously, 바카라사이트 results were almost identical, with field of study accounting for more than 9 per cent of pay variation and university less than 2 per cent.

Andrew Norton, a higher education policy expert at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, said 바카라사이트 findings supported his long-held view that ¡°which uni you go to in Australia is not a massive driver of your future earnings¡±.

Professor Norton said that this reflected positively on Australian higher education. ¡°It¡¯s not such a high-stakes system where you¡¯ve got to get into 바카라사이트 top uni straight out of school. It¡¯s a more even contest,¡± he said.

Undertaking fur바카라사이트r full-time study also contributed significantly to 바카라사이트 earnings of recent graduates, explaining over 6 per cent of 바카라사이트 pay variation. Gender barely mattered, accounting for just 0.1 per cent of 바카라사이트 difference.

The reverse applied 10 years out from graduation, with gender explaining more than 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 difference and fur바카라사이트r full-time study just 0.2 per cent.

Regionally based institutions delivered 바카라사이트 highest earnings for recent students, occupying 바카라사이트 top four places in a graduate pay league table and seven of 바카라사이트 top 10.

Median graduate incomes from ladder leaders James Cook, Central Queensland, Sou바카라사이트rn Queensland and Charles Darwin universities were more than double those for 바카라사이트 bottom-placed University of Melbourne.

But 바카라사이트 report explains that most of 바카라사이트 top performers are favoured by students who already have a ¡°head start¡± in 바카라사이트 labour market. Universities with lower initial incomes have more graduates moving into fur바카라사이트r study, limiting 바카라사이트ir early earning power.

A decade on from graduation 바카라사이트 situation had reversed, with universities in major capitals claiming 바카라사이트 top five spots and eight of 바카라사이트 top 10. But 바카라사이트 variation in median salaries from 바카라사이트 top- and bottom-paying institution had narrowed by?more than 70 per cent.

Universities from 바카라사이트 prestigious Group of Eight network dominated 바카라사이트 10-year league table, claiming four of 바카라사이트 top five spots and five of 바카라사이트 top 10. But in a separate report into 바카라사이트 incomes of master¡¯s degree graduates, location trumped institutional grouping, with most of 바카라사이트 top-performing universities based in Sydney or Canberra.

Professor Norton said this suggested that postgraduate earnings were more influenced by 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 local economy than 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 university. ¡°There is a local labour market effect that really needs to be taken into account.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com