The Paragon - NWET&D - Newspapers On Education Story

GRADUATES saddled with soaring tuition fee debts have seen their start- ing salaries tumble, new figures show. Students leaving university owing tens of thousands of pounds have seen earnings fall 11 per cent in real terms between 2007 and 2012. However, for those graduating in subjects such as social policy, architecture, French and English the drop has been up to three times as steep.

Researchers said the decline had continued after 2012 and the rate appeared to be increasing.Dom Anderson, NUS vice-president for society and citizenship, said:

"Graduates are leaving our universities with world-class skills and knowledge and have the ambition to make important contributions in the UK but they are facing an incredibly bleak labour market."

"Graduates are queuing up for jobs in an incredibly competitive market, which leaves little incentive for employers to raise their wages".

The figures, from TheCompleteUni- versityGuide.co.uk, paint a gloomy picture for recent graduates, already dubbed the first generation to be worse off than their parents. Average starting salaries have fallen from £24,293 to £21,702 in real terms.(2014) Even traditionally stable and high-paid vocations, such as medicine and law were affected with declines of 15 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

The only two subjects where entry pay was on the up were materials technology and librarianship and information management.

The report also highlights the declining value of a degree with the difference between those in graduate and non-graduate work falling by anything up to a third.

In 2007, tuition fees were up to £3,000 a year today most students are paying £9,000 for their education. Dr Bernard Kingston, principal author of The Complete University- Guide.co.uk, said pay should not be the only consideration but students should bear in mind their likely starting salary when choosing a degree. He said: 'However, with a volatile labour market, it is difficult to predict the future for any particular subject'.