What's the point of studying? It's something you might ask yourself if you're studying for a degree or struggling to complete the homework, especially if your friends seem to be out having a good time, or are working and earning lots of money.
Many of us choose to go to university as a first step towards a good career but sometimes that career is hard to achieve and graduates end up doing something they are overqualified for. With the increasing costs of university, students begin to ask themselves whether a degree path is the best route into a career. There is a need for much better career advice and guidance on employment in addition to university education.
But other new research says that a degree will, in the long run, earn you more. However, there are differences in your earning potential. Dr Jack Britton says that" Graduates of the 24 Russell Group universities earn an average of ￡33,500 after five years-about 40% more than those who studied at other universities."
However, it has found it's not just the location but other factors that can play a part in what you can earn, such as the subject a student chooses to study. It discovered that five years after graduation, the income gap between students who studied the subjects that attract the highest and lowest salaries can be considerable. Graduates in subjects such as law, medicine, and dentistry as well, tend to do well. And as they progress, the pay gap between these careers and others, such as the creative arts widens. There are other factors too that influence what you might earn: Five years after graduation, men earn on average14% more than women. Also, a student's social background can have an effect, with those from better-off households much more likely to go to university and particularly a good one.
But if you still feel university doesn't deliver the best opportunities then there are encouraging words from Alistair Jarvis, head of Universities UK, who told BBC News that "Employers are demanding more graduates and graduates are half as likely to be unemployed as non-graduates. There are many good graduate outcomes coming from universities. " So maybe all that studying is worth it--after all "no pain, no gain"!
