STORY
The Department for Education has published new data showing that graduates earn on average around £100,000 more over their lifetime than comparable non-graduates, although the financial return varies sharply by subject. The Government said medicine and economics had some of the highest returns, while some courses offered little or negative financial benefit.
Ministers said the data would support plans to limit growth in some courses at some providers where outcomes are consistently poor. The Government also said it would consult in the autumn on a minimum English language requirement for some students accessing student finance.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said young people should choose carefully and should not enter higher education by default. The announcement links university policy with the Government’s wider skills agenda, including apprenticeship expansion and the Youth Guarantee.