More than one in 10 university graduates earn less than the national living wage five years after graduation, new data shows

There are too many university courses and many students want ‘the experience’ and become saddled with debt and low paid jobs often not in the field of their degree. Having degrees as part of vocational courses with a job at the end of it would help. With it becoming more expensive to hire inexperienced but qualified, some overqualified, individuals employers have to ensure their hires are making and not costing them money.

This data should make people uncomfortable because it challenges the old promise that a degree automatically equals security. University can still be absolutely worth it, but not blindly, not at any cost and not for every course or career path.

The real question is return on investment. If a young person is taking on years of study, debt and lost earnings, they deserve a clear view of likely career outcomes, earning potential and whether that degree is actually needed for the job they want.

Better alternatives are not “lesser” options. Apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships, technical training, professional qualifications, starting work earlier or building a business can sometimes produce stronger outcomes with less debt.

We need to stop selling university as the default badge of success. The best route is the one that gives that person skills, income, confidence and options. For some, that is university. For others, it is a very expensive detour.

The data highlights an uncomfortable truth: for many, a degree is no longer a sound investment. University remains the right path for many professions, but too often it is presented as the default rather than one option among many.

Student loan repayments are income-contingent, so the burden is more nuanced than headlines suggest. The deeper problem is time. 3 or more years out of the workforce delays everything that follows: building savings, getting on the housing ladder, starting a family. For grads earning little more than the National Living Wage 5 years on, those are years that cannot be recovered.

Apprenticeships, vocational training & earning while learning can offer better outcomes in some fields, & crucially, let young people begin building financial security from day one. The goal should not be getting more people into university. It should be helping more people build productive, rewarding & well-paid careers, on a timeline that gives them the best possible start in life.