What you earn, depends on what you learn. Your degree eventually decides your earnings. But students do not consider that when going to university. They choose a subject they like and find out later on what the job market has to offer. Many will become professionals in one shape or another. Some may decide to take up a trade, as it may have worked for their Dad or Mum. Some may become entrepreneurs and that status can lead to extreme wealth – or poverty. There are no guarantees there either.
Professional employment refers to a job or occupation which normally requires a degree. Examples are doctor, lawyer, teacher, pharmacist, civil engineer etc.
Non-professional employment refers to a job or occupation which doesn’t normally require a degree. Examples are road sweeper, retail assistant, gardener or a waiter.
It must be noted that many non-professionals can still earn more than professionals particularly if they have a trade such as plumbers, electricians, top chefs or window fitters.
The professional premium will show you the difference in salaries between graduates and non-graduates.
The professional premium is the pay gap between the mean salary for those entering employment in a professional job, and the mean salary for those starting non-professional employment.
It appears the following subject have the highest professional premium when graduates start out.
(Top 15)
Dentistry
Medicine
General Engineering
Economics
Veterinary Medicine
Chemical Engineering
Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering
Physics & Astronomy
Civil Engineering
Mathematics
Building
Computer Science
Social Work
The following subjects have the lowest professional premium and may find friends who did not go to university earning more than them.
(Bottom 15)
Linguistics
Hospitality, Leisure, Recreation & Tourism
Architecture
American Studies
Sports Science
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Psychology
History of Art, Architecture & Design
Drama, Dance & Cinematics
English
Archaeology
Communication & Media Studies
Music
Art & Design
Optometry, Ophthalmology & Orthoptics
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Here is the Graduate Table of Earnings for 2017.
| Subject | 2017 |
| Dentistry | £31,340 |
| Medicine | £30,636 |
| General Engineering | £28,649 |
| Economics | £28,287 |
| Veterinary Medicine | £28,277 |
| Chemical Engineering | £27,734 |
| Electrical & Electronic Engineering | £27,659 |
| Mechanical Engineering | £26,937 |
| Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering | £26,736 |
| Physics & Astronomy | £26,731 |
| Civil Engineering | £26,729 |
| Mathematics | £26,415 |
| Building | £26,304 |
| Computer Science | £25,828 |
| Social Work | £25,111 |
| Land & Property Management | £25,065 |
| Librarianship & Information Management | £24,973 |
| Complementary Medicine | £24,872 |
| Materials Technology | £24,458 |
| Business & Management Studies | £24,437 |
| Middle Eastern & African Studies | £24,195 |
| Russian & East European Languages | £24,191 |
| Politics | £23,959 |
| Accounting & Finance | £23,818 |
| Philosophy | £23,521 |
| Chemistry | £23,427 |
| Town & Country Planning and Landscape Design | £23,269 |
| Medical Technology | £23,080 |
| Iberian Languages | £23,057 |
| Nursing | £23,057 |
| East & South Asian Studies | £22,889 |
| French | £22,782 |
| Physiotherapy | £22,728 |
| Geology | £22,490 |
| History | £22,404 |
| Aural & Oral Sciences | £22,380 |
| German | £22,280 |
| Anatomy & Physiology | £22,210 |
| Food Science | £22,153 |
| Geography & Environmental Science | £22,144 |
| Education | £22,002 |
| Marketing | £21,968 |
| Italian | £21,944 |
| Sociology | £21,869 |
| Classics & Ancient History | £21,863 |
| Biological Sciences | £21,669 |
| Anthropology | £21,471 |
| Agriculture & Forestry | £21,428 |
| Theology & Religious Studies | £21,421 |
| Social Policy | £21,137 |
| Law | £21,135 |
| Linguistics | £21,050 |
| Hospitality, Leisure, Recreation & Tourism | £21,012 |
| Architecture | £21,004 |
| American Studies | £20,645 |
| Sports Science | £20,447 |
| Pharmacology & Pharmacy | £20,370 |
| Psychology | £20,360 |
| History of Art, Architecture & Design | £20,329 |
| Drama, Dance & Cinematics | £20,238 |
| English | £20,186 |
| Archaeology | £20,066 |
| Communication & Media Studies | £20,017 |
| Music | £19,788 |
| Art & Design | £19,746 |
| Optometry, Ophthalmology & Orthoptics | £16,662 |