University | Salary | Employed | Study | Other |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Catholic University | $48,985 | 64% | 13% | 24% |
Australian National University | $55,618 | 49% | 29% | 21% |
Bond University | $49,651 | 55% | 22% | 23% |
Charles Darwin University | $52,063 | 71% | 14% | 15% |
Charles Sturt University | $50,825 | 79% | 6% | 15% |
CQUniversity | $49,919 | 72% | 10% | 17% |
Curtin University | $48,873 | 58% | 14% | 28% |
Deakin University | $47,277 | 54% | 20% | 26% |
Edith Cowan University | $48,062 | 52% | 17% | 31% |
Federation University Australia | $47,753 | 60% | 15% | 26% |
Flinders University | $46,048 | 44% | 20% | 36% |
Griffith University | $47,401 | 49% | 23% | 28% |
James Cook University | $50,998 | 63% | 16% | 21% |
La Trobe University | $46,738 | 51% | 24% | 26% |
Macquarie University | $47,309 | 56% | 20% | 24% |
Monash University | $50,775 | 52% | 26% | 22% |
Murdoch University | $48,345 | 53% | 16% | 31% |
Queensland University of Technology | $47,905 | 59% | 17% | 24% |
RMIT University | $44,116 | 47% | 24% | 29% |
Southern Cross University | $46,657 | 57% | 16% | 27% |
Swinburne University of Technology | $44,345 | 54% | 17% | 29% |
University of Adelaide | $55,507 | 40% | 36% | 24% |
University of Canberra | $50,201 | 58% | 17% | 25% |
University of Divinity | $43,035 | 73% | 17% | 10% |
University of Melbourne | $62,659 | 30% | 53% | 17% |
University of New England | $49,436 | 66% | 15% | 19% |
University of New South Wales | $54,167 | 63% | 18% | 19% |
University of Newcastle | $48,814 | 57% | 17% | 26% |
University of Notre Dame Australia | $53,546 | 71% | 11% | 18% |
University of Queensland | $52,276 | 57% | 22% | 21% |
University of South Australia | $47,051 | 61% | 16% | 23% |
University of Southern Queensland | $51,721 | 73% | 12% | 15% |
University of Sydney | $53,524 | 49% | 30% | 21% |
University of Tasmania | $52,428 | 50% | 27% | 23% |
University of Technology Sydney | $46,634 | 60% | 15% | 25% |
University of the Sunshine Coast | $43,785 | 57% | 12% | 31% |
University of Western Australia | $60,672 | 40% | 38% | 22% |
University of Wollongong | $52,610 | 52% | 28% | 19% |
Victoria University | $47,820 | 48% | 23% | 29% |
Western Sydney University | $47,525 | 45% | 28% | 27% |
Sources
- Graduate Destinations Survey (2013-2015)
- UniCurve modelling
Top Universities for Graduate Salaries
Which are Australia’s best universities for setting up professional careers?
As you might expect, the more prestigious universities perform better. Graduate salaries are higher and more graduates go on to further study. Universities such as Melbourne Uni, UWA and Adelaide Uni are at the top of the pay rankings.
But results do vary.
- Our analysis shows that some “average” universities beat many of the prestigious ones in terms of getting graduates into jobs.
- Online universities (e.g. CDU, USQ) generally do well in terms of graduate outcomes. They benefit from having high percentages of working and/or mature students.
The table shows the salary, employment and study rates of first-time university graduates some months after completing their degrees. Observed salaries been adjusted for unemployment, the potential earning power of students doing further study, and high employment rates among online students.
Graduate Salaries by Subject
Subject | Grad salary (avg) | Top university | Grad salary (uni) |
---|---|---|---|
Dentistry | $68,935 | University of Queensland | $77,853 |
Medicine | $60,445 | University of Western Australia | $66,675 |
Engineering | $56,442 | CQUniversity | $69,430 |
Physio & occupational therapy | $49,730 | University of Notre Dame Australia | $58,487 |
Law | $49,504 | Charles Darwin University | $72,980 |
Nutrition & other health | $48,948 | University of New South Wales | $74,653 |
Computing | $47,179 | University of Melbourne | $61,692 |
Agriculture & environment | $47,110 | University of Melbourne | $51,948 |
Architecture | $46,979 | CQUniversity | $66,835 |
Science | $46,766 | University of Melbourne | $57,774 |
Nursing | $46,272 | University of Adelaide | $52,674 |
Education | $45,869 | Charles Darwin University | $54,635 |
Psychology | $44,386 | University of Canberra | $57,414 |
Business | $44,288 | University of Melbourne | $57,296 |
Social work | $44,256 | CQUniversity | $54,484 |
Humanities & social science | $41,977 | University of Melbourne | $52,141 |
Veterinary science | $41,901 | Murdoch University | $47,911 |
Pharmacy | $39,443 | University of Tasmania | $42,500 |
Communications | $34,514 | University of Western Australia | $45,172 |
Creative arts | $31,041 | University of Canberra | $34,759 |
Sources: Graduate Destinations Survey (2012-2014), UniCurve modelling
The above table shows indicative salaries by subject for students who recently graduated.
The salary estimates account for:
- low salaries of unemployed graduates
- earnings potential of graduates doing further study.
Interpreting Graduate Salary Estimates
The graduate salary estimates show which universities produce with best graduate outcomes. Importantly, the figures control for unobserved earning potential of graduates doing advanced courses. The table uses data from the past 3 Australian Graduate Surveys.
Adjustments
The reported salary amounts are based on the observed median salary of graduates who were working full time at the time of the survey.
Graduate salaries are adjusted for low incomes of unemployed graduates and high earnings potential of graduates doing further studies. Unobserved earning potential is estimated using an economic model that is responsive to pay, study and unemployment rates for the university’s graduate cohort.
- Unemployed graduates are assumed to be welfare dependent.
- Graduates doing post-graduate courses are assumed to have higher earning capacity than those who entered the job market.
For online (external students), a regression-based adjustment is made to compensate for higher employment rates. This is done for overall university stats but not by individual subject. Online students are often mature-students who already have a job and study part-time.
Factors not considered
Significant pay factors for which no adjustments were made are:
- The average ability of the students in a university.
- Job status and age of enrolled students.
- The job market conditions in the city/region where a uni is located.