Tracking graduate outcomes is crucial to improving the quality of education, and the outcomes of both future students and graduates. In assessing relevance of studies, gender pay gaps and employment outcomes (amongst many other factors), policymakers can bring the voice of graduates to the forefront of evidence-based decisions.

The Graduate Outcomes Survey is a national survey distributed to all graduates of higher education institutions (HEIs), 9 months after graduation. The outputs of this nationwide study focus not solely on future graduates but highlights the current constraints or demands on new graduates. Moreover, in-depth analyses are provided for international graduates and postgraduates, demonstrating the scope and representativeness of this study and more importantly, the far-reaching implications of this study.

Factors explored in this report include employment outcomes, source of employment, location of employment, graduate salaries, relevancy of studies, enrolment on further studies, and much more. These factors are further broken down by factors such as gender, field of study, institute type and level of study.

Executive Summary: 

• The graduate population was 58,136 in 2017 (53% female, 47% male).
• 24% of graduates came from Business, Administration and Law, 16% from Health & Welfare, and 14% from Arts & Humanities.
• 52% graduated from an Honours degree programme, 19% from Masters Taught.
• 78% were in employment (full-time, part-time, due to start) 9 months after graduation.
• Employment prospects were best for Education graduates (93% in employment), followed by Health & Welfare (87%), ICT (82%) and Engineering (82%).
• Arts & Humanities had the lowest proportion of graduates in employment (63%), yet had the highest proportion of graduates in further study (24%).
• The overall weighted mean salary of those working full-time was €33,574.
• Education graduates had the highest salaries, at €38,701. The lowest were Arts & Humanities, at €24,728.