Confirmed: Uni Graduates Are Having a Harder Time Than Ever Finding Full-Time Work

A little more than two-thirds of us find work straight after graduation.

New data released by the Federal Government has unsurprisingly revealed students are taking longer to complete their degrees, and that only 67.5 per cent of graduates can get a job straight out of uni. Compelling stuff.

The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching report on graduate employment showed that of the 32.5 per cent who were still unemployed four months after graduating, 10.7 per cent will remain unemployed four years later.

Some of the lowest reported outcomes for graduate employment were found in the study areas of psychology, creative arts and science and mathematics (surprisingly), while nursing, pharmacy and computing and information systems saw the highest rate of graduate employment.

It also showed that while graduate employment was quite evenly split between males and females, there was another noticeable difference between the genders when it came to pay.

The results highlighted that the gender pay gap between graduates was around $4,000, or seven per cent. While this could be explained by females graduating in fields with lower-paying salaries, the data also showed that females graduating in the same field as their male counterparts were still earning less. Surprise!

Another report released yesterday highlighted that university students are taking longer to complete their degrees. An analysis of students who began their degrees in 2010 showed that 66 per cent had completed their degrees within six years, while a further 11.8 per cent were still studying. 

It also showed that students who undertook study part-time, off-campus, with low ATAR scores, and who come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds or are mature-age are less likely to finish their studies. In fact, a little more than 50 per cent of students with ATARs between 30 and 49 finished their degree within six years. 

The takeaway from all this? It's tough out there being millennial.

Photo: iStock.com/nirat