How much does a degree improve your lifetime earnings?

What do you say to an arts graduate? Hamburger and fries, please. It’s an old joke but one that still rings true as students consider the value of a university education. A new survey from the graduate recruitment site Totaljobs.com today suggests that 40 per cent of graduates are still looking for work six months after graduating, whilst a quarter are still unemployed a year later. The news isn’t much for those who manage to bag a job – the latest ONS’ employment figures suggest that nearly half of graduates who have found work are in jobs that don’t require degrees.

But even if the student of today takes the jump into higher education, should they consider how much going to university will affect their earnings over a working lifetime? The OECD reckons a degree is worth at least £100k but there’s a significant disparity between subjects as well as the sex of the students.