Research
HESA’s core mission is to support the advancement of higher education across all nations of the UK through the data it collects, assures and disseminates. We undertake research to advance public knowledge and understanding of UK higher education, and to improve our own outputs in the public interest.
Regional variation in the design and nature of graduate work: a first look
Variability in HESA's 'Fair work' score for the design and nature of work is affected by UK region and whether graduates move for work.
Published 2021-12-07
Graduate Earnings Premia in the UK: Decline and Fall?
How have changes in higher education participation and degree class awards impacted graduate earnings? Investigating the trajectory of the average graduate premium at age 26 in collaboration with the Department of Economics, University of Warwick.
Published 2021-11-23
Using Census data to generate a UK-wide measure of disadvantage
A new UK-wide small-area-based measure of disadvantage is able to pick up deprivation in parts of the country where current area-level measures are less effective.
Published 2021-10-05
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Graduate Outcomes 2018/19
2018/19 Graduate Outcomes data was collected in a year in which unemployment rates rose across society and most travel was prohibited.
Published 2021-07-20
Exploration of statistical weighting in the Graduate Outcomes Survey: technical report
The Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex conclude there is no need to use weighted estimation with Graduate Outcomes data.
Published 2021-07-20
Graduate Outcomes : A statistical measure of the design and nature of work
Investigating the use of data from Graduate Outcomes to measure one aspect of job quality.
Published 2021-06-08
Graduate Outcomes - A Summary of the Year Two SOC Coding Assurance
Summary of Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) coding assurance for the second year of Graduate Outcomes.
Published 2021-04-29
Graduate Outcomes SOC coding – Independent Verification Analysis Report
Comparison of codes returned by the primary coder for Graduate Outcomes with those returned by an independent organisation to validate HESA’s approach to coding.
Published 2021-04-29
Quality matters: The Census and HESA Widening Participation data
Using Census statistics to assess the quality of HESA's parental education and socio-economic classification data.
Published 2021-03-16
Higher education outcomes: How career satisfaction among graduates varies by ethnicity
Black graduates are less likely to report being satisfied with their career relative to White graduates.
Published 2020-09-22
Should we weight? Year one of the Graduate Outcomes survey
Investigation into whether or how results of Graduate Outcomes survey should be weighted in published statistics.
Published 2020-05-21
How does the return to a degree vary by class of award?
Graduates with a first or upper second class degree earn more, relative to non-graduates, than their peers with lower class degrees.
Published 2020-03-10
The return to a degree: New evidence based on the birth cohort studies and the Labour Force Survey
Graduates born in 1990 earned 11% more than non-graduates at age 26, compared to the 19% graduate premium enjoyed by graduates born in 1970.
Published 2019-10-22
Year 0: A foundation for widening participation?
Foundation years could be a useful way to help disadvantaged mature learners return to study.
Published 2019-05-16
Research Update: Part-time data analysis from HESA and CFE Research
Part-time provision for UK undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Published 2018-02-27
Getting rich quick: Is studying economics the key to a high salary?
There is an earnings premium for being based in London’s financial centre, where a considerable proportion of qualified economists work.
Published 2017-11-08