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UK Performance Indicators in Higher Education 2014/15: Employment of leavers

Indicators for employment of leavers are published today on the HESA website.

The full tables show the indicators for every HE provider in the UK alongside their benchmark. Summary tables showing statistics for the whole UK can be found here.

The statistics are based on the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey which asked leavers from higher education in 2014/15 what they were doing six months after graduation.

Overall, 93.9% of UK domicile full-time first degree leavers were in employment and/or further study six months after graduating. Chart 26 from the UKPIs summary shows that the proportion of leavers entering work or study has increased steadily since the current format DLHE survey was introduced for 2011/12 leavers:

Percentage of UK domiciled full-time first degree leavers in employment and/or further study by academic year

Out of 162 UK higher education providers who conducted the survey, indicators for UK domicile full-time first degree leavers were produced for 151, with an average rate of 94.0% in employment and/or further study. The employment rates for HE providers varied from 83.4% to 100.0%.

The majority of HE providers saw 92-96% of UK domicile full-time first degree leavers enter employment and/or further study. 28 providers achieved an indicator of over 96%. Chart 27 from the UKPIs summary shows the number of HE providers achieving different levels of performance indicator percentage:

Percentage of UK domiciled full-time first degree leavers who are working or studying (or both) 2014/15

The source of these numbers is Table E1a in the UK Performance Indicators for 2014/15, which shows the indicator for each HE provider and their benchmark. This table, and equivalent ones for part-time graduates and other non-degree undergraduates, can be downloaded here.

Notes for Editors

  1. Press enquiries should be directed to:

    Technical enquiries should be directed to:

  2. The Guide to UKPIs explains what the UK Performance Indicators are, and why they are produced.
  3. Percentage calculations in the UK Performance Indicators are based on leavers who completed the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey. Definitions for the employment indicators can be found here.
  4. The UKPI tables include a Benchmark for each HE provider. This is a sector average adjusted for the type of HE provider in question. The benchmarks are not government targets or quotas. See the Guide to UKPIs for more information, or the Benchmarks page for full technical details.
  5. Definitions of the terms used in this press release can be found in PIs Definitions
  6. Information on changes affecting the time series of performance indicator statistics can be found in PIs Data Intelligence
  7. The UK Performance Indicators are defined and specified by the UK Performance Indicators Steering Group (UKPISG).

About the UK Performance Indicators

UK Performance Indicators are a range of statistical indicators intended to offer an objective measure of how a HE provider is performing. They are not 'league tables' and do not attempt to compare all providers against a ‘gold standard’ or against each other. There are indicators for all publicly funded providers in the UK. For more details and FAQ see the Guide to UKPIs

About HESA

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is the recognised source of data on higher education in the UK. Our experts collect, analyse, and disseminate accurate and comprehensive statistical information on all aspects of UK higher education in order to support the strategic aims of our users and enhance the effectiveness of the sector as a whole. We are a charity and a company limited by guarantee. We operate as an independent organisation, working in close partnership with higher education providers, regulators, funders, government departments, policy makers, and other stakeholders.

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