What do UK graduates actually earn in their first jobs? Salary data by degree subject, employer type, and location — plus how to negotiate your starting offer.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of UK students graduate and face the same question: what should I realistically expect to be paid? The answer varies more than most university careers services will tell you — from under £20,000 in some creative sectors to £50,000+ on graduate schemes at top firms.
The median graduate starting salary in the UK is approximately £27,000–£29,000 across all sectors. But this average is pulled in two directions:
| Degree subject | Typical starting salary |
|---|---|
| Medicine / Dentistry | £32,000–£36,000 (FY1/FY2) |
| Computer Science / Software | £30,000–£45,000 |
| Engineering (all disciplines) | £28,000–£38,000 |
| Economics / Finance | £28,000–£45,000 |
| Law (training contract) | £25,000–£50,000+ |
| Nursing / Allied Health (NHS Band 5) | £28,407 |
| Business / Management | £24,000–£32,000 |
| Teaching (PGCE / QTS) | £30,000+ |
| Psychology | £22,000–£27,000 |
| Architecture (Part 2) | £22,000–£28,000 |
| Arts / Humanities | £20,000–£26,000 |
| Media / Journalism | £18,000–£24,000 |
| Employer type | Typical starting salary |
|---|---|
| Magic Circle law firms | £50,000–£56,000 |
| Investment banking | £45,000–£55,000 |
| Top tech companies (FAANG-adjacent) | £40,000–£55,000 |
| Top consulting firms (MBB, Big Four) | £35,000–£45,000 |
| Big Four accountancy | £30,000–£35,000 |
| FMCG / retail grad schemes | £28,000–£34,000 |
| Civil Service Fast Stream | £30,000+ |
| NHS Graduate Management | £27,948 |
Depends heavily on location. Key figures to know:
Use our take-home pay calculator to see what any graduate salary means in real net terms after tax, National Insurance, and student loan deductions.
Yes — and more people succeed than expect to. Many graduates assume starting salaries are fixed, especially on graduate schemes. They usually aren't. Even a £1,000–£2,000 improvement compounds significantly over your career, because future rises are typically calculated as a percentage of your current salary.
For the full approach, see our salary negotiation guide.
Check your expected salary against real UK data — by role, location, and experience level.
Check Your Salary →The median UK graduate starting salary is approximately £27,000–£29,000. Structured graduate schemes at top employers typically pay £30,000–£55,000.
Medicine, computer science, engineering, and law (via training contracts) consistently produce the highest graduate starting salaries, with some reaching £50,000+.
Yes, generally 15–30% more than equivalent open-market entry-level roles, in addition to structured training and faster progression.
Yes. Most starting salaries are negotiable. Market data, competing offers, and a direct professional ask succeed more often than people expect.