- 79% of Veterinary Sciences graduates enter full-time employment after their degree
- Medicine and Dentistry degrees see 71% of graduates in full-time employment
- The least employable degrees are in Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, with only 43% of graduates entering full-time employment
New research has revealed that Veterinary Sciences is the most employable degree in the UK.
The team of professional essay writers at EssayPro have analysed data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) to find out which degrees have the highest employability percentage. The data used is from the 2019/2020 graduate outcomes survey as this is the most recent data available.
The UK national average is 57% of graduates in full-time employment after receiving their degree.
Blog author Adam J at EssayPro commented on the findings:
“Going to university is far more common now than it used to be. Students can choose to study many subjects but not all are considered useful in today’s job market.
“Medicine and education-related degrees are well-known to improve a candidate’s chance at landing a job offer, but it is surprising to see agriculture and architecture ranking higher than law and mathematical sciences; indicating a shift towards more physical jobs and traditionally ‘blue collar’ work rather than office jobs.
“Due to technological advancements in the world of work, it’s also not surprising to see engineering and computing among the top ten. It will be important to see the impact of A.I and robotics in the future and see if these rankings will change.”
The top ten most employable degrees in the UK are:
Veterinary sciences – 79% in full-time employment
Graduates of veterinary sciences build skills such as data analysis, communication, and problem-solving in their day-to-day work. These skills are not only essential in veterinary practice but are helpful in other fields of work, such as customer service positions or an office setting.
Medicine and dentistry – 71% in full-time employment
These graduates are used to a high-pressure environment where they must make quick decisions and be able to make diagnoses using the knowledge they have gained. The NHS and private sector medical practice are some of the most in-demand jobs in the UK, so graduates can often gain placements easily after graduation.
Education and teaching – 69% in full-time employment
Graduates in education related degrees show skills such as organisation, teamwork, and time management. Although these are essential in school settings, these skills are also transferable to many other sectors, including mid-level office work. Graduates are also able to enter private tutoring services or set up their own tutoring businesses.
Architecture, building, and planning – 67% in full-time employment
With a keen eye for detail and accuracy, graduates in this field can use their skills to give them an edge in applying for roles in the public sector as well as private businesses. Graduates also build communication and critical thinking skills during their degree which are transferable to most other sectors.
Subjects allied to medicine – 66% in full-time employment
Similarly to a medical degree, this field can include skills such as analysing formulae and data, communicating scientific principles in a straightforward way, and general people skills.
Rank |
Subject area of degree |
Full-time employment |
Part-time employment |
Employment and further study |
Unemployed |
1 |
Veterinary sciences |
79% |
5% |
8% |
1% |
2 |
Medicine and dentistry |
71% |
6% |
11% |
2% |
3 |
Education and teaching |
69% |
10% |
8% |
3% |
4 |
Architecture, building and planning |
67% |
8% |
10% |
3% |
5 |
Subjects allied to medicine |
66% |
10% |
9% |
2% |
6 |
Engineering and technology |
63% |
5% |
10% |
6% |
7 |
Computing |
61% |
10% |
9% |
7% |
8 |
Business and management |
60% |
9% |
10% |
6% |
9 |
Geography, earth and environmental studies (social sciences) |
57% |
8% |
11% |
5% |
10 |
Agriculture, food and related studies |
56% |
14% |
9% |
4% |
Engineering and technology – 63% in full-time employment
With the rise of robotics in manufacturing, graduates in this field may become more employable as time goes on. With skills such as designing and building along with innovative and creative thinking, large manufacturing companies will be looking to make use of the specific industry skills and technical knowledge that these graduates hold.
Computing – 61% in full-time employment
The internet has become a key part of many companies’ overall business plans over the last decade. Graduates who can demonstrate programming and analytics skills will be in demand as businesses fine-tune their online presence.
Rounding out the top ten are, Business and management, with 60% in full-time employment, followed by Geography, earth and environmental studies which have 57% of graduates in full-time employment, and finally Agriculture, food and related studies, with 56% in full-time employment.
On the other end of the scale, the least employable degrees in the UK are in Historical, philosophical, and religious studies, with 43% of graduates in full-time employment. This is followed by Design, creative and performing arts, and Language studies, with 44% of graduates in full-time employment.
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