Study reveals IT has topped the list of industries with the highest graduate salaries, and engineering offers the best work perks.  

IT tops the tables for graduate salaries, with recruits being paid an average of £28,765 in their first role, while students who study architecture, building and planning can expect the best work perks.

When examining benefits packages on an industry level, engineering, business and finance offer fresh-faced graduates a great working environment, with added benefits such as company cars, bonus schemes, fast career progression and development opportunities. Creative arts and education, on the other hand, offer minimal incentives.

The study, by training specialists Pareto Law, analyses the top 10 industries for graduate employment, and 300 jobs listed on Indeed.co.uk within those areas, to determine which degrees offer the best packages for new graduates hoping to kick start their careers.

According to the study, graduates heading into creative fields such as design and marketing can expect to be paid less than any of the other industries included in the research, starting on an average of £19,525 per annum.

As part of the research, Pareto Law has created a map infographic, visualising which industries invest the most in graduate talent on a regional level.

When examining what skills employers are looking for, strong communication and interpersonal skills are cited most often, along with other soft skills such as confidence, passion and conflict resolution. Unsurprisingly, IT skills are also a firm favourite across all 10 industries, showing that digital expertise is now a prerequisite of landing a graduate job.

Graduate jobs advertised within the engineering and technology industries listed the most required skills, while roles within education outlined the fewest skills and benefits.

The research looked at industries on a regional level to determine where the demand for certain jobs is most prominent. The data revealed that Yorkshire and the Humber is in need of more education graduates, whereas the East Midlands offers a greater number of roles for creative arts graduates. The West Midlands is currently lacking in architecture, building and planning graduates, and Greater London is a hotspot for people graduating in technology-related fields.

The majority of industries researched required a relevant degree or qualifications, with the exception of banking and finance, which specifies graduates need to be numerically minded, but don’t need to hold a relevant degree.

Top five industries based on salary:

1)    IT – £28,765

2)    Education – £27,741

3)    Engineering & technology – £26,861

4)    Healthcare – £25,602

5)    Manufacturing – £25,313

Top five industries based on work perks:

1)    Engineering & technology – Bonus scheme, travel opportunities, fast career progression, training & mentoring, social events, share scheme

2)    Business – Company car, fast career progression, training & mentoring, social events, mobile phone

3)    Science – fast career progression, flexible working, bonus scheme, medical insurance, training & development opportunities

4)    Manufacturing – Relocation bonus, travel opportunities, training & development opportunities, medical cover, pension

5)    Banking & finance – Bonus scheme, childcare vouchers, discounts, medical cover, qualification opportunities, pension

Jonathan Fitchew, CEO and Founder of Pareto Law commented on the study: “We wanted to discover which industries are investing most in graduate talent based on salaries, benefits packages and development opportunities.

“Fields such as engineering provide promising opportunities for graduates to progress further, whereas IT and degrees associated with computer science offer attractive salaries.

“When examining what skills employers are looking for on an industry level, it became apparent soft skills associated with communication are needed across all industries, with strong communication skills and problem solving abilities cited most frequently.

“With the graduates of today being the first digital natives, developing their interpersonal skills will only strengthen their employability”