Business
Most Employable Degrees
Published by Gbaf News
Posted on August 16, 2018
7 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Gbaf News
Posted on August 16, 2018
7 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
As if choosing the perfect degree wasn’t already enough of a challenge, the ultra-competitive UK job market means students also need to seriously consider whether their chosen qualification has enough of a demand to lead to actual job opportunities. Fresh Student Living have looked into the ten most employable degrees and the sectors they fall into.
In 2017, 14 million graduates entered the job market. These are the degrees most likely to land them a job in 2018.
| Degree/Course | Rate of Employability |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 99% of all medicine and dentistry students land a job within six months of leaving uni. |
| Veterinary Science | This degree holds its own in the employment stakes with 98% of graduates finding work within six months after graduating. |
| Subjects Allied to Medicine | These degrees are not only some of the most popular, but also have an employability rate of 95% within six months of graduating. |
| Architecture, Building & Planning | When it comes to graduate prospects, 90% of students find employment within six months of graduating.
|
| Education | 90% of all teaching graduates land a job within six months of graduating as there is always a need for teachers. |
| Engineering | Another sought-after degree, graduates can look forward to employment rates of 85% within six months of graduating. |
| Computer Science | A computer science degree means a broad and diverse job market, including programming, virtual reality and even AI. Huge demand for these roles results in a success rate of 80% within six months of graduating. |
| Mathematical Sciences | Maths graduates are highly employable, especially in the IT or finance sectors. Graduates with this degree can enjoy an employability rate of 79%. |
| Business and Administrative Studies | 75% of graduates with this versatile degree are in full-time employment within six months of graduation. |
| Law | Students with law degrees are quickly snapped up with an employment rate of 74% within six months of graduation. |
Most and Least Popular Degrees
According to research, female students are more likely to select medical-related subjects while male students prefer business degrees. The most popular undergraduate degree among female students in the UK in 2016/17 were those allied to medicine, while the most popular subjects for male students were business and administrative studies. Conversely, the least popular degree for both male and female students was veterinary science.
Most Valuable Degrees
Whilst having a degree gives a boost to career success, these are the jobs that are likely to earn you the most money after graduating:
Graduate Schemes
There are plenty of graduate schemes offered across a wide range of career paths, affording students with lots of options when it comes to choosing an employer.
Graduate schemes combine working and training and are offered mostly by large employers. Many of the most prolific companies offer graduate schemes, including:
Marketing, Media, Mobile and Hospitality – BBC, Virgin Media, Sky
Finance – Barclays, HSBC, and the Lloyds Banking Group
Retail – Boots, Next, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis
IT and Telecommunications – Google, Microsoft, BT and EE
How Social Media Can Help
More companies are using social media to screen potential employees as well as connect with them.
According to studies, 70% of employers use social media to screen job candidates before hiring. This is up from 60% in 2016 and 11% in 2006. It is a good idea for students to consider their ‘personal brand’ and how it may influence their career and employment prospects.
In addition to this, 50% of candidates use social media to research companies, while another 48% of candidates actually used social media to search for their most recent job.
A good tip is to check social media as many employers take to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to share helpful and informal advice with candidates about all stages of the selection process.
About Fresh Student Living
Fresh Student Living is a leading provider of student accommodation offering homes to over 16,000 students in more than 50 towns and cities across the UK. Their philosophy revolves around creating quality student homes as unique as the people who live in them and has resulted in 90% of students rating their time with Fresh Student Living as very satisfied or satisfied.
As if choosing the perfect degree wasn’t already enough of a challenge, the ultra-competitive UK job market means students also need to seriously consider whether their chosen qualification has enough of a demand to lead to actual job opportunities. Fresh Student Living have looked into the ten most employable degrees and the sectors they fall into.
In 2017, 14 million graduates entered the job market. These are the degrees most likely to land them a job in 2018.
| Degree/Course | Rate of Employability |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 99% of all medicine and dentistry students land a job within six months of leaving uni. |
| Veterinary Science | This degree holds its own in the employment stakes with 98% of graduates finding work within six months after graduating. |
| Subjects Allied to Medicine | These degrees are not only some of the most popular, but also have an employability rate of 95% within six months of graduating. |
| Architecture, Building & Planning | When it comes to graduate prospects, 90% of students find employment within six months of graduating.
|
| Education | 90% of all teaching graduates land a job within six months of graduating as there is always a need for teachers. |
| Engineering | Another sought-after degree, graduates can look forward to employment rates of 85% within six months of graduating. |
| Computer Science | A computer science degree means a broad and diverse job market, including programming, virtual reality and even AI. Huge demand for these roles results in a success rate of 80% within six months of graduating. |
| Mathematical Sciences | Maths graduates are highly employable, especially in the IT or finance sectors. Graduates with this degree can enjoy an employability rate of 79%. |
| Business and Administrative Studies | 75% of graduates with this versatile degree are in full-time employment within six months of graduation. |
| Law | Students with law degrees are quickly snapped up with an employment rate of 74% within six months of graduation. |
Most and Least Popular Degrees
According to research, female students are more likely to select medical-related subjects while male students prefer business degrees. The most popular undergraduate degree among female students in the UK in 2016/17 were those allied to medicine, while the most popular subjects for male students were business and administrative studies. Conversely, the least popular degree for both male and female students was veterinary science.
Most Valuable Degrees
Whilst having a degree gives a boost to career success, these are the jobs that are likely to earn you the most money after graduating:
Graduate Schemes
There are plenty of graduate schemes offered across a wide range of career paths, affording students with lots of options when it comes to choosing an employer.
Graduate schemes combine working and training and are offered mostly by large employers. Many of the most prolific companies offer graduate schemes, including:
Marketing, Media, Mobile and Hospitality – BBC, Virgin Media, Sky
Finance – Barclays, HSBC, and the Lloyds Banking Group
Retail – Boots, Next, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis
IT and Telecommunications – Google, Microsoft, BT and EE
How Social Media Can Help
More companies are using social media to screen potential employees as well as connect with them.
According to studies, 70% of employers use social media to screen job candidates before hiring. This is up from 60% in 2016 and 11% in 2006. It is a good idea for students to consider their ‘personal brand’ and how it may influence their career and employment prospects.
In addition to this, 50% of candidates use social media to research companies, while another 48% of candidates actually used social media to search for their most recent job.
A good tip is to check social media as many employers take to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to share helpful and informal advice with candidates about all stages of the selection process.
About Fresh Student Living
Fresh Student Living is a leading provider of student accommodation offering homes to over 16,000 students in more than 50 towns and cities across the UK. Their philosophy revolves around creating quality student homes as unique as the people who live in them and has resulted in 90% of students rating their time with Fresh Student Living as very satisfied or satisfied.
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