Department for the Economy publishes Higher Education Statistics

The Department for the Economy has published the following statistical bulletin: Destinations of Leavers from UK Higher Education Institutions: Northern Ireland analysis 2015/16.

This statistical bulletin presents findings from the 2015/16 Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey. The survey is carried out approximately six months after the students graduate. This bulletin provides information on Northern Ireland (NI) domiciled students who qualified from UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and all students who qualified from NI HEIs.

Key points

• 78.6% of NI domiciled full-time leavers from UK HEIs were in some sort of employment approximately six months after graduating.
• The mean salary of NI domiciled full-time leavers from UK HEIs in full-time employment was £21,545 in 2015/16, with a median of £21,000.
• Full-time leavers from NI HEIs (78.8%) were more likely to be in employment than leavers from English (73.9%), Scottish (73.3%) and Welsh (72.4%) HEIs.
• The employment rate of full-time leavers from NI HEIs varied depending on subject area studied. The rate was highest for those who studied Medicine & Dentistry (97.3%), Subjects Allied to Medicine (89.4%) or Education (86.9%); and lowest for Physical Sciences (54.2%) and Mathematical Sciences (63.2%).
• 88.1% of NI domiciled full-time leavers from NI HEIs in employment were employed in NI, whereas non-NI domiciled full-time leavers from NI HEIs were more likely to be in employment outside NI (61.7%).

This bulletin and other technical details are available from the DFE Website.

Notes to editors: 

1. The statistics presented in this bulletin are based on data supplied by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). HESA is the official agency for the collection of information on publicly funded Higher Education (HE) institutions in the UK.
2. The HESA data presented in this bulletin relate to students at HE institutions in NI and do not include HE students at FE colleges in NI or GB, or at institutions in the Republic of Ireland.
3. HE students for the purpose of HESA's data collection are those students on courses for which the level of instruction is above that of level 3 of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (for example, courses at the level of Certificate of HE and above).
4. The academic year runs from 1st August to 31st July.
5. For media enquiries, please contact DfE Press Office on 028 9052 9604. Outside office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623974383 and your call will be returned.

Share this page