A cooler market: what the latest Graduate Outcomes data shows
The latest Graduate Outcomes results show the job market has cooled, but opportunities are still out there. By sharing what happened after you graduated, you help build a clearer picture of what life after university really looks like.
The latest Graduate Outcomes results for 2023/24 don’t point to a collapse in opportunities for graduates - but they do show a labour market that’s slowed down:
- The majority of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after finishing their course
- Unemployment has increased slightly by 1%, to around 7%
- Opportunities are still there, but the job market is more competitive and slower than in recent years
This reflects a wider economic slowdown, not a disappearance of graduate jobs.
These figures come from accredited official statistics released by HESA (the Higher Education Statistics Agency, part of Jisc), making them the most trusted picture of what graduates go on to do after higher education.
Why your response matters
These insights only exist because graduates like you share what happened next by taking the survey when invited.
Without your response, we wouldn’t be able to tell this story at all. There would be no clear picture of what today’s graduates are experiencing - and that means less evidence to shape support, improve courses, and respond to the realities of the job market.
The Graduate Outcomes survey is UK’s largest survey of graduates. Every response helps to:
- Show what graduate life really looks like - across all paths
- Ensure universities and colleges can improve support where it’s needed most
- Inform decisions made by employers, policymakers and careers services
- Build a complete picture - not just the loudest or most visible outcomes.
If you’re from the class of 2023/24 you’ve helped make this year’s story possible. Your experience is part of a national picture that helps others understand what graduating today really looks like.
Invited to take the survey?
It takes around 10 minutes to complete - and it genuinely makes a difference. Whether you’re working, studying, still searching or doing something completely different, your response matters.
Explore the data
HESA’s accredited official statistics include high-level national figures and more detailed open data.
To view a selection of statistics in infographic style, visit our survey results page.