# Opinion: University Degrees Are No Longer Worth It — We Need to Stop Lying to Young People > Students graduate with £60,000 debt for degrees that don't lead to jobs. It's time to admit university is a scam for most people. *Section: Opinion — By Naomi Clarke (Opinion Editor) — Published July 18, 2026 — 8 min read* Canonical URL: https://dailyjunction.org/opinion/opinion-university-degrees-not-worth-it Tags: opinion, university, higher education, student debt, graduate jobs, tuition fees, education, apprenticeships ## Key takeaways - 50% of graduates work in non-graduate jobs 5 years after graduation, earning less than apprentices who started working at 18 with no debt - Average student debt is £60,000 (3-year degree) but most graduates never repay in full — it's a graduate tax, not real debt, but it still limits life choices - Graduate premium (extra earnings from a degree) has collapsed from £10,000/year (2000) to £6,000/year (2024), while debt has tripled from £20,000 to £60,000 - Only STEM, medicine, law, and economics degrees have positive ROI — humanities, arts, and social sciences degrees are financially worthless for most students - Apprenticeships offer better outcomes: earn while you learn, no debt, higher employment rates, and equivalent earnings by age 30 — but only 5% of school leavers take them We have been lying to young people for 30 years. We told them: **"Go to university, get a degree, get a good job."** But the reality is: **50% of graduates work in non-graduate jobs** 5 years after graduation, earning **£25,000–£30,000** — less than plumbers, electricians, or software developers who never went to university and have no debt. Students graduate with **£60,000 debt** (average for a 3-year degree) for degrees that do not lead to jobs. The **graduate premium** (extra earnings from a degree) has collapsed from **£10,000 per year** (2000) to **£6,000 per year** (2024), while debt has **tripled** from £20,000 to £60,000. Only **STEM, medicine, law, and economics degrees** have positive ROI — humanities, arts, and social sciences degrees are **financially worthless** for most students. **Apprenticeships** offer better outcomes: earn while you learn, no debt, higher employment rates, and equivalent earnings by age 30. But only **5% of school leavers** take apprenticeships, because we have created a culture where university is the default and everything else is failure. It is time to stop lying. University is not worth it for most people, and we need to admit it. ## The Numbers: University Is a Bad Investment ### Graduate outcomes (5 years after graduation) **50% of graduates** work in **non-graduate jobs** 5 years after graduation (ONS, 2024): - **Barista** (£22,000 per year) - **Retail assistant** (£23,000 per year) - **Admin assistant** (£25,000 per year) - **Call centre worker** (£24,000 per year) These jobs **do not require a degree**. A 22-year-old graduate with £60,000 debt earns the same as an 18-year-old school leaver with no debt. ### Graduate earnings **Median graduate salary** (5 years after graduation): **£30,000** (IFS, 2024) But this hides huge variation: - **Medicine**: £50,000 - **Economics**: £45,000 - **Engineering**: £40,000 - **Law**: £38,000 - **Computer science**: £35,000 - **Business**: £32,000 - **Social sciences**: £28,000 - **Humanities**: £26,000 - **Arts**: £24,000 **Humanities and arts graduates** earn **less than the national median wage** (£33,000), and less than many non-graduates (plumbers £35,000, electricians £38,000, software developers £40,000). ### The graduate premium The **graduate premium** (extra earnings from a degree) has collapsed: - **2000**: £10,000 per year (graduates earned £10k more than non-graduates) - **2010**: £8,000 per year - **2020**: £7,000 per year - **2024**: £6,000 per year Over a 40-year career, the graduate premium is **£240,000** (£6,000 × 40 years). But student debt is **£60,000**, and most graduates repay **£30,000–£40,000** over 40 years before write-off. So the **net benefit** is **£200,000–£210,000** (£240,000 - £30,000–£40,000 repayments). But this is the **average** — for humanities and arts graduates, the net benefit is **zero or negative**. ### Student debt Average student debt (3-year degree): **£60,000** - **Tuition fees**: £27,750 (£9,250 × 3 years) - **Maintenance loan**: £30,681 (£10,227 × 3 years, maximum for living away from home outside London) - **Interest**: Accrues from day one (3.1% per year, RPI + 0%) Most graduates (**60–70%**) will never repay in full. The average graduate repays **£30,000–£40,000** over 40 years, then **£20,000–£30,000 is written off**. But even though most graduates never repay in full, the debt still affects their lives: - **9% of earnings above £25,000** is deducted automatically (like a tax) - **Limits life choices** (cannot save for a house, start a business, or take a low-paid job they love) - **Psychological burden** (£60,000 debt is stressful, even if it is written off) ## Why University Is No Longer Worth It ### 1. Degree inflation In **1990**, **15% of young people** went to university. In **2024**, **50%** go to university. This has caused **degree inflation** — a degree is now the **minimum requirement** for jobs that previously did not require one (admin, retail management, marketing assistant). But the **supply of graduate jobs** has not kept up with the **supply of graduates**. So 50% of graduates work in non-graduate jobs. ### 2. Low-quality degrees The expansion of higher education has created **low-quality degrees** at **low-quality universities**: - **Media studies** at a former polytechnic - **Sports science** at a low-ranked university - **Business studies** at a university with 30% graduate employment rate These degrees are **financially worthless** — they do not lead to graduate jobs, and they saddle students with £60,000 debt. ### 3. Universities as businesses Universities are **businesses** that maximise revenue by recruiting as many students as possible, regardless of whether the degree is valuable. Universities spend **£1 billion per year on marketing** (glossy brochures, open days, social media ads) to recruit students. They do not care if the degree leads to a job — they care about **bums on seats**. ### 4. The graduate job market is saturated There are **not enough graduate jobs** for 50% of young people. The graduate job market is saturated, so graduates compete for non-graduate jobs, pushing out non-graduates. This is a **zero-sum game** — more graduates does not create more graduate jobs, it just devalues degrees. ### 5. Apprenticeships are better **Apprenticeships** offer better outcomes than university for most people: - **Earn while you learn** (£15,000–£25,000 per year) - **No debt** (employer pays for training) - **Real skills** (on-the-job training, not theory) - **Higher employment rates** (90% of apprentices are employed after completing their apprenticeship) - **Equivalent earnings by age 30** (apprentices earn the same as graduates by age 30, but with no debt) But only **5% of school leavers** take apprenticeships, because we have created a culture where university is the default and everything else is failure. ## The Exceptions: Degrees That Are Worth It Not all degrees are worthless. **STEM, medicine, law, and economics degrees** have positive ROI: ### 1. Medicine - **Median salary**: £50,000 (5 years after graduation) - **Graduate premium**: £20,000 per year (vs non-graduates) - **ROI**: Positive (high earnings justify £60,000 debt) ### 2. Engineering - **Median salary**: £40,000 (5 years after graduation) - **Graduate premium**: £10,000 per year - **ROI**: Positive ### 3. Computer science - **Median salary**: £35,000 (5 years after graduation) - **Graduate premium**: £5,000 per year - **ROI**: Marginal (but software developers can earn £40,000+ without a degree, so the degree is not essential) ### 4. Law - **Median salary**: £38,000 (5 years after graduation) - **Graduate premium**: £8,000 per year - **ROI**: Positive (but only if you become a solicitor or barrister — many law graduates do not) ### 5. Economics - **Median salary**: £45,000 (5 years after graduation) - **Graduate premium**: £15,000 per year - **ROI**: Positive But these degrees are the **exception**, not the rule. Most students study **humanities, arts, or social sciences**, which have **zero or negative ROI**. ## The Alternative: Apprenticeships **Apprenticeships** are a better route for most young people: ### How apprenticeships work - **Age**: 16+ (most start at 18) - **Duration**: 1–4 years (depending on level) - **Pay**: £15,000–£25,000 per year (depending on level and employer) - **Training**: On-the-job training + day release or evening classes - **Qualification**: Level 3 (A-level equivalent), Level 4–5 (foundation degree equivalent), Level 6–7 (degree equivalent) ### Benefits - **Earn while you learn** (£15,000–£25,000 per year) - **No debt** (employer pays for training) - **Real skills** (on-the-job training, not theory) - **Higher employment rates** (90% of apprentices are employed after completing their apprenticeship) - **Equivalent earnings by age 30** (apprentices earn the same as graduates by age 30, but with no debt) ### Examples - **Software developer apprenticeship** (Level 4, 2 years, £20,000–£30,000 per year) — equivalent to a computer science degree, but you earn £40,000–£60,000 over 2 years instead of paying £60,000 debt - **Electrician apprenticeship** (Level 3, 3 years, £15,000–£20,000 per year) — qualified electricians earn £35,000–£40,000 per year with no debt - **Accountancy apprenticeship** (Level 7, 4 years, £20,000–£30,000 per year) — equivalent to an accountancy degree + professional qualification, but you earn £80,000–£120,000 over 4 years instead of paying £60,000 debt ### Why don't more people do apprenticeships? Because we have created a culture where **university is the default** and everything else is failure: - **Schools push university** (league tables reward schools for sending students to university, not apprenticeships) - **Parents push university** (they believe university is the only route to success) - **Employers push university** (they use degrees as a filter, even for jobs that do not require one) Only **5% of school leavers** take apprenticeships, compared to **50% who go to university**. ## The Solution ### 1. Stop pushing 50% of young people into university The **50% target** (introduced by Tony Blair in 1999) was a mistake. Not everyone needs a degree, and pushing 50% of young people into university has created: - **Degree inflation** (degrees are now the minimum requirement for jobs that do not need them) - **Low-quality degrees** (universities recruit students for revenue, not outcomes) - **£60,000 debt** for degrees that do not lead to jobs We should aim for **30–35% university participation** (like Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands), with the rest doing apprenticeships or entering work. ### 2. Promote apprenticeships Apprenticeships should be the **default** for most young people, not the exception. This requires: - **Schools promoting apprenticeships** (not just university) - **Employers offering more apprenticeships** (government incentives, tax breaks) - **Parents accepting apprenticeships** (cultural shift) ### 3. Close low-quality universities Universities with **low graduate employment rates** (under 60%) should be closed or merged. They are **scamming students** by taking £60,000 for degrees that do not lead to jobs. ### 4. Abolish tuition fees for STEM, medicine, and nursing The UK has a **shortage of STEM graduates, doctors, and nurses**. Abolishing tuition fees for these degrees would encourage more students to study them, and it would be a better use of public money than subsidising humanities degrees. ### 5. Introduce vocational degrees Germany has **dual education** (vocational degrees that combine university and work). The UK should introduce similar degrees (e.g., engineering degrees with 2 years in university + 2 years in industry). ## The Bottom Line 50% of graduates work in non-graduate jobs 5 years after graduation, earning less than apprentices who started working at 18 with no debt. Average student debt is £60,000 (3-year degree) but most graduates never repay in full — it's a graduate tax, not real debt, but it still limits life choices. Graduate premium (extra earnings from a degree) has collapsed from £10,000/year (2000) to £6,000/year (2024), while debt has tripled from £20,000 to £60,000. Only STEM, medicine, law, and economics degrees have positive ROI — humanities, arts, and social sciences degrees are financially worthless for most students. Apprenticeships offer better outcomes: earn while you learn, no debt, higher employment rates, and equivalent earnings by age 30 — but only 5% of school leavers take them. We have been lying to young people for 30 years. University is not worth it for most people, and we need to admit it. The 50% target was a mistake, degree inflation has devalued degrees, and low-quality universities are scamming students. Apprenticeships are a better route for most young people, but we have created a culture where university is the default and everything else is failure. It is time to stop lying. We need to promote apprenticeships, close low-quality universities, and stop pushing 50% of young people into £60,000 debt for degrees that do not lead to jobs. ## Frequently asked questions ### Don't graduates earn more than non-graduates? On average yes, but the gap is shrinking. The graduate premium (extra earnings from a degree) has fallen from £10,000/year (2000) to £6,000/year (2024). And 50% of graduates work in non-graduate jobs (barista, retail, admin) earning £25,000-£30,000 — less than plumbers, electricians, or software developers without degrees. The average hides huge variation — STEM/medicine/law graduates earn well, humanities/arts graduates earn poorly. ### Isn't university about more than money? Yes, but we sell it as an economic investment. We tell 18-year-olds 'get a degree to get a good job', then saddle them with £60,000 debt for degrees that don't lead to jobs. If university is about personal growth, fine — but stop pretending it's a career investment. And stop pushing 50% of young people into it when apprenticeships or work would serve them better. ### Won't this create a two-tier system (rich go to university, poor do apprenticeships)? We already have a two-tier system. Rich kids go to Russell Group universities, get internships through family connections, and land graduate jobs. Poor kids go to low-ranked universities, graduate with £60,000 debt, and work in non-graduate jobs. Apprenticeships would give poor kids a better route — earn while you learn, no debt, real skills, and equivalent earnings by 30. ## Sources - [Office for National Statistics — Graduate outcomes](https://www.ons.gov.uk/) - [Institute for Fiscal Studies — University returns](https://ifs.org.uk/) - [HESA — Higher education statistics](https://www.hesa.ac.uk/) - [Sutton Trust — Social mobility research](https://www.suttontrust.com/) --- Daily Junction — https://dailyjunction.org/opinion/opinion-university-degrees-not-worth-it