Social Science Graduates More Likely to be Employed

A new UK study by Campaign for Social Science shows that social science graduates are more likely to be in paid employment than arts or science graduates.

Using data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the study tracked the career paths of more than 62,000 recent graduates, three and a half years after they left university in 2009.

The study finds that 84.2% of social science graduates were employed three years after graduating, compared with 79% of arts and humanities graduates and 78% of science graduates.

Social science degrees equip graduates with analysis, interpretation and communication skills, which are highly valued by employers.

Social science graduates were twice as likely to be managers and senior officials in comparison to science graduates (7.6% vs 3.6%), and slightly more likely to be in these roles than arts and humanities graduates (6.2%).

Prof James Wilsdon, chairman of the campaign, says:

“The idea that social science graduates work solely as social workers or teachers is shown to be unfounded… It’s time to banish any lingering myths about the value of a social science degree… Our report shows that employers in the public and private sectors are queuing up to hire social science graduates.”