Most of the universities whose graduates earn more after nine years in the workforce are in NSW and ACT. That suggests it’s more about where the best-paid jobs are than the universities themselves.
Doubling the cost of degrees in the humanities and social sciences has a disproportionate impact on women because they account for two-thirds of the students.
Full-time employment is up, the gender gap has widened, and employers are generally satisfied with the quality of Australian graduates.
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We should keep in mind that education is valuable beyond graduate earning capacity, and that what a student learns during their education can have little to do with why they earn more.
Even with higher fees, higher education will still be worthwhile for most young people.
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Earnings data suggest higher education remains financially attractive for most students, and the small proposed fee increases should not materially affect that.