University graduate outcomes for STEM and other fields

Higher education graduates with undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications report on outcomes after completing their education.

Data insights

Skill use

In 2023, similar proportions of employed women and men undergraduates in each STEM field felt their skills weren’t being fully used in their jobs. The largest difference between genders was in computing and information systems, where 38% of employed men graduates felt they weren’t using their skills, compared to 29% of employed women graduates.

A smaller proportion of STEM graduates in full‑time employment felt their skills were not being used compared to all employed graduates. This suggests graduates who are employed on another basis, such as part-time, are more likely to feel their skills aren’t being used.

From 2022 to 2023, this feeling decreased for employed women graduates in agriculture and environmental studies by 4 percentage points (47% to 43%). For other STEM fields, there was either no change or an increase:

• engineering (24% in 2022 compared to 24% in 2023)
• science and mathematics (57% in 2022 compared to 58% in 2023)
• computing and information systems (26% in 2022 compared to 29% in 2023).

Income

Median full-time income for women STEM graduates remained the same or increased in all undergraduate STEM fields from 2022 to 2023. The largest increases were: 

• engineering ($71,000 in 2022 compared to $75,000 in 2023)
• computing and information systems ($69,000 in 2022 compared to $73,000 in 2023).

Median incomes for men graduates in STEM fields also increased from 2022 to 2023.

In 2022, the median full-time income gaps between men and women undergraduates were small. In 2023 the gaps were larger: 

• for agriculture and environmental studies, the income gap between men and women undergraduates was $4,000 (note income is rounded to the nearest $1,000 in this report)
• for science and mathematics, the income gap between men and women undergraduates was also $4,000
• for computing and information systems, the income gap between men and women undergraduates was $2,000
• for engineering, when rounded to the nearest $1,000, there was no income gap between men and women undergraduates.

The income gaps between men and women STEM graduates become larger in the postgraduate coursework group.

Part-time work and under-employment

In 2023, the proportion of women undergraduates employed part-time was higher than men in each of the STEM fields.

In every year since 2016, women undergraduates employed part-time were equal to or higher than men in each of the STEM fields. The exceptions were engineering in 2016 and 2020 and computing and information systems in 2017 and 2019. 

The proportions of women in some STEM fields who are working part-time and are seeking more hours have decreased over time. The decreases were in:

• engineering, which dropped from 8% in 2021 to 6% in 2022 and 5% in 2023
• agricultural and environmental studies, where the proportion seeking more hours dropped from 21% in 2021 to 14% in 2022 and remained at 14% in 2023. 

About the data

The QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey carried out by Social Research Centre defines underemployment as graduates who were usually or actually in paid employment for fewer than 35 hours per week in the week before the survey, and who would prefer to work a greater number of hours.

Graduates of Australian higher education institutions take the Graduate Outcomes Survey about 4 months after completing their courses. Data shown in this report is for domestic students only.

The survey gives information on labour market outcomes and graduates’ further study. Graduates employed for 35 hours or more per week (who are available for full-time work) are defined as employed full-time. ‘All employed graduates’ includes those employed in any capacity at the time of survey who are available for work. 

Read more about our methodology and this data.