Graduate jobs failing to justify debt

Over a third of students are doing “non-graduate work” according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), such that they are saddled in low paid jobs with a mountain of debt from their studies.

“With increasing levels of student debt and the rising cost of top-up fees, more students entering higher education will want to see a financial benefit at the end of it,” said NUS vice-president, Wes Streeting.

Students are currently graduating with an average of £18,000 of debt but this is set to rise even further once top-up fees are introduced this September.

Yet these new figures show that many are likely to struggle to find a way to repay this amount once they find a job.

“These figures will worry students and make them think again about whether they want to take on that debt,” added Mr Streeting.