With AI so capable, does a university degree in high-demand fields still deliver strong financial returns?
UK graduates earn a median £33,000 five years after finishing, £100,000 more over a lifetime than similar non-graduates on average, though one in four see negative returns and the wage premium has declined since 2010. In high-demand areas like computer science, medicine and engineering, starting salaries often exceed £40,000 with lower unemployment, yet recent Census data shows AI-exposed majors face 5 percentage point lower initial employment and 13% lower earnings, comparable to recession impacts. Public sentiment has shifted, with 34% now viewing a degree as not worth the time and money, up sharply from 2005.
1 Opinion
High demand fields will just change to the ones AI cannot deliver in