Is an arts degree from Oxbridge useless?

[Whitlandcarm]

I mean something like Archaeology, or History or Anthropology, HPS specialising in Sociology etc

Would it be better to get into a “lesser” university to study something like Economics, Law etc?

Some Oxbridge courses seem to have average grad salaries of as low as £22k. Is there something effecting these figures such as people going into further study, part time work etc?

Have recently known someone with arts from Oxbridge. I can believe the low salary. im not sure by the sounds if it whether an arts degree at Oxbridge us better than something more employable at a lesser uni...
Come to think of it...I know several biology grads from RG unis either being a TA or HCA. Yet the ones who did nursing ( seen as a poorer choice at the time ) are now doing better. And no, the ones I know have not got into do things like medicine, etc. The jobs are not a stop gap.

Sthere was an interesting report a few years back by the sutton trust, which showed, yes there was a slight difference in earning depending on uni - £1000 at best. The real striking difference was when subjects were taken into account. £10,000 difference - more going forward. Even when adding the magic factor of Oxbridge didn't make up for the degree choice.

It very much depends on the job and some jobs will also look at A level grades even when you have your degree as well as marks in each module during your degree (law does that which is why I am telling mine in year 1 they need to realise year 1 is not necessarily a holiday which does not matter depending on what they want to do; one has mentioned law as a possibility - the one doing arts rather than science degree).

Also don't forget lots of people are not after making a lot of money and there is nothing wrong with that at all.

My link above was bad not that it is relevant to the thread really.
www.judiciary.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/siddiqui-full-judgment.pdf

Averages also hide other things. I wonder what spread there is. Is it better to plump for a degree that you are guaranteed a good but not stellar income or one that you might get lucky or be a bar tender?

There are several bits of research that seem to come to more or less the same conclusion. This might be as good as any:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-41693230

It looks at graduate earnings by Institution, Subject, Gender and Background. They all have a varying amount of influence on salary. But, obviously, do not convey job satisfaction.

And no, the very top ranked Universities for earnings are not Oxbridge.

Another point that parents (and their offspring) often forget is that there is a three year stretch between getting in on your excellent A-level results and emerging into that rosy future of remuneration.

While one might not necessarily agree that it is necessary for young people to have a good time, it is still an undeniable fact that some young people end up having such a completely awful time during those 3 years that they try to kill themselves or have complete breakdowns, sometimes damaging their health for years to come and scuppering the rosy future they were trying to achieve.

So while I can see the strength of the argument that it is worth enduring 3 years for the sake of a bright future, I would always add the proviso "only take on what you can cope with" and "don't do yourself an injury".

I agree. Also some of the better paid jobs will require post grad. I have a sibling who was a medic and it is more than 3 years until you have higher earnings and my children who are lawyers have their post grad (1 or 2 years) studying and then further training (whilst being paid) before qualifying. One of my student sons called yesterday and was asking what one of his older siblings earned. I did make the point that for those for whom earnings matter (not everyone by any means) some people picking careers don't realise the differences in income potential through particular choices (his sisters earn 5x his older brother - his older brother has no interest in money so everyone has what they want but I just want them all to make informed choices).

The top ranked universities are very specialist though. Economics and Science. Oxford and Cambridge are so much broader. Is St George's just a medical school? It is comparing apples and pears. I do not think they do Theology and English at Imperial College do they? Or even LSE?

All the top earning degrees are science or maths based. It is interesting to see that all those whinging Doctors are the best paid on graduation.

Many peope will never be suited to careers that involve science and maths. That is why there are so many Law courses. It is seen as a higher earning career without Science and Maths as a requirement. However, RG universities dominate whatever you decide to do in the higher earning stakes.