Federation University Australia graduates have consistently recorded above the national average for overall employment and median salary, Federation University Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett says, following the release of the 2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey on Friday.

The survey reveals 78.3 per cent of Federation University undergraduates are employed, above the national average of 72.9 per cent. 

Data shows the median salary of Federation University graduates is $62,000, above the national average of $61,000. 

The university ranked top of all Australian universities for employability satisfaction in the 2018 Employer Satisfaction Survey at a rate of 91 per cent. 

Professor Bartlett said the ‘excellent’ results were also beneficial to regional economies. 

“Most of our students stay and work in the regions where they studied, contributing to the local economy,” she said. 

“In total, 68 per cent of bachelor level and 63 per cent of postgraduate level FedUni graduates will go on to work in our regional areas.

“The University also raises real wages across its campus regions by an average of 1.8 per cent due to the highly skilled graduates entering the workforce and the staff FedUni employs.”

EARLIER, SATURDAY 12th:

Employer satisfaction with university graduates has hit its highest level ever according to new survey results, but satisfaction with Federation University graduates has recorded below average rates. 

The 2018 Employer Satisfaction Survey released on Friday reveals overall satisfaction with graduates as rated by their supervisors is 85 per cent, while overall satisfaction with Federation University graduates is 79.1 per cent. 

The Federation University overall satisfaction rate is the fourth lowest recorded of all Australian universities, followed by University of Southern Queensland, Edith Cowan University and Torrens University.

Universities Australia’s acting chief executive Anne-Marie Lansdown said the survey’s overall strong results show university education continues to be a great investment.

“As tens of thousands of students receive offers this week, they can rest assured that a university education will pay dividends — both professionally and personally,” she said.

While Federation University received a low ranking for employer satisfaction rates, a separate 2018 Graduate Outcomes Survey shows a high rate of Federation University undergraduates gain employment immediately after graduating. 

The survey reveals 89.5 per cent of Federation University undergraduates are employed, while 78.3 per cent are employed full time. 

Federation University is ranked 10th of all Australian universities for employment after graduation, with Charles Sturt University, Charles Darwin University and the University of Sydney topping the list. 

Overall in 2018, pharmacy, medicine, rehabilitation and dentistry undergraduates had the highest rates of full-time employment.

Meanwhile, study areas with the lowest rates of full-time employment in 2018 were creative arts, tourism, hospitality, personal services, sport and recreation, communications, humanities, culture and social sciences and, psychology which had full-time employment rates of 52.2 per cent, 59.6 per cent, 60.5 per cent, 64.3 per cent and 64.5 per cent respectively. 

Ms Lansdown said graduate employment rates and their salaries have climbed since the global financial crisis. 

Graduate Outcomes results show Federation University undergraduates working full time earn an above average salary of $62,000, compared to the median average of $61,000. 

The release of the surveys comes as hundreds of Ballarat year 12 graduates are waiting to receive round one university offers on January 16.

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