Apprenticeship vs degree

Apprenticeship route V Degree route

Apprenticeship route

£25K +

Starting salary on completion of an advanced level apprenticeship programme

Source: Rate my apprenticeship

Degree route

£21K-£24K

Starting salary range for UK degree graduates

Source: Save the student

85%

Apprentices stay in full-time employment after finishing their apprenticeship, 65% with the same employer

Source: January 2020 Simply Academy

12%

Graduates remain unemployed a year after completing their degree

Source: July 2021 Evening Standard

321,400

Apprenticeship starts in 2020/2021, with a 6.6% increase in achievements compared to 2019/2020

Source: gov.uk

37.5%

Recent graduates are stuck in a non-graduate level job

Source: Office of National Statistics

£2.7 billion

Government pledge to spend on apprenticeships by 2024/25

Source: January 2022 FE Week

35%

Under-graduates achieved a first in 2019/2020

Source: September 2020 Statista

“We recruit a lot of school leavers on to our apprenticeship programme, but we also offer the opportunity to people already in the business. It offers them the chance to develop and progress their career. Our apprentice’s have that optimism and drive to move things forward and we’ve seen some really exceptional people come through the apprenticeship programme.”

Freya, Project Manager, Network Rail