The CFA Institute 2025 Graduate Outlook Survey has found that salary still stands as the number one factor for UK university students and recent graduates in choosing a career. Pay-packet (70 per cent) far outpaces other benefits offered by employers, well ahead of working from home (41 per cent).
The survey of 1,250 UK-based university graduates aged between 18-25 found that more than a quarter (29 per cent) are anxious about their future career prospects. Reflecting a tough jobs market, graduates are most concerned about competition from peers (20 per cent) and a lack of jobs (18 per cent). These worries are driving graduates to high-paying careers like finance – UK-based graduates ranked finance as the most attractive career choice, ahead of other fields such as STEM, media, and even the tech industry.
While four-fifths (81 per cent) of students are confident in their ability to apply AI-led tools at work after completing their degree, two-thirds (67 per cent) of students are worried that AI could threaten their career ambitions. However, students do believe that understanding this technology will be important to career success – in fact, a third (31 per cent) believe AI skills will give them an edge in the jobs market compared to just a fifth (21 per cent) who think learning a foreign language will do the same.
“Students are all too aware of how difficult the jobs market is right now,” commented Peter Watkins, senior director, University Programs at CFA Institute. “They have a pragmatic outlook, facing the realities of student debt and the high cost of living, so for many, competitive pay is simply the number-one factor when entering the jobs market. The current economic climate is reshaping the entire career landscape for young people, edging them towards higher paying jobs that they perceive as more stable.”
Only a third (31 per cent) of grads believe university grades give them an edge in the jobs market compared to the 56 per cent that say work experience is what gets their foot in the door. This desire for real-world expertise is leading graduates to seek out professional industry qualifications: three-quarters (76 per cent) believe they’ll help them secure higher earnings.
Peter Watkins adds: “There are today 2.9 million people at UK universities, all of whom will be competing against each other for the best roles when they enter the jobs market. Increasingly, students believe academic achievement alone is not enough. Today’s graduates recognise that they need real-world experience as they seek opportunities to differentiate themselves and their CVs from their peers.”
