AUSTRALIA: Job type, not university, determines pay

Graduates from prestigious universities do not necessarily acquire higher starting salaries, in comparison to graduates from universities of lower rankings, a new study has found, reports Business News. The study in The Australian Economic Review found it is the type of employment obtained that determines labour market outcomes and remuneration.


The paper, "The Influences of Institution Attended and Field of Study on Graduates' Starting Salaries", used a semi-logarithmic earnings equation to examine if alleged differences across universities are reflected in the labour market outcomes of Australian graduates.

The results indicated minimal effects on starting salary determination associated with attending high ranking universities and fields of study. In comparison with degree type variables which only varied by 12%, employment-related variables had strong effects with starting salaries differing up to 30% across industries and 33% across occupations
Full report on the Business News site