Revealed: The non-Russell Group unis you need to study at to earn more than Oxbridge grads

Russell Group universities are forever being hyped up, despite you probably not even knowing what the Russell Group is. Spoiler alert: It’s named after a hotel, not a man named Russell, and it’s actually self-selecting meaning any uni could join it. Nevertheless, Russell Group unis are known as the best in the country, they’re prestigious, and the ones your parents forced you to apply for. But does going to a Russell Group automatically guarantee you the better dosh when you leave uni?

Well, according to new data analysed by The Telegraph, the answer is no, sorry. The data found a large number of degrees, and non-Russell Group unis which only need Cs at A-Level to get in are getting the same grades, if not better than grads of Oxbridge and the Russell Group.

So these are the non-Russell Group universities where grads are earning more than Oxbridge graduates:

University of Birkbeck

Normally studying your degree at Oxbridge can double your salary, but not for a number of subjects at The University of Birkbeck in London. The most extreme of these is economics where average earnings for grads five years after graduating are £55,100, the exact same as University of Oxbridge grads. But whereas students can get into Birkbeck with three Cs at A-Level, you need A*AA to study economics at Oxford.

Also, just five per cent of students who apply to study economics at Oxford tend to be accepted, whereas Birkbeck has an acceptance rate of 86 per cent. The economics course at Birkbeck also has a much higher grad salary than other Russell Groups such as Bristol, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Manchester

Anglia Ruskin University

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Anglia Ruskin might share a city with The University of Cambridge, but it turns out its grads can be earning more than the prestigious uni in some subjects. For its architecture, building and planning course, grads earn an average of £49,300 five years after graduating which is £12,400 more than Cambridge grads of the same course. Yikes! Again, students need A*AA to study this at Cambridge but only BBC at Anglia Ruskin.

University of Dundee

I couldn’t tell you a thing about The University of Dundee, but its medicine grads are actually earning way more than Oxford’s five years after graduating. At Dundee, grads have an average salary of £46,000 within five years of leaving uni, but at one of the best universities in the world, Oxford, this is £4,800 less at £41,200. That’s a little bit embarrassing, isn’t it!

Bournemouth University

Bournemouth University is the highest-earning uni for art and design grads. Far topping The University of Oxford, three years after graduating, students are earning an average of £26,300 and in five years it increases to £31,000. The figures are very similar for Brunel University London. But at Oxford, art grads only earn an average of £21,200 two years after graduating and £23,000 after five years. This makes The University of Oxford the 33rd-ranked uni for highest earners in art and design.

Open University

The Open University allows students to study for degrees remotely, part-time and a lot cheaper than regular uni. It also means people can study degrees without any formal qualifications. To apply for its engineering course, only “some knowledge of mathematics, an interest in technology” and basic English skills are needed.

But engineering grads from The Open University are making more than engineering grads from the University of Oxford, as well as the majority of Russell Groups. After five years, the average salary of an Open University Engineering grad is £47,100, compared to £46,700 at The University of Oxford.

University of Surrey

Another non-Russell Group, The University of Surrey ranks higher than The University of Oxford for language degrees. Requiring BBB at A-Level, compared to Oxford’s straight As, Surrey grads earn an average of £38,000 five years after graduating compared to £37,200 at Oxford. In languages, Surrey also beats most other Russell Group unis such as Bristol, UCL, Exeter, King’s and Edinburgh for grad earnings.

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