Ratings explained: Starting Salary

The Good Universities Guide is committed to educating its audience about the importance of our university rankings and ratings, which are crucial for informing prospective students about their education options. Over the next few months, we will be going through each rating individually and highlighting the institutions that are excelling in this area.

What is Starting Salary?

The Starting Salary rating compares the median salary of graduates from different universities four months after finishing.

Why does this matter to me?

For many students, securing a decent pay cheque straight out of university is at the top of their wish list, so being able to identify institutions that traditionally deliver on this front is very important.

Which university led the way for Starting Salary?

The University of Southern Queensland was the number one ranked institution for Starting Salary ($63,800), with Vice Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie providing an explanation for the university's strong performance.

"USQ does tend to specialise in degrees like law, accounting, engineering – which typically lead to jobs that pay well straight out of university. It's also important to note that the practical nature of degrees at USQ, whether it be paramedicine, education or nursing, involve responding to the economic needs of the community," she said.

"The economies of Toowoomba, Ipswich and Springfield are all booming and there is a reciprocal relationship between these regions and the USQ graduates that service the community – the university is critical to the socio-economic status of its regions."

What other institutions performed well for Starting Salary?