How it works
The methodology behind the numbers
What this tool does
Worth It? lets you pick from 162 subjects and see every UK university ranked by net lifetime return — how much more (or less) you'd earn with that degree versus skipping university, after subtracting the full cost of your student loan. Expand any university to see salary charts, loan repayment breakdowns, and pathway comparisons including apprenticeships. All figures are built on real government salary data linked to HMRC tax records, and every result can be shared with anyone.
Data sources
LEO — Longitudinal Education Outcomes
Graduate earnings data from the Department for Education, linked to HMRC tax records. Provides median PAYE earnings at 1, 3, and 5 years after graduation, broken down by university and subject.
FEO — Further Education Outcomes
Apprenticeship and post-16 education earnings data, used for the non-graduate counterfactual and degree apprenticeship comparisons.
ONS CPIH
Consumer Prices Index including Housing costs, used to adjust all figures to January 2026 prices so comparisons are fair.
Earnings model
Graduate trajectory
Observed LEO earnings at years 1, 3, and 5 after graduation are used directly. Year 10 earnings are projected. From year 10 to age 31, earnings are held flat (bridging period). After that, growth bands apply: +1.5% ages 32–41, +1% ages 42–51, +0.5% ages 52–67. An institution premium adjusts earnings based on how much a specific university's graduates out- or under-earn the national median for that subject.
Non-graduate counterfactual
Uses LEO Post-16 earnings data for ages 18–31, then +1% growth ages 32–40 and flat earnings from 41–67. This models what you'd likely earn if you entered the workforce at 18 instead of going to university.
Student loan model
Plan 5
Tuition: £9,535/yr
Threshold: £25,000
Real interest: 0%
Term: 40 years
Repayment: 9% above threshold
Plan 2
Tuition: £9,250/yr
Threshold: £29,385
Real interest: ~1.5%
Term: 30 years
Repayment: 9% above threshold
Maintenance loan is calculated based on household income using the official taper. Plan 5 debt holds its value but doesn't grow in real terms. Plan 2 debt grows above inflation, so you can end up repaying more than you borrowed.
Pathway comparisons
Each result shows four lifetime earnings pathways side by side, from age 18 to 67:
- ·Degree — graduate earnings minus student loan costs
- ·L6 apprenticeship — earn while training, no student debt
- ·Non-graduate — entering the workforce at 18
- ·Minimum wage — £24,785/year baseline
When an L6 apprenticeship could earn 85% or more of the degree pathway, the tool highlights this as a strong alternative — you'd reach a similar outcome without taking on student debt. All figures are gross earnings in January 2026 prices.
Data transparency
Every result shows a data quality indicator so you know how specific the earnings figures are:
Provider-level — earnings data specific to that university and subject combination
Partial provider — some years use provider-level data, gaps filled with national averages
National only — no publishable provider data for that combination; uses national medians
When data is limited, the tool suggests related subjects and other universities where provider-level data is available.
Assumptions & limitations
- ·All figures in January 2026 prices (CPIH-adjusted)
- ·PAYE employment earnings only — excludes self-employment income
- ·Assumes a 3-year undergraduate course starting at age 18
- ·Career modelled from age 18 to 67 (state pension age)
- ·Uses median earnings — your outcome may differ significantly
- ·Covers 348 universities and 162 subjects, with provider-level data for around 3,100 combinations
- ·No adjustment for regional cost of living differences
- ·This is not financial advice — it's a modelling tool to help you think