Accounting graduates 'earn 40% more'

Graduates who plan to go into accounting jobs can look forward to earning 40 per cent more than their counterparts with arts degrees, new research claims.

A study by the Institute of Education reveals that male graduates with accounting degrees earn 42.15 per cent more than those with arts degrees, while females earn 37.12 per cent more.

In the earning stakes, the figures also place accountants ahead of graduates with medicine, law and engineering degrees.

"Some graduates in highly-valued subjects, such as accountancy, will continue to profit from the amount they spent on their degrees," commented research leader Dr Anna Vignoles.

The study also indicates that graduates make up just under a quarter of the workforce in the UK, compared to five per cent in the 1980s.

In a recent survey by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, 42 per cent of accountants said career progression was the most important factor for their job satisfaction.