GeraLearn / Degree salary comparison
Education and teaching vs Psychology: Graduate Salary Compared
Five years after graduating, UK Psychology graduates earn more — a median £28,100 vs £27,400 for Education and teaching. That is £700 more (3%). Real DfE LEO figures, 2022-23 tax year.
Quick answer
Psychology pays more than Education and teaching: a 5-year median of £28,100 versus £27,400 — a £700 (3%) gap. Source: DfE LEO, 2022-23 UK tax year (DfE LEO graduate outcomes).
Earnings compared, side by side
Median gross annual earnings of UK-domiciled first-degree graduates, 2022-23 tax year.
| Measure | Education and teaching | Psychology |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year after graduation | £23,000 | £21,500 |
| Lower quartile (5yr) | £19,700 | £22,300 |
| Median (5yr) | £27,400 | £28,100 |
| Upper quartile (5yr) | £33,600 | £35,000 |
| Rank (of 34 subjects) | #31 | #28 |
| Graduates in cohort | 15,485 | 13,340 |
Ranks are by 5-year median earnings across all 34 DfE CAH level-1 subject groups.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Education and teaching or Psychology pay more after graduation?
- Psychology pays more. Five years after graduation, UK graduates of Psychology earn a median £28,100 versus £27,400 for Education and teaching — a difference of £700 (3% more). Source: DfE LEO, 2022-23 tax year.
- What do Education and teaching graduates earn one and five years after graduating?
- Education and teaching graduates earn a median £23,000 one year after graduation and a median £27,400 five years after — with most earning between £19,700 and £33,600 (lower–upper quartile). That is £4,000 (13%) below the all-subject median of £31,400.
- What do Psychology graduates earn one and five years after graduating?
- Psychology graduates earn a median £21,500 one year after graduation and a median £28,100 five years after — with most earning between £22,300 and £35,000 (lower–upper quartile). That is £3,300 (11%) below the all-subject median of £31,400.
- Where do these graduate-salary figures come from?
- From the Department for Education's LEO (Longitudinal Education Outcomes) release, 2022-23 UK tax year (DfE LEO graduate outcomes). They are median gross annual earnings of UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in sustained employment, measured in the 2022-23 tax year, published under the Open Government Licence. These are medians — half of graduates earned less and half more; subject choice does not guarantee any individual salary.
Data: DfE LEO Graduate Outcomes, 2022-23 UK tax year (DfE LEO graduate outcomes). Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are medians for graduates in sustained employment and do not guarantee individual earnings. A Gera Systems product.