GeraLearn / Degree salary comparison
Medicine and dentistry vs Law: Graduate Salary Compared
Five years after graduating, UK Medicine and dentistry graduates earn more — a median £53,300 vs £32,100 for Law. That is £21,200 more (66%). Real DfE LEO figures, 2022-23 tax year.
Quick answer
Medicine and dentistry pays more than Law: a 5-year median of £53,300 versus £32,100 — a £21,200 (66%) 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 | Medicine and dentistry | Law |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year after graduation | £40,200 | £23,000 |
| Lower quartile (5yr) | £46,400 | £24,500 |
| Median (5yr) | £53,300 | £32,100 |
| Upper quartile (5yr) | £61,700 | £46,000 |
| Rank (of 34 subjects) | #1 | #18 |
| Graduates in cohort | 6,955 | 11,270 |
Ranks are by 5-year median earnings across all 34 DfE CAH level-1 subject groups.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Medicine and dentistry or Law pay more after graduation?
- Medicine and dentistry pays more. Five years after graduation, UK graduates of Medicine and dentistry earn a median £53,300 versus £32,100 for Law — a difference of £21,200 (66% more). Source: DfE LEO, 2022-23 tax year.
- What do Medicine and dentistry graduates earn one and five years after graduating?
- Medicine and dentistry graduates earn a median £40,200 one year after graduation and a median £53,300 five years after — with most earning between £46,400 and £61,700 (lower–upper quartile). That is £21,900 (70%) above the all-subject median of £31,400.
- What do Law graduates earn one and five years after graduating?
- Law graduates earn a median £23,000 one year after graduation and a median £32,100 five years after — with most earning between £24,500 and £46,000 (lower–upper quartile). That is £700 (2%) above 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.
Related comparisons
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.