Mark Allen, careers consultant at Imperial College London, shares his insights on how this cohort of technology, engineering and maths graduates fared following their graduation
Employer demand for technology, engineering and maths (TEM) graduates remains high. The 2025 World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report highlights the UK's continual demand for data science, fintech engineering, and AI and machine learning skills.1 Engineering UK's 2025 Net zero workforce report summarises the talent required across sectors such as power, transportation and industry for the UK's decarbonisation transformation.2 As a result, TEM graduates face some of the strongest employment opportunities across the UK graduate market.
Graduate destinations
The most recent Graduate Outcomes survey shows strong career prospects for graduates in these subjects. TEM graduates were most likely to secure full-time roles, with civil engineering (76.8%) and electrical and electronic engineering (70.9%) leading the way - and both well above the overall graduate average of 56.4%.
Mathematics graduates had a slightly lower full-time employment rate (55.0%), explained in part by 11.1% pursuing fulltime further study, compared with just 6.6% across all subjects.
Looking at those entering work, TEM graduates were also more likely to secure graduate-level roles, ranging from 81.1% in mathematics to 91.4% in civil engineering, compared with 71.9% overall. However, the picture is more nuanced when unemployment is considered: computer science graduates recorded an unemployment rate of 9.7% and mathematics graduates 7.5%, both higher than the overall graduate rate of 6.2%.
Occupations
Maths graduates moved into a diverse range of industries, with 16.3% entering education, 12.7% moving into legal and accountancy, 9.4% entering IT and telecoms, and 24.5% pursuing roles in business and finance. Over 40% of mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering graduates entered manufacturing, while more than 25% worked in construction, engineering, and R&D.
Graduates in architecture and building, as well as civil engineering, predominantly worked construction, engineering, and R&D, with 66.3% and 75.7% respectively. Meanwhile, 63.4% of computer science graduates worked in IT related occupations spread across many sectors.
Despite strong demand for engineers, technologists, and mathematicians, a significant gender disparity persists, with women comprising only 16% of respondents.
Graduate salaries
Salaries varied widely, from £25,789 to £40,414 for computer science graduates and £25,289 to £33,495 for those in architecture and building. Among maths graduates with no further study, men earned £35,373 on average and women £34,049. For those continuing to postgraduate study, men earned £37,413 versus £31,939 for women. These figures highlight ongoing gender pay disparities, showing that despite strong outcomes in some areas, challenges around equality in graduate earnings persist.
Further study
Maths graduates (11.1%) were the most likely to pursue further study, followed by chemical engineering (7.1%) and mechanical engineering (6.0%). A Masters was the most common choice for TEM graduates (39.2%), slightly below the overall average of 44.9%, while progression to a Doctorate exceeded the national average of 9.3%, particularly in chemical engineering (34.5%) and mechanical engineering (21.5%). Doctorate numbers remain low in architecture (2.5%) and civil engineering (7.9%), likely reflecting the emphasis on practical experience and professional accreditation in these fields.
Levels of TEM graduates pursuing professional qualifications were all higher than the 22% average, especially in civil engineering (35.7%), architecture (34.4%), and computer science (33.4%).
Despite strong demand for engineers, technologists, and mathematicians, a significant gender disparity persists, with women comprising only 16% of respondents. Programmes such as the Athena Swan Charter, and Women into Science and Engineering (WISE) are essential for broadening participation to utilise this underused group and to meet the demand for TEM skills.
Notes
- The Future of Jobs Report 2025, World Economic Forum, 2025.
- Net zero workforce, EngineeringUK, 2025.
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