Flinders University tops SA chart for graduate earnings

New tertiary education statistics have revealed which SA graduates earn the best income. Find out which of our four universities came out on top.

Flinders engineering graduates Sharon Prashanth and Georgie Murgatroyd with orthopaedic medical devices at their workplace Austofix in Thebarton. Picture: Tom Huntley

Flinders University has topped the charts in SA for median graduate salaries.

The Federal Education Department’s Graduate Outcomes Survey reveals graduates at the Bedford Park university have a median starting salary of $64,500.

Meanwhile University of South Australia recorded $62,600 followed by Adelaide University ($62,000) and newly-established Torrens University ($52,200).

However, University course offerings may affect the earning potential of graduates from each institution.

Flinders senior deputy vice chancellor Clare Pollock said the data showed a strong result for the university.

“The positive experience of our graduates is reflected in how important they regard their qualification and their preparedness for full time work – 73.5% indicated their qualification was important to their employment and 78.7% said they their studies meant they well or very well prepared for their current full time employment,” Professor Pollock said.

“The quality of the Flinders degree is likewise reflected in the median starting salary – our Flinders graduates are exceptional and sought after.”

An exclusive News Corp Australia analysis of the latest official data on graduate employment reveals that 68.7 per cent of last year’s university graduates found work within four months – down from 72.2 per cent the year before.

Flinders University ranked third in SA for full time employment rates with 63 per cent of graduates gaining full time work.

Pharmacy, medicine, rehabilitation and engineering graduates were most likely to find full time work.

Among pharmacy graduates, 96.4 per cent found full-time work soon after graduating – thanks to paid internships that require students to work for a year to become fully qualified.

More than 80 per cent of last year’s teaching graduates found full-time work within months of leaving uni.

Flinders University has topped the charts in SA for median graduate starting incomes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

And 83 per cent of engineering graduates found full-time work this year, down from 84.8 per cent last year.

Flinders University biomedical engineer graduate Georgie Murgatroyd credited the university’s focus on in-house placements to her success in gaining full time employment at medical device manufacturer Austofix.

“As part of our uni studies we do a five month placement in our third year and I did mine here at Austofix,” Ms Murgatroyd, 22, said.

“Being able to do a five-month full time placement while studying was so useful in being able to make connections in you field.

“You learn so much at placement and it allows you to put the skills you learn at uni into practice.”