These are the degrees in the UK with the best prospects for 2023

Intending to grant students a peek at their potential futures, education platform Preply investigate what qualifications in the UK have the best prospects by scoring popularity, demand and salary.

• Ranking with the best overall prospects is the Finance, Accounting and Business group, with the most jobs available, best flexibility, second-best average pay and third-place popularity rank
• I.T. and Computer Science and Medical, Biomedical and Nursing qualifications place joint second – Engineering, Robotics, Astronautics and Aeronautics complete the top three.
• The “Most Popular” title goes to the Sciences as those searching for studies in Biology, Physics and Chemistry surpassed the 5 million mark over the last year.
• Those working in the Mathematics, Statistics and Economics industries stand to earn the best annual salary on average

When investing our money and time in something, the better the payoff, the smarter the investment and that applies to what is arguably our first investment in life – our education.

Despite evolving EdTech and new age subjects like “Surf Science” and “Klingon”, one aspect that remains unchanged for prospective students is the daunting task of choosing the right career path.

Considering over 60% of Brits find themselves in jobs for which their field of study is irrelevant, learning app Preply has set out to inform today’s students of the potential prospects that come with the list of degrees they can choose from. Investigating popularity, demand and salary prospects, their score-based ranking factors in sector growth, job listings, flexibility, average salary, course availability and average search volumes.

Ranking with the best overall prospects are Finance, Accounting and Business qualifications. Topping the list for most jobs available and most remote roles, the qualification group is also third most popular, averaging 4.3m searches in last year. It is also the second best paid in the UK, with those in the industry earning an average of £43,000 annually.

Following in joint second are I.T. and Computer Science and Medical, Biomedical and Nursing qualifications. Securing a qualification in I.T. or Computer Science means the second-best choice of undergraduate courses and remote job roles in the UK. If you’re to choose the medical route, the qualification group not only has the highest number of undergraduate courses, but it also has the second-best choice of jobs and is the country’s second-most searched for (4.4m average searches 2021-2022).

Completing the top three is the Engineering, Robotics, Astronautics and Aeronautics group. From 2019-2020, the sector has seen the UK’s third biggest job sector growth hike, up 7.4%. Those looking to make a future in Engineering or Astronautics can also expect to be spoilt for choice for undergraduate courses, being the fourth most common.

Beating both the Medical and Financial qualifications, the title of “Most Popular” goes to the Sciences. Those searching for Biology, Physics and Chemistry surpassed the 5 million mark over the last year.

When it comes to the monetary stakes, those with a degree in Mathematics, Statistics or Economics stand to earn the best annual salary on average (46,000+), whilst those in Travel, Tourism or Hospitality earn the most modestly on average.

Coming bottom for overall prospects are Fashion, Textiles and Costume related qualifications. Although the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector has seen the highest growth (+16.1%), Fashion or Costume related roles are much harder to come by with an average of 3,800 being available in the entire country in late 2022.

When looking at the most popular qualifications for the UK’s biggest job hubs, Science qualifications rank as the most popular for most, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. However, the Finance, Accounting and Business industry still reigns when it comes to the best job opportunities prospects for most UK cities analysed.

Choosing the best career path isn’t a decision to be taken lightly and one person’s priority may very well be further down the priority list for another. Whether someone is looking to zone in on employability, longevity or salary prospects or they’re interested in the entire picture, Preply’s study aims to help those in doubt make one of the best investments they can make in life.