The University of Southern Queensland has again led the way for employment outcomes and graduate salaries in Queensland. The latest Good Universities Guide 2021 rankings show that the University’s graduates have the highest starting salary in Queensland (second nationally) with a median starting salary of $67,400.

The rankings also revealed 89 per cent of USQ postgraduates found full-time employment within four months of finishing their degree. Vice-Chancellor Professor Geraldine Mackenzie said the outcomes were outstanding in light of the uncertain global landscape. “These strong results are very reassuring, especially given the current environment,” she said.

“The rankings show that University of Southern Queensland students get more out of their education and finish with high employability skills, in fact many have gained full-time employment before graduation.” Professor Mackenzie said the strong results stemmed from degrees that prepared students for the workplace.

“We develop practical and relevant programs through industry partnerships, including our work with Qantas, where our Bachelor of Aviation students are connected to the Qantas Group Future Pilot Program,” Professor Mackenzie said. “We strive to create a learning environment that is exciting and innovative using the latest in digital learning technology.”

The guide criteria is broken down into quality of educational experience, overall employment rates of graduates and the median salary of graduates from different universities across Australia. The University’s engineering programs topped the list ranking number one in Australia for graduates in full-time employment and undergraduate median starting salary, and the Creative Arts undergraduate program was number one for overall education experience.

 Importantly, the University of Southern Queensland was ranked first in Queensland, and second in Australia for Social Equity and proportion of First Generation students. “For us, these ranking cement our commitment to providing a quality education to all regardless of background or pathway to university,” Professor Mackenzie said. “Our programs and practices are equitable and accessible which includes a number of pathways to access higher education.”

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