Among information science and biotechnology graduates, those who studied in the academic area of technological sciences perform better on the labour market. MSc Eng degree holders are quicker to find a job and have relatively higher earnings than those who hold a Master's degree.
Our data for the 2014 cohort of graduates of 2nd cycle studies from the same academic disciplines but in different areas of academic study vary. We compared the disciplines which include technological sciences and have more than 300 graduates per year: biotechnology and information science.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology graduates in the sample came from the following three areas of study: biological sciences (58% of the graduates), agricultural sciences (18% of the graduates), and technological sciences (23% of the graduates).
Graduates of 2nd cycle studies in Biotechnology, split by areas of academic study
Source: data from the ELA system
Of all biotechnology graduates, graduates of technological sciences are the most active in the labour market, while a lower degree of labour market involvement is observed among graduates of agricultural sciences. Graduates from the area of biological and agricultural sciences work on a part-time (contractual) basis more often at the beginning of their careers. In general, among this group of graduates (regardless of their field of study), self-employment is relatively rare.
Percentage of working graduates of 2nd cycle studies in biotechnology – data for the 2014 graduate cohort, split by type of employment and area of academic study
Source: data from the ELA system
Biotechnology graduates also vary in terms of unemployment risk and earnings. Graduates of agricultural faculties are affected by the highest risk of unemployment, and their earnings (relative to the average salary in their local area of residence) are the lowest. Moreover, in this group of graduates we can observe an increase in the relative unemployment rate in the fourth and fifth year after graduation, which indicates, in relative terms, a generally growing risk of unemployment. The best performers are graduates of the academic area of technological sciences who enjoy the highest earnings of all the graduates compared to the average in their area of residence, as well as the lowest risk of unemployment, starting from the fourth year after graduation. Moreover, only in the case of this group of biotechnology graduates does the relative unemployment rate decrease throughout the entire observation period.
The relative unemployment rate and the relative earnings rate of graduates of 2nd cycle studies in biotechnology; data for the 2014 graduate cohort, split by areas of academic study and tracked over 5 years after graduation
Source: data from the ELA system
Information science
Information science graduates perform better in the labour market than other graduates – this claim is confirmed by the data from subsequent editions of the ELA system’s tracking. However, there are also differences among IT graduates from the two different academic areas of study, i.e. mathematics and technological sciences. The latter prevail in the analysed group and constitute 85% of the total number of information science graduates in 2014.
Graduates of 2nd cycle studies in information science, by area of study
Źródło: dane z systemu ELA
Information scientists are a specific group which is characterised by a higher-than-average percentage of self-employed persons, while the percentage of information science graduates working in a form other than a full-time job (e.g. self-employment) is much lower in this group compared to all other graduates.
As in the case of biotechnology, information science graduates of the academic area of technoligical sciences are characterised by a higher level of professional activity than those who completed their studies in the same field but in a different area, i.e. that of mathematical (exact) sciences. This gap is stable over time.
Percentage of working graduates of 2nd cycle studies in information science; data based on the 2014 graduate
cohort and split by type of employment and field of study
Source: data from the ELA system
Information scientists (IT specialists) enjoy a very low threat of unemployment and high earnings in comparison with graduates from other areas of study. However, there are differences within this group of graduates as regards the risk of unemployment and earnings, depending on their academic area of study. Graduates of technological studies have a relatively lower risk of unemployment and, at the same time, their earnings are higher than those of the graduates of mathematical sciences.
The relative unemployment rate and the relative earnings rate of the 2014 cohort of 2nd cycle studies in
information science, split by area of study; data tracking over 5 years after graduation
Source: data from the ELA system