The line graph illustrates the percentage of graduates in Australia employed full-time after completing their university education between 2004 and 2012, while the table compares the average salaries of Mathematics graduates and graduates from other fields over the same period.
Overall, the percentage of graduates employed full-time was consistently higher for Mathematics graduates than for all graduates combined. Furthermore, while the salaries of Mathematics graduates increased steadily, the average income of graduates in other fields experienced smaller, fluctuating growth.
In terms of employment rates, Mathematics graduates maintained a relatively high proportion throughout the years, starting at approximately 85% in 2004 and peaking at just under 95% in 2008. However, this percentage declined slightly to about 90% by 2012. For all graduates, the figures followed a similar trend but at a lower level, beginning at around 80% in 2004, reaching a high of roughly 90% in 2008, and subsequently falling to below 80% by 2012.
Regarding salaries, Mathematics graduates consistently earned higher average incomes compared to their counterparts in other fields. Starting at $41,000 in 2004, their earnings rose steadily to reach $59,000 in 2012, with a notable increase between 2006 and 2008, when their income surged from $43,500 to $51,500. In contrast, the salaries of other graduates displayed more modest growth, rising from $41,000 in 2004 to $53,000 in 2012. The most significant increase for this group occurred between 2010 and 2012.
In summary, Mathematics graduates not only enjoyed higher employment rates than all graduates but also experienced more significant growth in their earnings over the period analyzed