The graph and table provide information on the percentages of Australian university graduates employed full-time and their annual salaries between 2004 and 2012. Overall, while the proportion of all graduates in full-time employment remained relatively stable over the period, mathematics graduates experienced greater fluctuations. Regarding salaries, both groups saw increases, though mathematics graduates consistently earned higher wages after 2008.
In 2004, 80% of Australian graduates were employed full-time, a figure that rose slightly to 85% in 2008 but declined to around 78% by 2012. Mathematics graduates, in contrast, began at a lower employment rate of 65% in 2004, which surged to almost 90% by 2006 before steadily falling back to their original level by the end of the period.
Regarding annual earnings, both groups initially earned an average of $41,000 in 2004. However, mathematics graduates experienced a steeper increase, reaching $59,000 in 2012 despite a slight dip in 2010. Meanwhile, the earnings of other graduates rose more gradually, ending the period at $53,000, which remained significantly below the income of mathematics graduates in the final years