Most lucrative study path options revealed in new data

Nursing students at Massey will be glad to know that workers with a degree in Nursing are earning 24% more than ten years ago, averaging $80k according to a new analysis of the 2023 Census.  

Earnings have mostly climbed over the last decade for full-time workers that hold bachelors, honours and masters degrees, according to analysis by UniversitiesNZ. 

UniversitiesNZ chief executive Chris Whelan said on average the higher your qualification is, the higher your salary is likely to be. 

A number of pathways offered at Massey have seen demonstrable increases over the decade — including Sports and Recreation, Creative Design, Communications and Media. 

Whelan said, "Presumably the main changes are related to supply and demand changes over the ten-year period, but there may also be other factors within particular industries.” 

“The structure of the economy has also evolved somewhat over the ten years and industry requirements have evolved in line with this.” 

The most lucrative careers, according to the data, are Law and Medicine. 

If you study Medicine, go as high as you can — PhD holders are averaging $314k per year, while master's holders average $258k. 

But if you’re a Law student, don’t bother with the PhD, they only make $158k, while master’s holders average $200k. 

Unfortunately for Massey’s Veterinary students, you’ll earn 18% less than a decade ago with a Veterinary Science degree.  

But for teachers with an Education diploma, their average salary of $71k is 3% lower than before. 

If you wanted to drop out of university right now, workers with no tertiary qualifications are 19% better off than a decade ago. Today they average about $72k a year.  

Across the board, bachelor degree holders make a weighted average of $94k a year.