Careers and Employability Service
Postgraduate researchers

PGR pathways

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According to Vitae’s latest statistics highlighted in What do researchers do?:

  • just under half of all doctoral graduates are employed in higher education
  • 10% of doctoral graduates are in research jobs outside of higher education
  • 27% are in what they term ‘other common doctoral occupations’. These might be non-academic jobs in higher education or jobs outside academia entirely.

In terms of salary, doctoral graduates in research roles in universities tightly ranged around a median of £34,000 while those in research outside academia had a wider range around a median of £35,000. ‘Other common doctoral occupations’ had a higher median of £40,000 and more high earners.

Please note: The university has an institutional licence to Vitae, simply register free with your University of Nottingham email address to access content.

 

Three broad career paths

For someone with a PhD, there are three broad paths your career may take.

1. Research and/or teaching in higher education

This is what may be considered the ‘traditional’ route, although it is becoming just as common to take the alternative routes after your PhD.

2. Alternative academic jobs

Administrative, professional and managerial roles within a university, supporting the work of teachers, researchers and students.

3. Working outside academia

PhD graduates are highly valued outside of academia and many people go on to jobs in an industry or sector that values their skills, including careers more broadly related to their thesis topic.

1. Research and/or teaching in higher education

 

2. Alternative academic jobs in higher education includes three UoN case studies

 

3. Jobs outside academia

 

Careers and Employability Service

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