Class gap among graduates from different higher education institutions

The proportion of students who attended private or disadvantaged schools varies significantly across individual higher education institutions, new figures show.

Overall, a similar proportion of graduates nationally previously attended a disadvantaged or Deis (10 per cent) or fee-paying school (11 per cent), according to research by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) which has tracked college graduates.

However, at university level, more graduates previously attended a fee-paying school and fewer attended a Deis school.

TCD and UCD have the highest proportion of graduates who attend a fee-paying school (26 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively) compared with a Deis school (6 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively).

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By contrast, NUI Maynooth, DCU, NUI Galway and UL have higher proportions of graduates that attended a Deis school compared with a fee-paying school.

The HEA study shows university graduates earn the most in the workplace, especially at TCD, UCD and DCU, while those who attend regional institutes of technology earn significantly less.

Highest proportion

Overall, for institutes of technology, more graduates previously attended a Deis school and fewer attended a fee-paying school.

Limerick IT and IT Blanchardstown (now part of TU Dublin) have the highest proportion of graduates who previously attended a Deis school (38 percent and 31 percent respectively). Less than half a per cent of graduates from Limerick IT attended a fee-paying school.

However, about one in five graduates from DIT (now part of TU Dublin) and IADT in Dún Laoghaire attended a fee-paying school.

More graduates from colleges previously attended a Deis school compared with a fee-paying school, except for NCAD.

Less than 4 per cent of graduates from colleges previously attended a fee-paying school compared with 21 per cent of graduates from NCAD.

The study says the type of second-level school that graduates previously attended was used in a new report which tracked graduates’ earnings as a proxy measurement of socio-economic background.

The study also shows the differences in Leaving Cert points achieved by students across higher education institutions.

Across all institutions, just less than half of undergraduates entered their institution with more than 400 points.

Undergraduates from teacher education colleges achieved the highest Leaving Cert points overall.

Achieved

For example, 94 per cent of St Patrick's in Drumcondra graduates achieved more than 400 points, while 84 per cent of graduates at Mary Immaculate in Limerick did so.

Graduates from universities also achieved high Leaving Cert points. A total of 87 per cent of TCD graduates entered their courses with more than 400 points, while 45 per cent achieved more than 500 points.

Among universities, graduates from NUI Maynooth entered their courses with the lowest Leaving Cert points with 55 per cent achieving more than 400 points.

Graduates from institutes of technology generally attained lower points than the average for all graduates.

Graduates from IT Blanchardstown entered with the lowest points (3 per cent entered with more than 400 points), while graduates from DIT and IADT entered with the highest points (32 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively, entered with more than 400 points).