Does it pay to get more education?

Is University Worth It? Exploring the Evidence Through Data

Join a free, interactive online workshop exploring what large-scale government data can tell us about the value of education and future earnings.

The event will take place online and last approximately 60 minutes. Participants will be introduced to the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset, which links education and employment records to help researchers understand how different education pathways relate to earnings and employment outcomes.

The session will include:

• A short introduction to the LEO dataset and how it is used in research.
• Brief presentations from researchers sharing findings on the returns to different types and levels of education.
• A demonstration of publicly available dashboards that allow users to explore the data themselves.
• Interactive activities where participants use the dashboards to investigate questions about education and earnings, supported by live polls and discussion.
• The main focus of the event is helping participants explore and interpret real-world evidence about education, careers and earnings using accessible data tools.

There has been discussion in the media recently about whether a university education is still worth the time and money, with more recent graduates seemingly more sceptical about the benefits. At the same time, journalists have wondered why administrative data that would shed light on this question is not more readily accessible.

This event will discuss an administrative data source that has and can be used to understand whether it pays to get more education. It will showcase the latest research, highlight the freely available resources accessible to all that can be used to interrogate the data, and create some new visualisations to better communicate the key facts.

Participants will learn more about the data and how it can be used, including what it tells us about whether it pays to get more education. This will be useful for people considering whether or not to stay in education themselves – or for those with friends or family members who are exploring their options – as well as for anyone interested in understanding the value of education more generally.

The event will be led by Claire Crawford, Professor of Economics in the UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities and Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The event has been developed in collaboration with the Department for Education, custodians of the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data. Additional contributions may come from researchers who use LEO data in their work.

The team will also work with ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK) and organisations within their networks to help engage participants and promote the event.

This event is open to members of the public aged 16 and over who are interested in understanding how education relates to future employment and earnings.

No prior knowledge of economics, statistics, research methods or administrative data is required. The session is free to attend and designed for non-specialist audiences.

This event will be of particular interest to:

• Young people and adults considering education, training or career choices.
• Individuals interested in understanding the financial returns to different education pathways.
• Parents, carers and others supporting young people in making education decisions.
• Members of the public interested in education policy, social mobility and employment outcomes.
• Journalists seeking to learn more about the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset and how it can be used to explore questions about education and earnings.
• The event will be especially relevant for people who want to better understand the evidence behind public discussions about whether education is "worth it" financially.

Online via Microsoft Teams