Above average salaries and best employability results in the history of Southern Cross University.  

The Commonwealth Government’s QILT (Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching) survey of graduates, ranks Southern Cross in the top five universities for postgraduate (coursework) salaries and top 10 in Australia for undergraduate salaries in the latest 2019 report.

The average annual salaries of those surveyed from Southern Cross postgraduate courses were found by the Graduate Outcomes Survey to be $100,000, while the median salaries for those who have just finished their undergraduate courses were listed as $65,000. The national median salaries for postgraduates and undergraduates are $86,000 and $62,600 respectively.

“These are the best employability results in the history of the University.  All of us at Southern Cross are understandably thrilled with them,” said Vice Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker.

Southern Cross graduates have also been more successful in finding full-time employment than the national average (75% for undergraduates and 87% for postgraduates respectively). Nationally these full-time rates are 72.6% and 86.2% respectively.

“What is striking is the range of degrees where Southern Cross students have seriously outperformed the national median in terms of employment rates and starting salaries—from Nursing to Engineering; from Teaching to Allied Health,” Professor Shoemaker said.

Undergraduates from courses in the disciplines of Nursing, Rehabilitation, Business and Management have full-time employment rates greater than 80%!

The Nursing result is particularly strong at 90% full-time employment compared with the sector average of 78%.

Postgraduate students in the Engineering discipline have an almost 100% full-time employment rate and earn an average salary of $120,000 ($34,000 above the sector average).

Postgraduate Teacher Education students also performed well in the salary stakes, earning an average salary of $97,000 ($19,000 above the sector average).

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Students) Professor Nan Bahr said of the employability team, who were in her portfolio, and later Tyrone Carlin’s, during the achievement of these successes, “This is yet another example of how we worked together to increase regional opportunity and fabulous regional outcomes.”

The Manager, Careers and Employability, Leanne Baker said: “Southern Cross University is building a strong reputation with employers. For example, we regularly receive feedback from recruiters on how well-prepared Southern Cross Nursing and Midwifery students are.”

Ms Baker credits such positive graduate outcomes to course innovations such as the embedded careers content that builds student confidence and success in the graduate recruitment process.