What salary do you expect after graduation? The Universum Institute's 2013 Global Cost of Talent Index compared the salary expectations of more than 430 students in 24 countries.
Focusing on some of these, in first place we find Switzerland, where the data on the salary of new graduates travels on 7062 US dollars, the equivalent of 5134 euros gross, almost three times that of Italy. The youth unemployment rate in the age group between 15 and 24 does not exceed 7,7%, as opposed to the OECD average which is more than double (16,2%). If we also want to involve the adult population, the percentage of employed people reaches 79%.
“Home of welfare”, Norway, has an expected salary for new graduates of at least 4,800 euros per month. The figure is not surprising considering the estimated sovereign wealth fund made available for the new generations (780 billion in 2013).
Denmark, on the other hand, takes third place in the Universum index, with a salary expectation for recent graduates equal to or greater than the equivalent of 3.800 euros. It is no coincidence that Copenhagen has been added to the destinations of Italian students for Erasmus, degrees and two-year specialization courses.
As far as Germany is concerned, with a stable or even improving youth unemployment rate, the average salary expected by new graduates is equal to 3200 euros. However, the Germans slip on the "equal pay" between men and women: according to what Universum points out, the gap between the expectations of male and female candidates widens to more than 525 euros.
In France, where the percentage of recent graduates with a contract is close to 90%, the expected salary of graduates is approximately 2.886 euros. Not to mention, however, the disparity between the Ecoles and the public universities. The latter are in fact less accredited and less attractive for private and public employers.
In the UK the academic system is more cohesive on parameters. The expected salary travels on the equivalent of 2.680 euros. A degree is no guarantee of stellar salaries, but the "graduation" in Oxford, Cambridge and certain masters at the London School of Economics opens up more avenues than elsewhere.
And in Italy? according to the Global Cost of Talent Index, the salary expected by Italian students is around 1500 euros gross per month. Even for more qualified jobs, such as engineering and design areas, the gap between the Italian salary and the French or German one exceeds 10 euros.
