Graduates from the University of Bristol are among the most sought after by top employers, a major new report has found – and in some cases can command starting salaries of more than £45,000.
The ‘Graduate Market in 2021’ survey asked the Britain’s top 100 employers which graduates they most wanted to fill their vacancies, with the University of Bristol coming seventh out of more than 100 UK universities – the sixth year in a row it has been ranked in the top 10. 
The top employers list is compiled by The Times and includes IBM, AstraZeneca, BT, HSBC, Rolls-Royce, Unilever, the BBC, Jaguar Land Rover and the NHS.
University of Bristol careers service director Stuart Johnson said its graduates were held in high regard by employers.
“The university attracts some of the world’s most talented and dynamic students, who invariably go on to do amazing things – whether that’s starting their own business, working for a small company, joining the public sector or working for one of the prestigious Times Top 100 Graduate Employers,” he said.
“For decades the university has been at the forefront of career development: engaging with top employers, incubating hundreds of start-ups, funding thousands of internships and giving every student a huge range of opportunities for personal and professional development.”
The study was conducted by graduate recruitment research group High Fliers last December and released this week.
It shows University of Bristol graduates joining the UK’s leading graduate employers enjoy average starting salaries of £30,000 – although some can earn above £45,000.
However, the number of graduates hired by top 100 employers reduced by 12.3% last year – the largest annual decrease in recruitment since 2009, although recruitment is forecast to rise by 2.5% this year.
Joining Bristol in the list of the 10 universities targeted by the largest number of top graduate employers in 2020/2021 are Birmingham, Manchester, University College London, Nottingham, Leeds, Warwick, Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College London.
