Professional insertion: fine employment rate for graduates from management and engineering schools

These Flash Keynotes from the French Ministry of education about professional insertion are drawn from the InserSup base, which itself relies on matchings of several administrative reports about students’ follow-ups and an extract from a report of social statements by the Ministry of labour. Generating such data allows to “better assess professional insertion after graduation and better qualify it”.

A very satisfying professional insertion for students in management

The Keynote about students in management explains that in 2023, 32,800 students passed a management diploma corresponding to 5+ years of students in institutions granting this type of diploma, with 23 French students under 30 years old. More precisely, these young graduates include 11.4% who have continued or picked up studies in France the next year. Among those who did not continue or picked up studies in France, 65.9% have a salaried job in France 12 months after graduating.

After reminding that training courses in management after 5 years of studies aim at professional insertion, the information keynote points out that after passing their degree, the majority of students choose to leave higher education. And 88.6% of graduates of the 2023 group chose this solution. Six months after their graduation, 59.6% had a salaried employment in France, a 4 pts decrease compared with 2022. Twelve years after their graduation, this share jumped to 65.9%, registering a 3.9 points decrease compared with the previous group. 

That said, the ministry of higher education underlines that “graduates from schools of management register a rate of salaried employment in France that is higher and still growing compared to graduates in universities and similar institutions”. And after 12 months, rates are 66% for graduates from schools of management and 64% for those from universities.

Attractive salaries for students in management

Still according to the Keynote, graduate women in management are more present in salaried jobs in France than men, both at 6 months and 12 months. This gap, says the ministry, is “particularly noticeable among university and similar institutions, graduates 12 months after graduation, with 69.8% for women compared with 59.1% for men”.

However, the net monthly salary 12 months after graduation for management graduates after 5 years of studies is higher for men. Salaries, range “between €2,410 and €3,150” for half of them, “while this range for half of the women is between €2,270 and €2,730”. 

To be noted, however, that there is also a significant pay gap between graduates from business schools and graduates from universities and similar institutions. “About 25% of graduates from management schools earn more than €3,050, compared with €2,640 for graduates from universities and similar institutions”.

A good integration rate for students in engineering, and even better for female engineers

In the same series of Flash Keynotes, the Ministry published a statistical study on the salaried employment rate in France of 2023 for engineering graduates at 6 and 12 months. The new study states that in 2023, 47,700 students passed an engineering degree from institutions authorised to grant this degree, with 40,200 French students under the age of 30. Some 13.3% of these continued or resumed their studies in France in the year that followed. And among those who did not, 76.9% were in paid employment in France 12 months after obtaining their qualification. For half of these graduates in employment at 12 months, the net monthly salary is between €2,230 and €2,770.

Here too, the employment rate is down slightly, but the Information Note points out that the rate of salaried employment in France 6 months after graduation is higher for universities and similar institutions (66.2%) than for engineering schools (65.2%). However, the study also points out that “this difference disappears 12 months after graduation, with both types of institution reaching the same rate of 76.9% at that point”.

Another difference is for women graduating from engineering courses in 2023, who record a salaried employment rate in France at 6 months of 66.2%, compared with 65.2% for men. Similarly, 12 months after graduation, 78% of women in France are in paid employment, compared with 76.5% of men!

Two other studies for comparison

We should also note the publication of two other interesting notes in the same field, which concern university graduates and make it possible to establish a comparison and record notable differences at all levels. The first of these studies looks at the rate of salaried employment in France of general Licence (Bachelor) degree graduates in 2023 at 6 and 12 months. According to this study, more than three-quarters (77.8%) of French general Licence degree graduates under the age of 30 continued their studies in France in the year following graduation. Among those who did not continue their studies, 58.1% were in paid employment in France at 12 months. For half of the graduates in employment at 12 months, the net monthly salary is between €1.410 and €1.850.

Finally, a recent study focusing on the rate of salaried employment in France among 2023 graduates of professional Master and Licence degrees shows that almost a quarter (23.2%) of Licence’s graduates and 39.1% of professional Licence’s graduates are continuing their studies in France the year after graduation. Among those who have not continued their studies, 70.5% of professional Master’s graduates and 78.9% of Licence’s graduates are in paid employment in France after 12 months. For half of the graduates employed in France after 12 months, the net monthly salary is between €1,750 and €2,480 for masters and between €1,620 and €2,060 euros for professional Licence degrees.