Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

TALKBACK

Wednesday 01 February 1995 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

From Martin Weale Madam: It is not a safe conclusion that a post-graduate degree adds to earning power (26 January). A 1990 study showed that, for men graduating with first-class degrees between 1972-77, the average earnings in 1987 for someone with a PhD were £13,100. With just a Master's degree this rose to £18,000, while the average graduate earned £20,900.

This is in part because people with post-graduate degrees choose worse-paid jobs, but studies still suggest that, even on a job-by-job basis, a post-graduate degree delivers lower pay.

Your reports of the benefits of post-graduate degrees appear to represent more a producer interest than any genuine assessment. Unless Master's degree courses have high failure rates, the fact that a student has taken such a degree provides no more information to an employer than is available about a student on graduation.

Yours sincerely, MARTIN WEALE Economics & Politics Faculty University of Cambridge

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in