Students who achieve a high ATAR score will earn up to $33,000 more than their peers by the time they reach their 30s, new research has revealed.
The findings, unveiled during the week when year 12 students receive their ATAR scores, indicate a strong correlation between the attained ATAR level and income levels by the age of 30.
‘Individuals with higher ATAR are more likely to earn higher income,’ said Silvia Griselda from e61 Institute, one of the authors of a new study said.
The e61 paper ‘What’s in an ATAR? How can university admission scores predict future income?’ used data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics that draws a link between income levels from tax returns and ATAR scores.
At the age of 30, individuals with an ATAR below 70 have a median annual income of approximately $70,000 in 2022 dollars.
Those with an ATAR between 70 and 80 earn slightly above $75,000.
A score within the 80-90 range correlates with a median salary just surpassing $80,000.
For ATARs falling between 90 and 95, the median salary increases to nearly $90,000, while scores in the 95-98 range leads to a median salary of almost $95,000. ATARs exceeding 98 are linked to a median salary close to $105,000.
In comparison, 30-year-old workers without a degree earn a median salary of just under $60,000 a year.
The study found who choose not to pursue a university education and enter the workforce directly from highschool typically see an initial rise in income. However,these advantages tend to diminish by the age of 25.
It come as 67,234 former Year 12 students received their HSC marks via text at 6am on Thursday morning, with ATAR results to follow at 9am.
Year 12 applications through the University Admissions Centre are currently at the lowest level in a decade as fewer school leavers pursue a degree.
Students who achieve a high ATAR score will earn up to $33,000 more than their peers by the time they reach their 30s, new research has revealed (pictured, teens celebrate Schoolies)
Analysis by the e61 Institute found those who got an ATAR score over 98 will earn a median salary of $33,000 more by age 30 than those with a score below 70
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