Maths, Business and PE GCSEs result in higher lifetime earnings

Something for the weekend: We often hear of the impact higher education qualifications can have on earnings potential, but it appears that selecting certain GCSE subjects could also give salaries a boost in later life, according to research by online tutoring service Tutor House.

Its analysis of the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) UK labour force survey, which is a study of the employment circumstances of the UK population, revealed the average increase in lifetime earnings from a single grade improvement in each subject.

Maths and Business topped the list of the top five GCSE subjects for lifetime earnings, with an average increase of £14,579 and £12,873 respectively for each single grade improvement.

Meanwhile, Music and German were first and second on the five worst GCSE subjects for lifetime earnings list, with an average increase of £5,453 and £5,704 respectively for each single grade improvement.

The top five best GCSE subjects for life-time earnings are:

1. Maths (£14,579)
2. Business (£12,873)
3. ?? (£12,456)
4. IT (£11,694)
5. Geography (£11,598)

The top five worst GCSE subjects for life-time earnings are:

1. Music (£5,453)
2. German (£5,704)
3. Spanish (£6,061)
4. Art (£6,210)
5. English Literature (£6,504)

A spokesperson for Tutor House said: “The correlation between GCSE subject choice and potential lifetime earnings is quite striking. It highlights a crucial aspect for students, parents, and educators to consider during the GCSE selection process.""

So, should employers take GSCE results into consideration when determining salary levels?