10 great graduate careers you can get with any degree

As an investment banker, your job is to provide a range of financial services to companies, governments, institutions and individuals. Investment bankers have strong numerical and analytical skills, good project management ability and are able to work well under pressure.

Again, this industry is very competitive – particularly because it is amongst the highest paid, with graduate starting salaries averaging around £43,000 (approximately US$54,700).

If you’re looking to work in investment banking, work experience is a must. Completing a summer internship will put you in good stead for earning a place on the top firms’ prestigious graduate schemes. 

Management consultants advise companies how to implement strategic decisions. Your client may be a company, the government, or a public sector organization.

For this career, you’ll need to be organized, detail orientated and have strong communication skills – which you’ll hopefully learn in your degree. 

Management consultants earn a high graduate starting salary, averaging £32,580 (approximately US$41,410) per year. As a result, they can be extremely competitive, so work experience is essential.

If you’re looking to become a teacher, you’ll need to complete a postgraduate teacher training course to become qualified. Skills required to become a teacher include confidence, patience, strong communication skills, organization and creativity. 

Teaching is known for its high levels of job satisfaction and excellent holiday benefits. You can find out more about the different jobs available within teaching and education in our education course guide. 

An entry level primary school teacher in the UK will earn around £26,200 (approximately US$33,000) according to Payscale.

Working in public relations is all about managing your client’s reputation. Competencies for a career in PR include exceptional relationship building skills, strong written and verbal communication skills and good organizational skills.

Although you don’t need a specific degree to work in PR, you can get ahead by studying business,communications and marketing degrees.

You can also stand out by completing relevant work experience, although this can be quite hard to find. If you’re struggling to find work experience, try looking at related areas such as event management. 

Salaries in PR typically start at around £18,000 to £20,000 (approximately US$22,800 to US$25,380) but salaries can quickly rise after you’ve gained experience in the industry.

If you’re looking to work in hospitality, you’ll need excellent communication skills and plenty of work experience in the industry. Language skills will be extremely useful, as you may be looking to work internationally or have guests from around the world. 

Graduate schemes in hospitality are open to all degree backgrounds, although some may require a minimum grade, and a relevant degree may give you an advantage. 

Aside from a degree in hospitality, relevant degrees may include business administration, economics or management.

The average salary for an assistant general manager in the UK is £23,000 (approximately US$29,300) 

A career in sales involves - you guessed it - selling. Almost all companies require salespeople to persuade clients to purchase the goods and services your company has on offer. You’ll also be negotiating on prices and taking payments for goods and services.

To be a salesperson you’ll need to be confident and enthusiastic, as well as being great at networking. Most big firms offer sales graduate schemes, including Apple, Samsung and Walmart.

The average salary for a graduate salesperson in the UK is £22,000 (approximately US$28,000) however there is often the chance to earn more money in commission.

If you have a job in the supply chain, you’ll be overseeing products from start to finish. A career in the supply chain is incredibly fast paced and you’ll have to liaise with suppliers constantly. To do this, you’ll have to be able to remain calm under pressure and have great communication skills.

Many large retailers offer graduate schemes in supply chain and logistics. To gain a place on one, you should gain some experience through part time work in the retail sector, through internships or work placements.

According to Glassdoor, a typical supply chain graduate salary is £28,500 (approximately US$36,000).