Children who attend private school will earn £193,700 more on average in their early careers than their state educated peers, according to our new independent report which analyses the Sutton Trust's Open Access programme.
Open Access: an independent evaluation, assesses how most effectively to widen access to high performing independent schools on a needs-blind basis. It calculates for the first time the ‘wage premium’ experienced by those attending independent schools. The analysis uses newly available data to estimate that, between the ages of 26 and 42, someone who attends an independent school will earn a total of £193,700 more than someone who attends a state school. Even when factors such as family background and early educational achievement are accounted for, the wage premium persists at £57,653.
Open Access: an independent evaluation shows that during a person’s early career – between the ages of 26 and 42 – someone attending independent school will earn on average £193,700 more than someone attending a state school. However, the vast majority of pupils who attend independent schools come from wealthy backgrounds and the opportunity to benefit from an independent education is typically determined by the ability to pay the fees. This research paper uses new data to explore the premium that derives from attending independent schools and the factors that contribute to it. It then evaluates a proposed policy – the Sutton Trust’s Open Access scheme – to improve access into independent schools for those from more disadvantaged backgrounds.
