Graduate Destinations and Employment

Each year, the Career Center at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) conducts the Graduate Employment Survey (GES) for full‑time undergraduates, capturing their employment, further studies, and other statuses within six months of graduation (roughly September to December). The survey is the main official source for understanding HKUST graduate destinations. This article draws primarily on the 2024 survey^※ and includes historical comparisons as well as cross‑institutional benchmarks.

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# 1. Overview of the 2024 Graduate Employment Survey (GES 2024)

According to HKUST’s 2024 Undergraduate Employment Survey^※, the survey was conducted from September to 31 December 2024, covering 2,389 full‑time undergraduates. 2,189 valid responses were collected, giving a response rate of 91.6%^※.

# 1.1 Overall employment status

Per the same source^※, the full‑time employment rate (62.5%) fell by about 6.1 percentage points from the previous cohort, reflecting the impact of global economic uncertainty. The unemployment rate of 3.2%^※ is relatively low among Hong Kong’s eight UGC‑funded institutions.

# 1.2 Salaries

According to data from the University Grants Committee compiled by a third‑party media outlet^※, HKUST graduates (undergraduate) earned an average annual salary of HK$330,000 (roughly HK$27,500 per month), placing the University in the middle of the eight public universities surveyed in the 2023/24 academic year:

Source: Dot Dot News compilation of University Grants Committee data (August 2025)^※

Separately, the overall GES 2024 data^※ show that among full‑time employed graduates, the median monthly salary was HK$24,000 and the mean monthly salary was HK$27,567.

# 1.3 Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) specific figures

Per an official press release from the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS)^※, the 2024 AIS undergraduate cohort achieved:

• Employment rate: 73.2% (above the university‑wide average)
• Pursuing further studies: 25.4%
• Average monthly salary: HK$35,720 (a 21% increase over the previous cohort)

Employment sectors spanned executive management, computer programming and systems analysis, engineering, and financial and banking services.

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# 2. Further studies rate

According to the GES 2024 data^※, roughly 23.4% of undergraduates opted to continue their studies, making it the second most common destination. Further studies include taught postgraduate and doctoral research, with many graduates heading to prestigious institutions overseas (the United Kingdom, the United States, etc.).

Drawing on the 2023/24 Annual Report^※, among HKUST postgraduate leavers (excluding undergraduates), the further‑studies rate for doctoral graduates stood at 50.5%^※ (principally post‑doctoral or academic posts), indicating that HKUST’s research ecosystem gives meaningful momentum to further‑study pathways.

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# 3. School of Engineering employment data

Based on the compiled survey findings^※, about 61.8% of the 2024 School of Engineering graduates were in full‑time employment and roughly 22.2% chose further studies. Engineering graduates were concentrated in the following sectors:

• Information technology and telecommunications
• Engineering, construction and manufacturing
• Finance and business services (cross‑disciplinary career switching was not uncommon)

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# 4. Employer reputation and notable employers

HKUST graduates enjoy a degree of market recognition among both local and international employers; in particular, graduates from the School of Engineering (computer science, electronic engineering) and the School of Business and Management (finance, quantitative analysis) are well regarded in the technology and finance sectors.

According to a Caixin Global report on Hong Kong’s university market (May 2026)^※, the main industry categories recruiting HKUST students in Hong Kong include:

• Technology companies (local and multinational)
• Investment banking and asset management
• Management consulting
• Public bodies and the government

At present, the HKUST Career Center has not published a complete list of employers in the pages retrieved; more detailed employer information can be found in the historical employment survey reports available from the HKUST Career Center^※.

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# 5. Student population context

According to HKUST’s latest facts and figures (December 2025)^※, the current student and staff numbers are:

• Undergraduates: 11,765
• Postgraduates: 8,710
• Full‑time faculty: 976 (all hold doctoral degrees)

The School of Engineering (7,218 students) and the School of Business and Management (6,048 students) are the largest schools, followed by the School of Science (4,113 students).

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# 6. Comparison of undergraduate and postgraduate destinations

Source: HKUST 2023‑2024 Annual Report^※

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# 7. Archive of past employment surveys

The HKUST Career Center regularly publishes survey reports for each year, typically comprising:

• An overall survey introduction
• Survey findings
• A statistical summary

For full historical datasets—including breakdowns by school, employment sectors, and salary distribution—the relevant PDF reports can be accessed from the HKUST Career Center’s Graduate Employment Survey page^※.

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