Central Queensland University graduates have achieved excellent outcomes in the 2006 Australian Graduates Survey (AGS) released this week by Graduate Careers Australia, exceeding Queensland and national averages for job success and salaries.

90.3% of CQU graduates are in full-time work within 4 months of completing their degrees, well above the national 82.45 rate, according to the survey.

The survey also shows that CQU graduates' comparable median annual salary was $43,000, compared with the overall national and state median annual salary of $42,000.

The survey highlighted that even among other regional university graduates, who earn on average $42,000 in their first year out, CQU graduates did better. On top of that, ‘city' university graduates, on average, only receive $40,000.

"The survey is a good measure of how much employers value CQU graduates and the experience, expertise and abilities they develop here," said CQU Vice Chancellor John Rickard.

Since 2001, CQU has rated very highly in The Good Universities Guide in terms of starting salaries and positive graduate outcomes. For the last 7 editions of The Guide, CQU has had the highest rating among public universities in Queensland for graduate starting salaries.

The AGS statistics are for bachelor-degree Australian citizens and permanent residents only.