Graduate Opportunity Map
Explore entry-level hotspots across the UK and Europe. Compare graduate prospects, likely starter roles, broad salary bands, and practical CV advice in a map that is fast to scan and easy to share.
Data sources and methodology
Official source notes, reuse terms, and dataset caveats.
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Data sources and methodology
Official source notes, reuse terms, and dataset caveats.
Career opportunity scores and salary ranges are editorial estimates derived from public labour market datasets and curated role research. They are not live job counts and should be treated as indicative.
For the expanded UK map, salary bands and most score inputs are derived from checked-in official ONS ASHE earnings files stored in this repository. UK industry themes are now derived from the official ONS BRES region-by-broad-industry workbook and then lightly grouped by Modern CV into reader-friendly labels and filter themes.
This dataset was reviewed on 2026-04-26 against current official source pages, including ONS ASHE 2025 provisional earnings releases published on 4 November 2025 and 21 November 2025. The Office for Students student outcomes dashboard is retained in the project for future provider-level graduate proxies, and Eurostat labour market, earnings, and vacancy materials remain the reference base for the Europe map.
UK labour market data: Office for National Statistics and Nomis, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 where applicable.
UK industry themes: ONS BRES Table 4: region by broad industry group, 2024 provisional edition. Modern CV maps those official broad groups into reader-friendly labels and broader filter themes.
Graduate-related UK data: Office for Students data and analysis, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated.
European labour market data: Eurostat, reused under the European Commission reuse policy. Where data has been modified or summarised, this has been done by Modern CV.
Where Modern CV has modified or summarised source data or text, this is stated here and the resulting map scores should not be interpreted as an official measure or as endorsed by ONS, Nomis, the Office for Students, or Eurostat.
How scores are calculated
Weights, derived signals, and what is official versus adapted.
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How scores are calculated
Weights, derived signals, and what is official versus adapted.
- Opportunity Score is a 0–100 editorial score.
- Formula version: modern-cv-opportunity-score-v3-uk-official-earnings-and-bres-industries.
- Weights: salary strength 30%, employment strength 25%, industry concentration 20%, role diversity 15%, graduate friendliness 10%.
- UK salary bands are rounded from checked-in ONS earnings distributions and jobs-volume fields where those are published.
- UK display industries come from ONS BRES broad industry group data for the relevant parent region, then Modern CV groups those sectors into readable labels and filter themes.
- Some wider UK regional entries use role-weighted occupation-by-region estimates where no matching combined-authority percentile table is published.
- This score is Modern CV’s derived scoring model, not an official government metric.
- Dataset last reviewed: 2026-04-26
What comes from where
- Official source-backed: UK salary references, most UK score inputs, and UK broad-industry inputs come from checked-in ONS releases.
- Derived by Modern CV: the final score, salary bands, display industry labels, and filter themes are calculated or grouped from those source files.
- Editorial by Modern CV: example roles, CV tips, and Europe-side industry summaries are still guidance content rather than official statistics.
Browse indexed locations
These HTML summaries lead with graduate-focused signals so readers and search engines can still access the key entry-level market context without using the interactive map.
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Browse indexed locations
These HTML summaries lead with graduate-focused signals so readers and search engines can still access the key entry-level market context without using the interactive map.
Crawlable location content
Graduate opportunity summaries
London
London, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£40k–£51k
Top industries: Professional Services, Healthcare, Business Services
Example roles: Graduate Analyst, Junior Software Developer, Risk Analyst
CV tip
Lead with internships, measurable projects, commercial exposure, and sector-specific keywords matched to the role family.
Career context
£56k–£70k
Top industries: Professional Services, Business Services
Roles: Software Engineer, Product Manager
Manchester
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£23k–£30k
Top industries: Healthcare, Professional Services, Retail
Example roles: Graduate Developer, Digital Marketing Assistant, Operations Coordinator
CV tip
Show practical tools, placements, portfolio work, and communication skills in the first page rather than burying them later.
Career context
£30k–£44k
Top industries: Professional Services, Retail
Roles: Frontend Developer, Account Manager
Liverpool
Liverpool City Region, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£22k–£30k
Top industries: Healthcare, Professional Services, Retail
Example roles: Graduate Planner, Operations Assistant, Clinical Administrator
CV tip
Make project ownership, service exposure, and communication strengths easy to spot near the top of the CV.
Career context
£30k–£42k
Top industries: Professional Services, Retail
Roles: Project Planner, Supply Chain Analyst
Leeds
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£23k–£30k
Top industries: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education
Example roles: Graduate Finance Assistant, Paralegal, NHS Administrator
CV tip
Emphasise analytical accuracy, regulated-sector exposure, and academic results that support trust-heavy roles.
Career context
£30k–£43k
Top industries: Manufacturing, Business Services
Roles: Financial Administrator, Legal Assistant
Sheffield
South Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£22k–£28k
Top industries: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education
Example roles: Graduate Engineer, Production Planner, Procurement Assistant
CV tip
Bring technical projects, software tools, and operational detail into the top third of the CV.
Career context
£28k–£38k
Top industries: Manufacturing, Business Services
Roles: Mechanical Engineer, Operations Planner
Birmingham
West Midlands, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£23k–£31k
Top industries: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education
Example roles: Graduate Engineer, Finance Assistant, Policy Officer
CV tip
Show placements, technical projects, and adaptable commercial skills rather than relying on course titles alone.
Career context
£31k–£45k
Top industries: Business Services, Healthcare
Roles: Mechanical Engineer, Supply Chain Analyst
Bristol
West of England, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£25k–£34k
Top industries: Healthcare, Tourism, Retail
Example roles: Junior Developer, Graduate Engineer, Consulting Analyst
CV tip
Lead with technical coursework, portfolios, and practical evidence that you can turn ideas into shipped work.
Career context
£34k–£48k
Top industries: Tourism, Retail
Roles: Software Developer, Systems Engineer
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£25k–£33k
Top industries: Healthcare, Business Services, Education
Example roles: Research Assistant, Junior Data Analyst, Laboratory Technician
CV tip
Surface technical rigour, lab or product evidence, and any research communication strengths from the first page.
Career context
£33k–£48k
Top industries: Professional Services, Retail
Roles: Data Scientist, Bioinformatics Analyst
York
York and North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£22k–£29k
Top industries: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education
Example roles: Graduate Administrator, Policy Assistant, Marketing Executive
CV tip
Keep the CV tidy and specific, with evidence of organisation, customer communication, and dependable delivery.
Career context
£29k–£43k
Top industries: Manufacturing, Business Services
Roles: Operations Manager, Project Officer
Tees Valley
Tees Valley, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£21k–£27k
Top industries: Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing
Example roles: Graduate Engineer, Maintenance Planner, Operations Assistant
CV tip
Make technical safety awareness, process discipline, and site-relevant practical work visible early.
Career context
£27k–£39k
Top industries: Healthcare, Tourism
Roles: Process Engineer, Operations Supervisor
East Midlands
East Midlands, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£22k–£29k
Top industries: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education
Example roles: Supply Chain Coordinator, Graduate Engineer, Finance Assistant
CV tip
Show organised delivery, systems confidence, and any practical commercial exposure rather than broad generalities.
Career context
£29k–£41k
Top industries: Retail, Professional Services
Roles: Supply Chain Analyst, Process Engineer
North East
North East, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£22k–£28k
Top industries: Healthcare, Education, Manufacturing
Example roles: Graduate Analyst, Policy Assistant, Service Coordinator
CV tip
Use clear evidence of teamwork, communication, and practical delivery to stand out in mixed-sector applications.
Career context
£28k–£40k
Top industries: Healthcare, Tourism
Roles: Project Officer, Data Analyst
North West
North West, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£29k–£36k
Top industries: Healthcare, Professional Services, Retail
Example roles: Graduate Analyst, Junior Developer, Service Coordinator
CV tip
Keep the CV broad enough to travel across sectors, but still anchored in specific tools, projects, and outcomes.
Career context
£40k–£44k
Top industries: Professional Services, Retail
Roles: Business Analyst, Software Developer
East of England
East of England, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£30k–£38k
Top industries: Healthcare, Business Services, Education
Example roles: Junior Analyst, Research Assistant, Graduate Planner
CV tip
Show analytical confidence, written clarity, and practical project work that translates beyond academic settings.
Career context
£42k–£46k
Top industries: Professional Services, Retail
Roles: Data Analyst, Product Specialist
South East
South East, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£31k–£39k
Top industries: Healthcare, Education, Professional Services
Example roles: Graduate Consultant, Junior Developer, Operations Analyst
CV tip
Use a crisp, professional first page with evidence of initiative, ownership, and tools that travel across sectors.
Career context
£43k–£48k
Top industries: Professional Services, Retail
Roles: Consultant, Product Manager
South West
South West, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£29k–£36k
Top industries: Healthcare, Tourism, Retail
Example roles: Junior Developer, Graduate Engineer, Operations Assistant
CV tip
Bring practical project evidence forward and keep the CV lean enough to feel focused and easy to scan.
Career context
£40k–£44k
Top industries: Tourism, Retail
Roles: Software Developer, Systems Engineer
Scotland
Scotland, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£30k–£38k
Top industries: Healthcare, Education, Tourism
Example roles: Graduate Analyst, Junior Data Analyst, Operations Assistant
CV tip
Balance academic strengths with evidence of commercial awareness, practical communication, and data confidence.
Career context
£42k–£45k
Top industries: Retail, Tourism
Roles: Data Analyst, Software Engineer
Wales
Wales, United Kingdom
Graduate view
£27k–£34k
Top industries: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail
Example roles: Graduate Coordinator, Finance Assistant, Service Analyst
CV tip
Make practical delivery, written communication, and reliability easy to evidence from the first page.
Career context
£38k–£40k
Top industries: Manufacturing, Retail
Roles: Operations Analyst, Project Officer
Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Graduate view
€36k–€46k
Top industries: Technology, Startups, Marketing
Example roles: Junior Developer, Growth Marketing Associate, Product Analyst
CV tip
Highlight English-language work, portfolio projects, internships, and adaptability to product-led or international teams.
Career context
€52k–€78k
Top industries: Technology, Startups
Roles: Software Engineer, Product Manager
Amsterdam
North Holland, Netherlands
Graduate view
€37k–€47k
Top industries: Technology, Finance, Logistics
Example roles: Graduate Analyst, Junior Account Manager, Operations Analyst
CV tip
Keep the CV concise and show international experience, language ability, and analytical tools that travel well across cross-border teams.
Career context
€55k–€82k
Top industries: Technology, Finance
Roles: Data Engineer, Finance Analyst
Paris
Île-de-France, France
Graduate view
€33k–€43k
Top industries: Finance, Consulting, Luxury
Example roles: Graduate Consultant, Junior Brand Assistant, Financial Analyst
CV tip
Make education, internships, language ability, and structured achievements prominent, especially for selective employer brands.
Career context
€49k–€74k
Top industries: Finance, Consulting
Roles: Consultant, Brand Manager
Dublin
County Dublin, Ireland
Graduate view
€35k–€46k
Top industries: Technology, Finance, Pharma
Example roles: Graduate Business Analyst, Junior QA Tester, Sales Development Representative
CV tip
Show commercial awareness, SaaS familiarity, customer-facing experience, and strong communication in a compact first page.
Career context
€54k–€82k
Top industries: Technology, Finance
Roles: Account Executive, QA Engineer
Barcelona
Catalonia, Spain
Graduate view
€25k–€34k
Top industries: Technology, Tourism, Creative
Example roles: Junior UX Designer, Content Assistant, Customer Success Associate
CV tip
Highlight languages, portfolio work, customer experience, and digital tools, especially for international service employers.
Career context
€37k–€56k
Top industries: Technology, Tourism
Roles: UX Designer, Customer Success Manager
Warsaw
Masovian Voivodeship, Poland
Graduate view
zł95k–zł135k
Top industries: Technology, Finance, Shared Services
Example roles: Junior Developer, Finance Operations Analyst, Customer Support Specialist
CV tip
Surface technical skills, language ability, analytical coursework, and operational accuracy rather than relying on broad claims.
Career context
zł155k–zł245k
Top industries: Technology, Finance
Roles: Software Developer, Financial Controller
Lisbon
Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal
Graduate view
€23k–€31k
Top industries: Technology, Tourism, Customer Support
Example roles: Junior Support Specialist, Content Moderator, Digital Marketing Assistant
CV tip
Show languages, customer-facing work, remote collaboration, and digital tool confidence with specific examples rather than generic adjectives.
Career context
€35k–€53k
Top industries: Technology, Tourism
Roles: Customer Success Manager, Frontend Developer
Related resources
Guides and CV examples that complement the map.
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Related resources
Guides and CV examples that complement the map.