For students starting Sept 2023 onward · threshold £25,000 from April 2026 · interest RPI (3.2%) · written off after 40 yrs · gov.uk ↗
02 — THE VERDICT
RED
Engineering either never breaks even against the alternative path, or sits in a high AI-displacement bracket. Proceed with eyes open.
Break-even point
Never
Total borrowed at grad
£69,000
Balance after 20 yrs
£68,693
🔒 unlock to view
03 — SALARY VS. LOAN BALANCE
Yearly gross salary against your loan balance — rising with interest, falling with repayments, until it's cleared or written off.
Y0Y15Y30
Gross salary
Loan balance
Projected clear: loan fully repaid by year 36 post-grad.
04 — YEAR-BY-YEAR BREAKDOWN
The material impact, spelled out: gross salary, take-home after the 9% graduate tax, and what's still owed.
Year
Gross
Take-home
Loan balance
Year 0
£28k
£23k
£73k
Year 2
£35k
£28k
£77k
Year 5
£45k
£34k
£81k
Year 10
£62k
£43k
£82k
Year 20
£76k
£50k
£69k
Year 30
£92k
£58k
£34k
🔒 Years 10 / 20 / 30 unlock with the full report
05 — DEGREE PATH VS. ALTERNATIVE PATH
Engineering doesn't strictly require a degree to enter. Cumulative net earnings, degree route vs. direct work / apprenticeship — the crossover is the moment the degree route pulls ahead.
Y0Y15Y30
Degree path (cumulative)
Alternative path (cumulative)
06 — AI-RESILIENCE
LOW RISK
automation exposure for Engineering
Confidence: High. Full driver analysis of task-level automation exposure for this role, sourced from occupational risk modelling.