This paper examines occupational attainment among mature graduates as compa
red with early graduates using data from the General Household Survey (GHS)
(1982-1993). These surveys yielded a sample of 1025 mature men and 654 mat
ure women graduates; 5365 men and 3465 women graduates at the conventional
age. Mature graduates now compose about one quarter of the undergraduate po
pulation and it is believed that the level of mature participation will rem
ain high. It was found that although mature graduates are disadvantaged on
entry to the labour market, after about 15 years they have similar attainme
nt to early graduates. Mature graduates primarily work in the public and we
lfare services, while conventional age graduates increasingly work in the p
rivate sector, with rising percentages of both women and men in the financi
al and business services sector. The concentration of mature graduates in t
he public sector has consequences for pay, which is discussed in the light
of the current student funding system.