Alison Kershaw of the Press Association quotes the Sutton Trust in her coverage of an IFS report on the private school premium.

University graduates who attended private school earn thousands of pounds more on average than those who were state-educated, according to research.

A new study reveals that on average, those who went to a fee-paying school earned almost a fifth more than those whose parents did not pay for their schooling.

This is partly because private school pupils are more likely to attend a top university and study a subject that is likely to earn them more money, it suggests.

But even when these factors are taken into account, state-educated graduates still tend to earn less money.

The study, published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) looked at the salaries of individuals who graduated in 2007 in January 2011 – around three and a half years after they completed their degree, comparing the wages of those who did their A-levels at a state school with those who attended a private school.

The analysis found that of those who were in work three and a half years after graduating, those who had been privately educated were earning around 17% more on average than those who went to state school – equivalent to around £4,200 per year.

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James Turner, director of programmes at the Sutton Trust, said: “The stark truth is that an independent day school student is 55 times more likely to win an Oxbridge place and 22 times more likely to go to a top-ranked university than a state school student from a poor household.

“This is a huge waste of potential. That’s why the Sutton Trust would like to see a national Open Access programme – where bright students could attend these schools regardless of means – and more support for the most able students in comprehensive schools and academies.”

A study published by the Trust earlier this year found that privately educated children are likely to earn almost £200,000 more during their careers than those who went to state school

The study, by the Social Market Foundation, was based on an analysis of a proposal by the Sutton Trust to open up access to independent schools by ensuring pupils are admitted based on academic ability, rather than capacity to pay the fees.

The findings, which also drew on existing data, showed that between the ages of 26 and 42, a pupil who attended a fee-paying school will earn around £193,700 more on average that someone who was educated in the state sector.

Even when a child’s parental background and their test scores at age 10 are taken into account, there is still a ”substantial earnings premium”, with a private school pupil earning an estimated £57,653 more between the ages of 26 and 42 than a similar child who went to a state school, the study found.

Read her full report at the MSN website here