The fortunes of graduate recruiters remain mixed as graduates enjoy higher starting salaries than ever before but face fewer job vacancies, according to a study by the Careers Services Unit. Last year, many recruiters suffered when companies froze or reduced their graduate intake.

The average starting salary for degree holders is now £18,020 a year, a 3% rise over the 12 months to last September. The highest paid jobs were in management consultancy (£20,033), IT (£19,121) and HR (£18,413).

Graduate recruitment varied regionally. The East Midlands experienced a 32% fall in placements, compared to a rise of 14% in Scotland.