What Is the Salary Difference Between a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree?

According to a 2017 Study by Statbel, Salaries Increased for All Belgian Workers Between 2010 and 2017. However, Master’s degree holders tend to earn higher salaries than young workers with a Bachelor’s degree. Monthly remuneration also depends on the first job taken. For example, a graduate working in engineering will typically earn more than someone with a law or economics degree.

Salary Increases for All Belgian Graduates :

According to Statbel (Belgium’s national statistics office), all Belgian workers experienced salary increases between 2010 and 2017. The average salary rose by 15% over seven years, increasing from €3,103 gross per month to €3,558 gross. However, salary levels and wage growth depend on educational background. Workers with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree saw their salaries increase more than those entering the job market with a secondary school diploma (CESS). Between 2010 and 2017: Workers with only a CESS diploma saw their wages increase by 6.6% on average. Master’s degree holders saw an increase of 10.7% in their monthly salary. Bachelor’s degree holders had an 11.1% increase on average.

Across all sectors, workers with a Master’s degree earn an average gross salary of €5,330 per month, which is 50% higher than the national average.

It is important to note that these figures do not specifically reflect the salaries of young graduates. The €5,330 gross monthly salary is an overall average for all employees with a university degree.

When looking at entry-level salaries, a study by De Tijd and L’Echo found that young university graduates typically earn €2,426 gross per month at the start of their careers.

Master’s Degree Holders Earn More Than Bachelor’s Graduates :

One clear trend emerges from these studies: Master’s graduates consistently earn more than those with a Bachelor’s degree or a high school diploma. Unsurprisingly, graduates in civil engineering have the highest starting salaries, earning around €3,000 gross per month in their first job. They are closely followed by graduates in exact sciences and agronomy, who earn between €2,850 and €2,950 gross per month. Economics and law graduates can expect salaries of around €2,500 gross per month.

Philosophy, languages, and literature graduates tend to earn the lowest salaries among university graduates, with 50% of them starting at €2,300 gross per month.

In general, Bachelor’s degree holders will earn less than their Master’s graduate colleagues. Across all sectors, a Bachelor’s graduate typically starts with an average salary of €2,100 gross per month.

However, this figure represents the median salary—meaning 50% of young graduates will earn more than €2,100 per month, while 50% will earn less.

What About Extra Benefits?

A Hudson study examined the relationship between extra-legal benefits and educational background, specifically company cars.

Their key findings include:

• 1 in 3 Master’s graduates (34%) receives a company car at the start of their career.
• Only 17% of Bachelor’s graduates receive a company car.
• Business engineers and IT graduates are the most likely to be offered a company car early in their careers.

Salary—But What Else?

According to a study by Universum focused on Generation Z (people born after 1997), salary expectations are the most important factor when choosing a job.

Other key considerations include:

✅ Respect for employees

✅ A pleasant work environment

✅ A challenging job

✅ A creative and dynamic workplace

This study surveyed 13,000 students, highlighting the evolving expectations of young professionals entering the job market.