Since 2007 data on the socio-economic group (SEG) background of entrants to higher education is collected annually by the HEA via the "Equal Access Survey".
This is a voluntary survey which collects information on the social and economic background of new students who enter higher education for the first time. The survey is administered by each higher education institution as part of the student registration process.
It is important to note that as the survey is voluntary, response rates vary from year to year, and by institution.
The following table provides a breakdown of the numbers who have entered third level education and completed the survey from the inception of the survey in 2007, broken down by socio-economic group.
Year
|
Number of FT NE, Prog Type 10,11,12,13, Year 1
|
Response Rate as % of all NE
|
Employers and Managers A
|
Higher Professional B
|
Lower Professional C
|
Non-manual D
|
Manual skilled E
|
Semi-skilled F
|
Unskilled G
|
Own account workers H
|
Farmers I
|
Agricultural workers J
|
All others gainfully occupied, and unknown Z
|
2015/2016
|
42,530
|
70.3%
|
4,703
|
2,959
|
2,350
|
2,672
|
2,739
|
1,469
|
1,231
|
1,831
|
1,758
|
104
|
5,255
|
2015/2016
|
|
|
17%
|
11%
|
9%
|
10%
|
10%
|
5%
|
5%
|
7%
|
6%
|
0%
|
19%
|
2014/2015
|
41,348
|
75.7%
|
4,749
|
3,008
|
2,412
|
2,796
|
2,797
|
1,479
|
1,307
|
2,069
|
1,905
|
115
|
5,409
|
2014/2015
|
|
|
17%
|
11%
|
9%
|
10%
|
10%
|
5%
|
5%
|
7%
|
7%
|
0%
|
19%
|
2013/2014
|
40,346
|
73.7%
|
4,579
|
2,759
|
2,263
|
2,571
|
2,680
|
1,437
|
1,203
|
1,959
|
1,820
|
96
|
5,312
|
2013/2014
|
|
|
17%
|
10%
|
8%
|
10%
|
10%
|
5%
|
5%
|
7%
|
7%
|
0%
|
20%
|
2012/2013
|
40,038
|
91.3%
|
4,579
|
2,903
|
2,222
|
2,380
|
2,890
|
1,394
|
628
|
2,056
|
1,953
|
215
|
4,346
|
2012/2013
|
|
|
18%
|
11%
|
9%
|
9%
|
11%
|
5%
|
2%
|
8%
|
8%
|
1%
|
17%
|
2011/2012
|
39,627
|
91.0%
|
4,560
|
2,642
|
2,241
|
2,242
|
2,868
|
1,315
|
567
|
2,023
|
1,831
|
202
|
3,627
|
2011/2012
|
|
|
19%
|
11%
|
9%
|
9%
|
12%
|
5%
|
2%
|
8%
|
8%
|
1%
|
15%
|
2010/2011
|
39,313
|
86.4%
|
4,699
|
2,809
|
2,319
|
2,542
|
3,170
|
1,390
|
644
|
2,002
|
2,069
|
209
|
4,400
|
2010/2011
|
|
|
18%
|
11%
|
9%
|
10%
|
12%
|
5%
|
2%
|
8%
|
8%
|
1%
|
17%
|
2009/2010
|
39,673
|
87.2%
|
5,192
|
2,931
|
2,659
|
2,739
|
3,456
|
1,482
|
814
|
2,160
|
2,379
|
162
|
4,665
|
2009/2010
|
|
|
18%
|
10%
|
9%
|
10%
|
12%
|
5%
|
3%
|
8%
|
8%
|
1%
|
16%
|
2008/2009
|
37,229
|
72.5%
|
4,637
|
2,205
|
2,215
|
2,235
|
3,025
|
1,558
|
946
|
1,754
|
2,123
|
125
|
2,817
|
2008/2009
|
|
|
20%
|
9%
|
9%
|
9%
|
13%
|
7%
|
4%
|
7%
|
9%
|
1%
|
12%
|
2007/2008
|
34,580
|
65.0%
|
3,663
|
1,735
|
1,827
|
2,053
|
2,572
|
1,285
|
788
|
1,176
|
1,746
|
96
|
2,170
|
|
|
|
19%
|
9%
|
10%
|
11%
|
13%
|
7%
|
4%
|
6%
|
9%
|
1%
|
11%
|
* Includes Non-EU fee paying students
*Excludes Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) & National College of Ireland (NCI)
FT Full time
NE New Entrants