Is a university degree really worth it?

A university degree has long held the promise of a good job and a relatively high salary. But rising fees, a growing pile of student debt and record low unemployment have chipped away at that perception.

The number of Australian students studying for a bachelor’s degree has fallen more than 13 per cent since 2016.

The decline comes at an awkward time for Education Minister Jason Clare, who is just about to receive the final report of a review into the sector. His target for 55 per cent of young people to have a bachelor’s degree by 2050 will be difficult to achieve.

This week on The Fin podcast, education editor Julie Hare on why young Australians are losing faith in the value of uni, what the government is trying to do about it and whether it will work.

Explore the big issues in business, markets and politics with the journalists who know the inside story. New episodes of The Fin are published every Thursday.