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Compare any two UK universities

Select any two universities below and we'll generate an instant, data-driven comparison — rankings, salaries, student satisfaction, international community, and more.

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University of Plymouth

Plymouth · QS World #691

U
University of St Andrews

St Andrews · QS World #115

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 10 datapoints

We looked at 10 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

1/10

Plymouth

scored higher in 1 category

VS

9/10

St Andrews

scored higher in 9 categories

Quick Verdict

University of St Andrews leads in 9 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, established, satisfaction, international, graduate salary, courses, scholarship). University of Plymouth is ahead on employment.

University of Plymouth vs University of St Andrews at a glance

University of Plymouth and University of St Andrews both teach 36 subject areas, the largest being History, Economics and Politics & International Relations. University of Plymouth offers 310 courses across 78 subject areas; University of St Andrews offers 1,157 courses across 64 subject areas.

For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £19,500 a year at University of Plymouth and £27,200 at University of St Andrews: University of Plymouth is about £7,700 a year cheaper.

Of the 22 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of St Andrews is higher in 21 and University of Plymouth in 1. The widest gap is in Computer Science: £28,000 three years after graduating from University of Plymouth, against £51,500 from University of St Andrews. Of the 19 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of St Andrews is higher in 13 and University of Plymouth in 6.

World & National Rankings

Compare world and national league table positions, TEF ratings, and Russell Group membership.

#691
QS World
#115
#501
THE World
#162
#56
Guardian UK
#3
1862
Established
1413
No
Russell Group
No
Gold
TEF Rating
—

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

Longer bars indicate better performance. Metrics include student satisfaction, graduate salaries, and more.

University of Plymouth

University of St Andrews

86.6%
93.2%

Satisfaction

Student satisfaction with teaching (NSS Survey, out of 100%)

£30,300
£40,000

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

84.2%
74.1%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

11.9%
46.1%

International

International student share

310
1157

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

10
62

Scholarships

Number of scholarships

International Community

Where do international students come from?

Top source countries based on official HESA enrolment data. A higher diversity of nationalities often means a richer campus experience.

Plymouth

71 countries · 11.9% international

  • 🇳🇬Nigeria14.6%
  • 🇨🇳China12.2%
  • 🇮🇳India11%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong4.7%
  • 🌐Sri Lanka3.3%
VS

St Andrews

89 countries · 46.1% international

  • 🇺🇸United States42.3%
  • 🇨🇳China9%
  • 🇩🇪Germany4%
  • 🇮🇳India4%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong3.2%

Subjects

36 subjects you can study at both

Courses listed at each university in the subject, and the typical (median) international fee a year. Select a count to see the courses.

University of Plymouth

University of St Andrews

Also taught at both: Anthropology, Ecology & Conservation, Statistics, Biomedical Sciences, Law, Education Studies, Medicine, Sociology & Criminology, Finance & Actuarial Science, Business Studies, Human Geography & Environment, Creative Writing, Agriculture & Land Management, Childhood & Youth Studies, Environmental Sciences, Marketing, Software Engineering, Zoology & Animal Biology, Cognitive & Experimental Psychology, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Heritage & Conservation.

Only at University of Plymouth

Only at University of St Andrews

Fees

What it costs international students

The typical (median) international tuition fee a year across each university's published course fees. Individual courses vary; each course page shows its own fee.

Undergraduate

University of Plymouth
No data
University of St Andrews
£30,160

We do not have reliable international fee data for University of Plymouth yet.

Postgraduate

University of Plymouth
£19,500
University of St Andrews
£27,200

University of Plymouth is about £7,700 a year cheaper.

Outcomes

Graduate outcomes by subject

Median graduate salary three years after graduating, and student satisfaction with teaching, across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject. Source: Discover Uni.

University of Plymouth

University of St Andrews

  • History

    £20,500Salary (3 years)£28,500
    94%Satisfaction97%

  • Economics

    £24,500Salary (3 years)£39,000
    91%Satisfaction93%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £24,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    86%Satisfaction95%

  • Mathematics

    £25,000Salary (3 years)£36,500
    86%Satisfaction94%

  • English Studies

    £19,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    94%Satisfaction92%

  • Geography (General)

    £24,000Salary (3 years)£28,500
    87%SatisfactionNo data

  • Media & Film Studies

    No dataSalary (3 years)No data
    87%Satisfaction95%

  • Computer Science

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£51,500
    72%Satisfaction93%

  • Biology

    £21,000Salary (3 years)£27,000
    No dataSatisfaction96%

  • Psychology (General)

    £21,500Salary (3 years)£25,500
    84%Satisfaction89%

  • Geology & Earth Sciences

    £24,500Salary (3 years)£28,500
    91%Satisfaction97%

  • Chemistry

    £24,500Salary (3 years)£30,000
    97%Satisfaction94%

Showing the 12 largest of 23 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

University of Plymouth

GREAT Scholarships

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

Sanctuary Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

International Undergraduate Welcome to Plymouth Scholarship

£6,000

Deadline: N/A

Tamar Engineering Project

£4,500

Deadline: Jun 2026

International Postgraduate Welcome to Plymouth Scholarship

£4,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

University of St Andrews

Applied Environmental Sciences MSc Awards - Women in Mining (WIM) UK

100%

Deadline: Jun 2026

Environmental Science MSc Awards - The Cunningham Scholarship UK

100%

Deadline: Jun 2026

Masters funding in Digital Health and Care

£10,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

School of Modern Languages Masters Scholarship

100%

Deadline: May 2026

University of Jordan Postgraduate Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

University of Plymouth vs University of St Andrews: common questions

Is University of Plymouth or University of St Andrews cheaper for international students?

For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £19,500 a year at University of Plymouth and £27,200 at University of St Andrews: University of Plymouth is about £7,700 a year cheaper. These are medians of the international tuition fees each university publishes for its courses; the fee for a specific course is on its course page.

What subjects can you study at both University of Plymouth and University of St Andrews?

Both universities teach 36 subject areas: History, Economics, Politics & International Relations, Mathematics, English Studies, Geography (General), Media & Film Studies, Computer Science, Biology, Psychology (General), Geology & Earth Sciences, Chemistry and 24 more.

Is University of Plymouth or University of St Andrews better for History?

History graduates earn a median £20,500 three years after graduating from University of Plymouth, and £28,500 from University of St Andrews. Student satisfaction with teaching is 94% at University of Plymouth and 97% at University of St Andrews. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does University of Plymouth or University of St Andrews offer more courses?

University of St Andrews lists 1,157 courses on CourseOptions and University of Plymouth lists 310 courses.

What can you study at University of Plymouth but not at University of St Andrews?

University of Plymouth teaches 42 subject areas that University of St Andrews does not, including Design & Fashion, Civil Engineering, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Adult Nursing, Nutrition & Dietetics, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Dentistry, Hospitality, Events & Tourism and 34 more.

What can you study at University of St Andrews but not at University of Plymouth?

University of St Andrews teaches 28 subject areas that University of Plymouth does not, including African & Middle Eastern Studies, French, German & Scandinavian Studies, Italian, Ancient Languages, Classical Studies, History of Art & Design, Theology & Religious Studies and 20 more.

Ready to explore courses?

Browse available courses, check entry requirements, and find scholarships at each university.

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University of Plymouth310 courses · 10 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
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University of St Andrews1,157 courses · 62 scholarshipsBrowse Courses