The banking, finance and insurance industry has the highest proportion of staff with a degree or equivalent qualification (34 per cent).
A Labour Force Survey shows the second largest proportion of staff with higher qualifications are found in education, health, and public administration (31 per cent).
Not surprisingly, staff with degrees and the equivalent are heavily concentrated in professional occupations.
The smallest proportion of employees with a degree or equivalent work in agriculture and fishing, transport and communication, construction, distribution, hotels and restaurants.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Analysis of the survey and data from the Office for National Statistics shows more than one in five people working in agriculture and fishing has no qualifications at all.