THE University of Chester, which has a campus in Padgate, has been ranked seventh best in the north west by a top university guide but the figures show just 64.3 per cent of students are in graduate jobs or study after they leave.

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017 placed the college in the country’s top 100 universities at 81st place, meaning it has climbed six spots since last year’s list when it was ranked 87th.

Lancaster University was named top in the north west and boasted 82.5 per cent of students in work or further studies.

A spokesman for the University of Chester said the college is working towards getting more people into employment after they graduate and it recently hosted the biggest careers conference in the higher education sector.

She said: “Our academic departments focus very effectively on employability through their teaching and in partnership with our careers and employability team.

“Those who perform particularly well include business, strategy and entrepreneurship, clinical sciences and nutrition, mathematics and our public services employability is high (nurses, midwives, teachers, police officers and social workers).”

The university credited the North West Media Centre on the Warrington campus as one of the reasons why it has climbed up this year’s league table.

A spokesman said: “Many millions of pounds is continually invested in the teaching staff, research and facilities to give our students the experience that they deserve.

“The institution has a long established reputation for the quality of its teaching and as recognition of this was placed third in the region for its teaching excellence.

“The university is pleased to see its position heading in the right direction and remains committed to further improvements.”

Just over 81 per cent of students said they had a good experience at Chester and 80 per cent of people manage to complete their courses.

But a spokesman for the university said the total percentage of graduates in any type of employment or further study is 94.3 per cent in contrast to the figures used by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide.