Returns to qualifications is a statistical measure of how much more is earned on average by people with a particular qualification compared to people with similar demographic characteristics who do not have the qualification. Awarding bodies and the national regulator do not generally use this research method in comparability studies, although they are prominent in government reviews of qualifications.

This article considers what returns to qualifications comparability research can offer awarding bodies. This comparator enables researchers to make comparisons which cannot be achieved by other methods, for instance, comparisons between different types of qualifications, occupations, sectors and progression routes. It has the advantage that it is more independent than customary comparators used in many comparability studies.

As with all research approaches, returns to qualifications has strengths and weaknesses, but provides some robust comparability evidence. The strongest comparability evidence is when there is a clear pattern in the results of several studies using different established research methods and independent data sets. Therefore results from returns to qualifications research combined with results from the customary comparators would provide a strong research evidence base.