The Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University calculated that the average graduate who played sport while studying earns £5,824 (18 per cent) more than those who did not.

Twenty-one per cent of graduates who were sporty students had experienced a period of unemployment during their career, compared with per cent of those who did not participate.

The centre conducted the survey on nearly 6,000 students on behalf of British Universities & Colleges Sport.

Simon Shibli, co-director of the centre, said that sport was a way students could demonstrate ambition, drive, motivation and leadership to prospective employers.

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“The results of this research are proof positive that sport in higher education provides a recognised and valuable part of the student experience,” he said.

“Involvement in sport makes a real, measurable and positive impact not just on the student experience, but also on life beyond higher education.”

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The study also surveyed 112 graduate recruiting companies, 94 per cent of which said there was a “clear link between university sport participation and valuable skills and strengths in potential employees”.

Karen Rothery, chief executive of BUCS, said: “In a challenging economic climate, employers increasingly require candidates to demonstrate achievements beyond academic ability – key attributes such as team work, communication skills and leadership that can be developed through sport make a student stand out.”

david.matthews@tsleducation.com