University of Western Australia students earn the most money but are the least happy of all WA graduates, according to new research.

A survey conducted by the Federal Department of Education and Training found UWA students in full-time employment had a median salary of $60,900.

The median salaries of Edith Cowan University, Murdoch and Curtin were all $60,000.

The study found 86.1 per cent of ECU students rated their overall education experience positively, making them the happiest public univerity students in Australia.

Only 76.5 per cent of UWA students had a positive educational experience, well below the national average of 80.1 per cent.

At Murdoch, 79.5 per cent of students were happy with their education compared with 80.5 per cent of Curtin students.

ECU students were also the most likely to find a job, with 87.9 per cent of graduates employed four months after completing their course.

The employment rates for UWA, Curtin and Murdoch were 86.4 per cent, 87.7 per cent and 85.5 per cent respectively.

The data is based on a survey of 16,223 students across the country by the Federal Department of Education and Training and was released on the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching website yesterday.