Hierarchical migration of university graduates: the role of higher education as a springboard or retainer

Access to higher education is considered an important avenue for upward social mobility. However, the question of which city to attend university and its influence on migration trajectories remains underexplored. Drawing on a 2022 survey of university graduates from eight Chinese cities, this study examines how the location of a university affects mobility within the urban hierarchy. The findings reveal that universities function as springboards in graduates’ migration trajectories. The study highlights the spatial role of universities in talent distribution, a process that is both shaped by and reinforces the hierarchical structure of the urban system.