Twelve universities in England gave student loan repayment examples based solely on below-average salaries, leaving out the larger monthly deductions graduates face as their earnings rise. Treasury Committee chair Dame Meg Hillier called some of the information “misleading”.

An examination of more than 110 university websites found most offered no worked examples, while more than a dozen included above-average earnings. The 12 used salaries below the UK average of £39,039. Most websites referred students to official guidance.

Northumbria University compared a £75 monthly repayment on a £35,000 salary to less than the “cost of a daily coffee”. It has removed that comparison. The university said £35,000 broadly reflected average full-time earnings in north-east England, but acknowledged that higher earners repay more and promised a further review.

Current and prospective students in England use Plan 5 loans for tuition and living costs. They repay 9% of earnings above £25,000 for 40 years, unless the debt is cleared sooner. A £30,000 salary means £37.50 a month; £100,000 means £562.50. Low-salary examples therefore illustrate the formula without showing how career progression changes the deduction.

Megan Russon, 21, a tax accountant from Cannock, owes about £62,000 after studying accounting and finance at Birmingham. On around £29,000, she expects repayments of about £30 monthly, rising to roughly £187 if she earns £50,000 after qualifying as chartered in three years. She said university open days suggested graduates “wouldn't even notice the repayments because they should be minimal”.

Separate errors have been corrected: Exeter understated the write-off period by a decade; Royal Holloway and Edge Hill listed incorrect thresholds; Harper Adams wrongly placed English students on Plan 2.

Universities offered differing explanations. The Open University said its examples reflected students’ likely circumstances, while acknowledging many later earn considerably more. Sheffield described its example as illustrative; Portsmouth said its example came from Student Finance England and would be updated. Several institutions have updated their pages or promised reviews.

Lewis Wilson of the National Union of Students said comparable information for another financial product would have crossed into mis-selling. Hillier’s earlier inquiry accused the Department for Education of “mis-selling” Plan 2 loans by inadequately explaining salary progression and using phone-contract comparisons.

The department says its guidance explains repayment calculations and it will review information and work with universities on accuracy. Its website offers examples only up to £38,400 for other plans, with none for Plan 5. Hillier wants higher-salary examples included: the outstanding issue is whether borrowers can see the likely effect of rising earnings, not merely understand the repayment rate.