1. Where Do Our Students Go After They Graduate?
Student Surveys Planning Group
May 20, 2008
University Career Services
Lonnie Dunlap, Ph.D.
Introductions
Selected highlights of the data

2. Overview of Annual Graduation Survey
Purpose is to gather data on graduating students in order to better understand:
1) Career and employment outcomes
2) Academic and Career Preparation
3) Changing context of the labor market

3. Today
1) Overview of key findings on first destination, selected career outcomes and career patterns
2) Present results associated with academic schools/colleges to identify career pathways

4. How Survey is Conducted
Survey is conducted in June, offers incentive, administered online.
Multiple methods to contact graduates -- including through departmental support,
Statistical analysis from Human Capital Research.
2007 reached all time high for bachelors’ degrees (79.4%)

5. Responses (N)
2005
2006
2007 N %
Bach.
1,294
65.6
1,450
66.4
1,719
79.4
Masters
165
58.9
339
32.1
341
24.1
Doct. 74
49.3
140
38.8
260
62.5
Total
1,533
63.8
1,929
53.6
2,320
57.7
Note response rate difference in 2007…
Previous years used number of students going through commencement (cap and gown) as baseline
In 2007 used all degree awarded, resulting in lower % even thought higher “N”..
Response rate by school in in handout

6. What Do They Do? >75% are employed or plan to continue their education in the next year
Career Status N %
Employed (All Forms)
1,444
.64
Continue Education
393
.17
Unemployed
282
.12
Other (Community Service, etc.)
138
.06

7. Yearly Comparisons, Highlights
Full time employment shows ongoing improvement over recent years, ’03=31.5%,
’06=39.8%,
Fewer are going directly to graduate studies right after graduation (trending down from 2003)
Fewer report they are still seeking work, highest “unemployed” was 19% in ‘03, lowest this year, 12.5%
Future direction and career status remained generally consistent over last 5 years.., main difference is in unemployment rate
But as we will see varies by school of enrollment…

8. First Destination By School of Enrollment, Bachelors degrees
FT/Offer Pending
Continuing
Education
Unemployed
Comm
31.6
15.8
*21.1
Medill
35.8
6.6
15.3
MEAS
*59.5
15.1
7.9
Music
17.1
*37.1
11.4
SCS
58.6
4.3
SESP
45.0
18.8
15.0
WCAS
38.7
22.4
12.6
Employed: highest MEAS, SCS, SESP
Medill: largest proprtion of internships and fellowships
Music: highest to continue education, and self-employment/freelance
Due to hiring cycles, timing of postgraduate education, etc..

9. Where Do They Work? (’07 Grads reporting employment)
Business, Consulting, Finance, Mgmt, Sales
.33
Education, Govt, Community Service
.15
Medicine/Law
.10
Communication, Journalism & Media
.09
Technology & Engineering
.08
Geographic distribution: 92% domestic:

10. Geographic Distribution

11. How Much Do They Earn? *Self-reported
Male
Female
Total
Bachelors
$51,131
$41,907
$47,111
Masters
$66,544
$58,794
$62,669
Doctorate
$68,264
$61,402
$64,833
Note in Full Report:
Present NU salaries in comparisons with national data reported by NACE
Undergraduates:
SCS: 64K
MEAS: 54K
WCAS: 45K
Medill: 44K
Comm: 39K
Music 38K
SESP: 37K
Gender and salary data in report: Largest gap in Medill, Women close but higher in MEAS and SCS

12. 2) Job Search Method Reported Most Useful1 2 3
Comm
NU Job Listings
Professional Contacts
Direct Application
MEAS
NU Campus Interviews
NU Career Fair
Medill
Internet Sites
Music
Internet Sites, NU Campus Interviews, Professional Contacts, NU Career Services and Prior Experience with Employer (tied)
SCS
Multiple Methods tied for 2nd.
SESP
Family/Friends
WCAS
Remote methods: job search methods that rely on remote resources such as the Internet, job advertisements, or sending in an application to a potential employer

13. 3) What career-related experiences did they have at NU?
Highest levels of involvement were in student activities, part-time employment, and community service
Experiential learning (Internships) showed positive association with employment
Practicum and research experiences positively correlated with graduate school attendance
Highest level of sustained activity (7+ quarters)..
Music and Medill highest for part time jobs
SESP highest for community service
Medill highest for student activities
In each area of activity, women higher participation rates, biggest difference in community service

14. When did they make major/career choice?
Choosing their majors
64% never changed major
Choice in Sophomore year highest for WCAS and SESP
Deciding career direction
23% prior to Freshman year
10% Freshman year
32% Sophomore/Junior years
15% Senior year
Higher number changed major this year’s survey (35.7% compared to 22.8%), but most likely just once.
Deciding career direction early: MEAS, Comm, Medill, Music, SCS

15. What are their plans for graduate or professional school?
For those continuing education immediately following graduation most will seek Master’s degrees ( all schools); Medical School (WCAS); Law School (Medill)
Long term aspirations: Doctorate highest for SESP; MBA highest for WCAS, MEAS; Law for Medill
78% report plan to pursue advanced degree…
Future degree correlated with undergraduate area of study…,, some mixed: history 21% law, 23% mba,
Those seeking MBA rose,, but

16. Degree Aspiration, Some Differences
Gender:
Higher interest in Law Degrees --6% more women, MBA -- 9% more men
Race/Ethnicity:
Higher Interest in Doctorates – African American, Multiracial, & Hispanic/Latino; Law – Hispanic/Latino; MBA – Caucasian, Asian-American
GPA:
>3.76 highest interest in Doctorates, as GPA decreased, more interest in MBA
GPA:
Doctorate – > 3.76
MBA – Increased interest with lower GPA

17. 4) What influences career outcomes? Obtaining employment
*p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001
NU Career Resources
.55
***
Remote Job Search Methods
-.48
Attending Grad/Professional School
-.55
Internships *
Career Decision: Junior Year
.09 **
Changed Majors
-.07
Hispanic-Latino
-.03
Significant correlations: all 4 of NU job search based methods (career services, job listings, career fair, OCR)
NU ocr the strongest (
Remote: Internet sites, direct application to employer, jobs ads in publications

18. What Predicts Salary Level?
Predicting Post-Graduation Salaries, Regression Analysis B
*p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001
NU Career Resources
.31
***
Remote Job Search Methods
-.15
Male
.12 **
Interpersonal Contacts .1 *
MEAS (WCAS)
.17
SCS (WCAS)
.06
Student Activities & Orgs
-.11

19. Summary Results support
-- consistency where we would expect it (proportional distribution, academic and career pathways and trajectories)
&
-- variation in response to external influences (labor market demand, salary levels and demographic differences)

20. Thank you! Questions? For further information/discussion contact:
Lonnie Dunlap,
Executive Director
University Career Services