Source: US State of Connecticut
UConn’s newest alumni continued to excel after receiving their diplomas, with about 92% of recent graduates holding full-time jobs, continuing their education, or following other pursuits of their choosing within six months after graduating.
The large majority also stayed in Connecticut, securing jobs with employers that cover the gamut from entrepreneurial start-ups and community-based small businesses to the biggest names in manufacturing, insurance, health care, and finance.
While applying the skills they learned at UConn to support those industries, they also are augmenting Connecticut’s economy with strong starting salaries that are reinvested in their communities through housing, purchasing goods and services, and other spending.
UConn’s most recent cohort of graduates earned annual starting salaries of nearly $65,000 on average – up about $5,200 from the previous year – with some exceeding $80,000 in high-demand fields such as nursing and computer science.
The employment and salary figures for the recent graduates underscore the strong return on investment in a UConn education, and the University’s work to provide a highly educated workforce that supports and advances Connecticut’s innovation economy.
“Every number represents a student who chose to enroll at UConn, drawn by its outstanding academic programs, rich research and entrepreneurship opportunities, and nurturing campus community – qualities that they believe will set them on the path to success. Year after year, UConn proves it is committed to fulfilling that promise,” says President Radenka Maric.
At the national level, about 85% of the most recent cohort of college graduates report being employed, in graduate education, or in other pursuits of their choosing within six months of receiving their degree.
UConn comfortably outpaces that at 92% reporting positive outcomes, tying with last year’s record high.
Encouraging outcomes for current students
The successful outcomes were evident across UConn, with the most recent alumni from Storrs and the regional campuses demonstrating strong results and overwhelmingly reporting that their jobs are related to their current career goals.
The newest alumni outcomes also serve as an encouraging example for the thousands of UConn undergraduates slated to receive their diplomas in May and who either are interviewing for jobs, already have an offer in hand, or are considering graduate education.
It also aligns with UConn’s Strategic Plan, which includes commitments to strengthen life and career readiness competencies in academic and experiential activities, and to position students for career and life success once they leave the University.
The data on students’ post-graduation progress comes from the annual Undergraduate First Destination Survey, in which UConn participates along with most other colleges and universities through National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey protocols.
The survey information and other details – including top employers of UConn graduates, their average starting salaries, employment locations and other details – can be found on the UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills website.
UConn’s work to engage its students through career services has repeatedly shown its effectiveness in their career readiness, resulting in post-graduation success. — Associate Provost James Lowe
The most recent figures capture data on UConn undergraduates who received their degrees in August 2023, December 2023, and May 2024. The website also includes a tool to find specific information by school and college, academic major, and other attributes.
Of the graduates in those cohorts, about 92% were in activities of their choosing within six months of graduating: working full time, pursuing graduate education, enlisted in military service, or engaged in other pursuits.
Of those, about 58% were employed and 33% were pursuing higher education. The rest were either serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, engaged with non-profit organizations, or in other activities of their choosing. The remaining 8% includes people pursuing certifications or credentials needed for their specific career paths, and others still seeking opportunities.
Many of the graduates increased their marketability by engaging in internships, job fairs, career counseling, and other experiential learning experiences through UConn’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills.
Nutmeggers building their careers at home
For some, like Stamford native Sarah Velez ’24 (BUS), those experiences led directly to job offers.
Velez, who was selected in 2022 as a Spectrum Scholar, interned at the company starting in summer 2023 to learn from people across different marketing areas and broaden her understanding of various career paths available.
With those skills and her UConn education, Velez landed a full-time position at Spectrum as a marketing associate, which she started after her graduation from UConn in May 2024.
“This exposure, combined with hands-on experience and mentorship support, helped me narrow down my interests and develop the skills I need to succeed in my current role,” says Velez, who matriculated at UConn Stamford.
Like Velez, many of the recent graduates were loyal to their home state when the time came to consider jobs and graduate school.
About 76% of Connecticut natives who graduated from UConn stayed in the state for jobs, up 7 percentage points from just two years earlier. And, about 77% of in-state students who decided to pursue graduate degrees enrolled in Connecticut institutions, predominantly at UConn.
Career services pay dividends for Huskies
They also often can be found giving back to their alma mater, including by representing their new employers at career fairs coordinated by the UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills.
In fact, about 300 employers participated in UConn’s All-University Fair in fall 2023, for which the University provided regional students with free transportation to and from the flagship campus.
More than 4,300 students met over two days with employers at that event, the largest number to date to participate in a career fair.
Thousands also took advantage of the chance to share their resumes, learn about internships, and have professional head shots taken on site in the new Iris Air photobooth. That booth, which is sponsored by General Dynamics Electric Boat, also is available to students for free use anytime at the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills office in the Wilbur Cross Building.
In the past year, average annual salaries were $14,500 higher for recent UConn graduates who had used career services than those who hadn’t, and they were much more likely to secure jobs either directly or very related to their career goals.
“UConn’s work to engage its students through career services has repeatedly shown its effectiveness in their career readiness, resulting in post-graduation success,” says UConn Associate Provost James Lowe, who is also executive director of the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills.
The center’s mission is to deliver comprehensive, innovative, and inclusive programs and services for all students, he adds. That includes an extensive host of nationally recognized and award-winning offerings to ensure students are well prepared for life after UConn. It also entails cultivating connections to campus and community partners, promoting opportunities for students to contribute to the state, national, and global communities.
UConn career consultants work throughout the year with students to help them articulate the skills they learned in part-time jobs on campus or elsewhere, and to show potential employers how that real-world experience boosts their qualifications for jobs.
According to a national Gallup Poll, 60% of students utilize their university provided career services. At UConn, the number is 85% — a full 25% points above the national average.
“Our enviable student engagement levels are a direct result of a meticulously curated marketing plan coupled with targeted programmatic offerings that address the career readiness needs of our students no matter what phase of the career journey they are in,” Lowe says.
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