Post Graduation Statistics

Plans of Recent Graduates Upon Graduation

Post Graduation Statistics

Class of 2017

Surveyed upon graduation (class of 2017), 72% of students planned to pursue employment and 16% planned to attend graduate or professional school, with the remaining 12% planning to travel, conduct other academic study or remain undecided. Within five years of graduation, 80% plan to enroll in graduate or professional school. 

Employment Trends (first jobs upon graduation, 2013-2017)

Among graduating seniors, the largest percentages have entered research and business careers over the past five years.  Additional career fields with higher concentrations of graduates have included education, public service, technology/engineering, law, and communications.  

  • 23% of graduates chose business careers including consulting, investment banking, financial/actuarial services, marketing/advertising, human resources and management
  • 22% of graduates chose research careers:14% scientific research in academic settings, medical or pharmaceutical laboratories, 5% economics and policy research, 3% other types of research
  • 15% of graduates chose technology/engineering careers 
  • 15% of graduates chose education careers, primarily teaching in the US or abroad
  • 9% of graduates chose public service careers including roles in international development, voluntary service, government, non-profits, public health, religious and environmental organizations, counseling and community development.
  • 5% of graduates chose law careers
  • 2% chose communications careers
The top geographic locations where graduating students begin their careers, 2013-2017:

  • New York City (19%) 

  • Philadelphia (18%)
  • Washington, D.C. (15%)
  • International (10%)
  • Boston (8%)

Advanced Study Trends

Of the seniors who enter graduate school immediately upon graduation:

  • 42% enter Ph.D. programs
  • 33% enter Master's programs
  • 12% pursue medical degrees

  • 12% pursue law degrees

The top attended universities of those students immediately entering graduate school were:

  1. University of Pennsylvania
  2. Harvard University 
  3. Yale University
  4. Cornell University
  5. Columbia University
  6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  7. University of Chicago
  8. University of Oxford
  9. Stanford University
  10. Princeton University
     

The top graduate fields include:

  • Math and Physical Sciences (30%)
  • Humanities (29%)

  • Social Sciences (23%)

  • Life Sciences (18%)