Recent UConn alumni are predominantly staying in Connecticut, working or studying in pursuits of their choice, and seeing an immediate return on investment with strong starting salaries, new data shows — all despite graduating into one of the most challenging job markets in recent memory.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s data also marks a new high in the percentage of out-of-state students who put down local roots after graduation, deciding to stay in Connecticut along with the large numbers of in-state natives starting their careers or pursuing advanced degrees here.<\/p>\n
In all, about 91% of UConn\u2019s newest alumni had positive post-graduation outcomes, meaning they held full-time jobs; were continuing their education; or were following other pursuits of their choosing including military or service with not-for-profit organizations.<\/p>\n
The data comes from the most recent Undergraduate First Destination<\/a> survey results, which also showed the recent graduates earning an average starting salary of $67,500.<\/p>\n That\u2019s an increase of about $7,500 in just the past two years despite the tightening national job market. In fact, in high-demand fields such as nursing and engineering, some entered their first jobs right out of UConn earning more than $80,000 yearly.<\/p>\n The new figures illustrate UConn\u2019s value to students and to the State of Connecticut, providing a highly educated workforce with young professionals whose salaries are reinvested into their communities through housing, purchasing goods and services, and other spending.<\/p>\n The data also underscores findings in a Georgetown University study<\/a>, which found that UConn graduates yielded a 10-year ROI of $226,000 to $296,000 depending on their campus \u2013 all notably higher than the median of $149,000 at public universities nationwide.<\/p>\n It also aligns with goals in the UConn Strategic Plan<\/a>, including promoting holistic student success and powering a thriving Connecticut economy.<\/p>\n Added competitiveness in a tough job market<\/strong><\/p>\n Among recent UConn alumni who entered from Connecticut high schools, about 77% have stayed in-state for their first jobs after graduation, representing an increase of 1 percentage point from last year.<\/p>\n And among those who came to UConn from elsewhere, about 24% stayed in Connecticut for employment. That\u2019s up 7 percentage points from last year, a new high in the nearly 10 years since UConn started tracking the figures through the First Destination survey.<\/p>\n The positive outcomes in the newest survey are even more gratifying considering the tight job market, which many national experts have described as one of the most challenging in the last decade apart from the pandemic period.<\/p>\n \u201cThe results reflect the talent and resilience of our students, the rigor and relevance of our academic programs, the strength of our career readiness ecosystem, and the enduring reputation of the University of Connecticut,\u201d says Jim Lowe, UConn\u2019s associate vice president and executive director of the UConn Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills.<\/p>\n Mitchell Velasco \u201925 (BUS) says he found that taking advantage of programs in his major \u2013 in his case, financial management \u2013 helped make him more competitive in the job market. Among other activities, he participated in the College Fed Challenge<\/a>, the Student Managed Fund<\/a>, and peer and professional conferences to build his skills and understand real-world conditions in his future industry.<\/p>\n By December 2024, he had received and accepted a job offer as a Capital One business analyst, which he started after his May 2025 graduation.<\/p>\n \u201cLeaning into these opportunities that transcend the classroom can provide an edge in an ever-competitive job market,\u201d Velasco says. \u201cTaking advantage of the valuable resources and opportunities made available to students at UConn, along with its strong academic program, can make you that differentiated candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n The newly released data on UConn students\u2019 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<\/a>) survey protocols.<\/p>\n