While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the postgraduate plans for many college students, the majority of recent University of Dayton graduates have landed good-paying jobs in their chosen fields, service opportunities, or spots in graduate or professional schools.
“Our recent graduates laid plans for their post-graduation success during a pandemic and experienced success that matched the highest level ever measured,” said Jason Eckert, executive director of career services. “A hallmark of UD’s Marianist education is educating for adaptation and change, and our graduates the last two years definitely have done that with much success.”
“A hallmark of UD’s Marianist education is educating for adaptation and change, and our graduates the last two years definitely have done that with much success.”
The UD Office of Career Services surveys new alumni every year to compile the Flyer First Destination Survey, which tracks graduates’ first destinations after leaving UD.
For the 2020-21 academic year, 97% of UD graduates who responded to the survey reported they were employed, pursuing a graduate degree or participating in a service program within six months of graduation. The average starting salary for this group of graduates was reported at $52,336. They are also finding success in their chosen fields, with 96% reporting that they are working in their chosen field or in a job that’s a first step toward a position in their field.
The success rates by school are 99% for the Schools of Business Administration and Education and Health Sciences, 96% for the School of Engineering, and 95% for the College of Arts and Sciences. This includes alumni who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in August and December 2020 and May 2021. A total of 1,745 alumni responded to the survey, and 90% of their responses were verified by a secondary source.
Top employers of these Flyers include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and accounting firms PwC and EY. Ohio State University, University of Notre Dame, University of Michigan and Case Western Reserve University are among the top graduate schools, after the University of Dayton, which ranked the No. 1 school they chose to continue their education.