First Employment After Graduation

Upon graduation, Kent State University graduates (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, associate and certificate) join our worldwide alumni family, which exceeds 270,000. Our diverse alumni network helps to provide resources, connections and insights into industries and careers for our graduates. Kent State graduates go on to accept professional career opportunities in Ohio, across the United States and around the world.

We learn about the endeavors of our graduates through our First Destination Survey and Graduated Student Survey, which we have combined into one survey instrument. For details about the guiding principles and protocol for our surveys visit the NACE website, and the HLC website.

Data collection is a collaborative effort of Career Exploration and Development; Accreditation, Assessment and Learning; Institutional Research, and the faculty and staff at Kent State.

In 2014, the National Association of Colleges and Employers launched a national survey focused on new college graduates. This portion of the survey, launched in May 2018 at Kent State as the First Destination Survey, collects data about what our graduates are doing postgraduation, including working full/part time; continuing education; volunteering; serving in the military; seeking employment or continuing education; and/or not seeking employment or continuing education.

Kent State's Graduated Student Survey was introduced in 2005 and provides feedback regarding the quality of recent graduates’ undergraduate and graduate education (knowledge and skills acquired and curricular and co-curricular activities) and primary activities following graduation (e.g., employment, education and family). The Graduated Student Survey asks graduates to indicate their overall satisfaction with and perceptions of the university.

Beyond employment our graduates also commit to full-time experiences in the following three areas:

• 31.37% Continuing Education
• 0.36% Military
• 0.18% Volunteering

Anyone can report information about a recent graduate using this form. If you are a recent graduate, report using your Handshake profile.