For Kent State University students and graduates, prospects for well‑paying and fulfilling careers continue to accelerate across Ohio’s key sectors—from healthcare and technology to aviation, business and the arts. With distinctive academic programs and robust partnerships with employers, Kent State is connecting learning to labor market demand and purpose-driven work.
From Cleveland Clinic and Akron Children’s Hospital to Sherwin-Williams, Medical Mutual, Goodyear and PCC Airfoils, Kent State programs are co-designed with industry, offering internships, labs, on-site courses, and projects that mirror workplace demands.
Kent State aligns curricula to occupations with strong pay and growth, such as respiratory therapy, aviation, actuarial science, and healthcare practitioners broadly—areas the BLS and Ohio’s labor market data identify as resilient and opportunity‑rich
Kent State grads meeting urgent demand with career‑ready training
When Kent State’s respiratory therapy cohort at the Cleveland Clinic’s downtown campus celebrated pinning and commencement, students stepped into a market hungry for skilled practitioners. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 12% growth for respiratory therapists nationwide from 2024 to 2034, with a 2024 median pay of $80,450—well above the national median wage—signaling both strong opportunity and competitive earnings for new graduates.
Healthcare careers remain both mission‑driven and financially competitive. The BLS shows that overall healthcare occupations are growing much faster than average, with practitioners’ median annual wage at $83,090 in May 2024.
Cleveland Clinic’s respiratory therapy enterprise—among the largest academic collaboratives in the country—shows constant hiring across specialties and shifts, underscoring sustained demand across Northeast Ohio’s hospital system.
Kent State alumni are also thriving in specialized care. Dr. Nick Campitelli, D.P.M., a 2001 graduate of Kent State University’s College of Podiatric Medicine, emphasizes how clinical preparation and mentorship at Kent State shaped his trajectory in patient care and teaching. Campitelli has been practicing podiatry in Fairlawn, Ohio, for 20 years and has garnered a major following on TikTok and YouTube for sharing his expertise, leading to many happy patients.
Jamie Shuster, a research director at the Cleveland Clinic and Kent State alumna, highlights the translation of research to patient outcomes. “My Kent State training helped me connect lab insights to real‑world healing,” Shuster said
Careers in aviation and engineering are taking flight
Kent State’s College of Aeronautics and Engineering connects students to internships and careers across aerospace manufacturing, airport management and piloting. Adam Varga, a senior aerospace engineering major, served an internship at PCC Airfoils, which demonstrated how classroom theory meets advanced manufacturing on the factory floor.
The internship delivered more than technical skills—it provided clarity. Working in a professional environment closely aligned with his field of study confirmed Adam's passion for research and design. "It was eye-opening," Varga said. "I realized I want to do more hands-on design work after graduation."
Nationally, airline and commercial pilots posted 2024 median pay of $198,100 (airline pilots) and $122,670 (commercial pilots), with steady openings projected due to retirements and fleet dynamics—pointing to strong long‑term demand for qualified aviators, even as hiring pace normalizes from post‑pandemic surges.
Good Year Blimp pilots Adam Basaran, a 2003 graduate, who serves as assistant chief pilot, and Jessica Miladinovich, a 2023 graduate, one of the newest additions to the Goodyear pilot team, credit Kent State’s applied training and industry connections. Miladinovich said the professors linked students to opportunities that led directly to their jobs.
“Kent State did a great job of preparing me for a real pilot job, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without the skills that I learned throughout my time there,” said Miladinovich. “There are certain things in aviation that will never leave. Things like weather, regulations, general aircraft systems and even the soft skills of being professional are things that I learned at Kent State that have been absolutely essential.”
Business, law and entrepreneurship: Turning skills into impact—and income
Kent State alumni in business and law illustrate how interdisciplinary learning translates into leadership roles.
Ashley Motley, now an actuary at Medical Mutual, embodies the fusion of mathematics and business fields with 22% projected growth for actuaries and a 2024 median pay of $125,770. Motley graduated in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Mathematics and a minor in insurance studies.
At Kent State, Motley found exactly what she needed: courses that pushed her to think critically and faculty advisors who encouraged her every step of the way. She credits the rigorous academic coursework in the actuarial math program and her advisor’s keen career advice for ultimately guiding her toward a career blending finance and mathematics. Her classes in actuarial math also gave her valuable technical skills that prepared her for her career.
“Kent State did a really good job of preparing us with coding,” Motley recalled. “We learned Python, R, C+ and SQL — things I use every single day now. I've worked at three different companies so far and each and every one of those companies, the one selling point that has helped me progress my career as fast as I have is that I know coding, I'm able to pull data really quickly.”
Entrepreneurship is flourishing, too. Kent State a marketing major Zoe Noel, a senior in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, transformed a student venture into a thriving donut truck, Zonuts and Lattes.
Noel is an example of how Kent State’s distinctive programs prepare students for the real world and give them the tools to enter the workforce with confidence. She recognizes how her time here at Kent State and the classes in her marketing major have helped her with the entrepreneurial process.
“I feel like I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from that, and now I can put what I learned into my business, and it’s really cool to see them correlate,” Noel said.
Creative industries: Purpose and pay through professional preparation
From museum exhibitions featuring Academy, Emmy and Tony award-winning alumnus Paul Tazewell to fashion collaborations and arts leadership (including former chair of the National Endowment of the Arts Jane Chu’s entrepreneurship focus), Kent State’s College of the Arts showcases how networks, residencies and masterclasses open doors for graduates across the creative economy.
Kent State’s creative programs pair craft with career readiness. During his 2025 visit, acclaimed New York fashion designer Christian Siriano praised Kent State interns. Siriano said he routinely hires Kent State fashion students as interns at his New York showroom, and his personal assistant is a Kent State alumna. “Kent State interns are always amazing—they bring creativity and professionalism.”
For Kent State students and graduates, the message is simple: opportunity is abundant and aligned with impact. With employers at the table, credentials that move quickly, and faculty who bridge campus and industry, Kent State is delivering on its promise to help students find careers that pay well—and mean even more.