DU Reports Strong Post-Grad Outcomes for Class of 2022

Six months after graduation, members of the University of Denver Class of 2022 were earning high marks on several indicators of post-grad success. According to a new report released by the University, 90.4% of undergraduates, 93.4% of master’s students and 98.1% of doctoral students were employed, enrolled in continuing education, or in service/military activities six months after graduation.

Through self-reporting, email surveys, phone surveys and other methodologies, the University was able to obtain first-destination outcomes for 81.6% of undergraduate students, 73.8% of master’s students and 75% of doctoral students, rates which are all notably higher than the national averages from university post-grad surveys.

Undergraduate outcomes

The 90.4% rate of undergraduate students who are now employed, continuing their education or pursuing military service is expected to exceed national and regional outcomes, as University graduates have done for the past five years.

Most undergraduate students surveyed are employed full-time (59.3%), with a little less than a third continuing their education (26.7%) and 0.7% entering or seeking military service.

The rate of students employed full-time six months after graduation is highest for graduates from the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science (69.5%), followed closely by the Daniels College of Business (69.2%).

Most employed undergraduate students cited the source of their jobs as having applied directly to the organization (25%), followed by being hired by an internship employer (13.4%) and “other” (10.5%).

“In 2022, the biggest changes in job source were a 7.4% increase in use of other online job boards, and a 5.7% increase in use of the DU job board,” the report says. “A 3.9% increase in students applying directly to the organization continued a trend which was also observed in 2021.”

The mean and median salary of the undergraduate class of 2022 increased by more than $7,000 and $10,000 respectively, with graduates from the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science and the Daniels College of Business reporting the highest average and median annual salaries.

Overall, graduates employed full-time or part-time reported high rates of job satisfaction and feeling as if their degree helped to prepare them well for their roles.

Additionally, the vast majority of undergraduate students (68.7%) have remained in Colorado post-graduation. The top ten cities outside of Colorado where graduates have moved are Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Austin, Texas; Boston; San Francisco; Seattle; Orlando, Fla.; San Diego; Dallas, TX; and Charlotte, N.C.

Graduate outcomes

For the master’s students in the class of 2022, 93.4% are now employed, continuing their education or pursuing service/military activities six months after graduation, with the large majority employed full-time. These numbers are also expected to exceed national and regional averages, as they have done in years past.

To break it down further, 82.4% percent of graduate students are employed full-time, 6.8% are continuing their education and 0.4% are pursuing military service.

The Daniels College of Business topped the list of schools from which graduates are now employed full-time (91.1%), with University College (88.3%) and the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science (87.1%) following closely behind.

As with undergraduate students, employed graduate students reported high levels of job satisfaction and asserted that their degrees prepared them for their positions.

And similarly to the undergraduate class of 2022, those with advanced degrees have overwhelmingly stayed in Colorado post-graduation (58.2%).

However, the top 10 cities outside of Colorado where master’s degree graduates are living have shifted; Boston, Houston, Dallas, Portland, Ore., Raleigh, N.C., Salt Lake City, San Diego and Honolulu are new to the list this year. These cities replace the top destinations of Orlando, Fla., Washington, D.C., New York, Anaheim, Calif., Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle from the class of 2021.

Mean and median salaries for the graduate class of 2022 increased by $4,000 and $7,000, respectively, with top earners coming from The Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science and the Daniels College of Business.

Find the full University of Denver 2022 Outcomes Report here.