National Alumni Career Mobility Annual Report
2023 Findings, Benchmarks, and Best Practices
Tap into the voice of over 9,000 alumni from 38 peer institutions, collected 5 and 10 years after graduation.
Did you know only half of alumni decide on a career before graduation?
Yet alumni whose institution helped prepare them for their career are over twice as likely to say that their education was worth the cost. To give students a good return on their investment, institutions need to better equip learners for careers before they've left campus–an undertaking which requires defining student success, addressing equity gaps, and understanding how alumni themselves perceive ROI.
Address equity gaps
The data reveals noticeable gaps in equity for historically marginalized groups. But by identifying where these gaps exist, institutions can better target their efforts for becoming equitable, such as aiding student engagement in these three areas:
Define student success
Traditional measures of student success often focus on salary–a view of success that lacks nuance, especially for careers that don't lead to high salary positions. In fact, when we see how alumni talk about their motivation for obtaining a degree, financial gain is fourth on the list.
Understand ROI
To give students a good return on investment, we have to understand how alumni perceive the ROI of their degree. However, that perception changes significantly when put in terms of the financial cost. While 82% reported being satisfied with their educational experience, only 44% agreed their degree was worth the student loan debt.
NACM annual survey results provide insights into these challenges and reveal concrete strategies for improving student career success.
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