Purdue University
Post Graduation Survey

The Post Graduation Survey data is collected by Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities (CCO) from an annual survey conducted for each May graduation class. The information reported represents all Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts and professional degree graduates from the West Lafayette campus. The graduates are surveyed are based on the Registrar's Candidate File. The data displayed on the May 2011 graduates' report represent the collection that took place from March 2010 to February 2011; the response rate was 88.8%. Nearly all data on the Post-Graduation Survey are self-reported by students and graduates.

Multiple avenues are pursued to reach graduation candidates for this survey. Some students provide information on the Registrar’s website targeting activities for graduating students to complete prior to commencement.  Others complete the survey on the Center for Career Opportunities’ website.  Another important source for receiving data is through the collaboration of sharing and receiving post-graduation information between each of the Purdue’s academic areas. In addition, from July through December, periodic emails are sent to students who have not reported their post- graduation plans, or who indicated that they were still seeking employment or further study prior to graduation. The final effort takes place in December and January when staff members and campus partners make at least three phone call attempts to reach each student whose post-graduation plans have not been received or updated.  Those individuals not reporting post-graduation plans and those who previously reported SEEKING, but could not be reached again are in the "unable to track" category.

For the purposes of this survey, EMPLOYED is defined as those graduates who reported relevant, full-time employment during the survey period.  ACCEPTED CONTINUING EDUCATION represented graduates reporting that they were accepted for admission to graduate school, professional school, a second Bachelor degree program, or for pursuit of coursework or training in another career field.  The SEEKING categories are those individuals who reported throughout the survey period that they were in a search mode for employment or a continuing education opportunity.  Notably, individuals who considered themselves to be under-employed typically placed themselves in the SEEKING category. The OTHER category status contains individuals who confirmed a successful career start. They are no longer seeking a first-destination opportunity and their status does not qualify as accepted employment or accepted for continuing education.  Examples include post-graduation internships and selection to Americorps, Peace Corps or the Teach for America programs.  The OTHER lines that appear within specific school and college categories represent majors where fewer than seven graduates reported.

This is a very comprehensive collection process which encompasses extensive collaboration with the academic departments and campus units. This effort has resulted in Purdue achieving one of the highest response rates among our peer Universities. 

The placement rate of 89.3%, which accounts for graduates that accepted employment, accepted further study or confirmed a successful career start, represents a campus considered by its peers as hosting one of the largest employer programs in the country.  A recent Wall Street Journal survey of corporate recruiters ranked Purdue fourth in the nation in preparing its students for the work force. 

Access the complete Post-Graduation Survey for the May 2011 graduates on the Center for
Career Opportunities' website at https://www.cco.purdue.edu/common/PostGradSummaryMay11.pdf.