How many students have jobs soon after graduation? It has become the most commonly reported metric in evaluating colleges and universities. But measuring a graduate’s success goes far beyond job placement. Whether they are engaged and thriving in their work and personal life post-graduation is another key metric that is now being measured by Gallup.

The Job Placement Numbers

Bentley’s Class of 2015 reports positive outcomes six months after graduation: 98 percent of the responding class (90 percent) is employed or attending graduate school with a median salary up from the year before. Close to half found their position by taking advantage of programs offered by Bentley’s nationally recognized career services department.

Members of the Class of 2015 were hired by some of the leading companies and organizations in the world, ranging from General Electric and CBS Sports, to McKinsey, Hubspot, AT&T, Morgan Stanley,  Wayfair, Lazard, AllianceBernstein, Cradle to Crayons, and Liberty Mutual, as well as all of the major accounting firms.

Other data from the Class of 2015:

• 47 percent obtained their full-time employment through Bentley-facilitated offerings, including campus recruiting, career fairs, referrals and internships
• 27 percent obtained their full-time employment as a result of networking efforts
• Median starting salary increased 2 percent to $53,000
• 354 different employers hired Bentley graduates in 2015

Bentley’s placement rate is based on a 90 percent “knowledge rate.” This refers to the percent of graduates for which Bentley has reasonable and verifiable information concerning post-graduation career activities. Calculating the “knowledge rate” begins with a formal survey of the Class of 2015 (82 percent response rate). Bentley career advisors, who worked closely with graduates to secure employment, then capture additional employment data through direct contact and social media.

Bentley’s “knowledge rate” shows that 6 months after graduation 88 percent of graduates are employed; 10 percent are currently attending or planning to attend graduate school full time – resulting in a placement rate of 98 percent.
 

Gallup: Measuring Beyond Job Placement

Bentley’s educational mission reaches well beyond students finding their first job after graduation – it is also focused on giving students the tools they need to build a strong foundation for a lifetime. A recent Gallup study measures long-term success by looking at graduates’ workplace engagement and overall well-being based on satisfaction in five key dimensions: purpose, social, financial, community and physical well-being.

Bentley participated in the survey with Gallup to understand the levels of well-being and workplace engagement for the school’s alumni.  The findings show our alumni fare better than the national average in all five dimensions. In addition, 48 percent of Bentley graduates feel engaged at work compared to a 39 percent national average.

Learn more about how Bentley graduates fared in the Gallup survey.