2018-19 Post-Graduation Activity Report by College and Major
Data for the 2018-19 report was obtained for 73% (N=3,696) of the graduating class. Data was self-reported. We surveyed all (N=5,063) WMU students graduating with bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees between August 2018 and June 2019.
Where are the graduates of 2018-19?
94% of WMU graduates were actively engaged in full-time employment (75%), part-time employment (2%), military service (0.6%), full-time volunteer service (0.4%), and further education (16%).
| All degrees | Undergraduate | Graduate | |
| Actively Engaged | 94% | 94% | 95% |
| Employed full time | 75% | 72% | 82% |
| Employed part time | 2% | 2% | 1% |
| Continuing education | 16% | 19% | 11% |
| Military service | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Volunteering full time | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Not Actively Engaged | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Looking for work | 5% | 5% | 4% |
| Other commitments | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Full-Time Employment Highlights
- 75% were employed full time.
- Median salary was $45,000–$50,000 based on 1,430 reported salaries.
- 93% have a job related to their degree.
- 90% are satisfied with their job.
| All degrees | Undergraduate | Graduate | |
| Job in Michigan | 73% | 75% | 69% |
| Job related to degree | 93% | 90% | 96% |
| Satisfied with the job | 90% | 90% | 90% |
Salary Ranges for Full-Time Employment
| 25th percentile | 50th percentile | 75th percentile | Responses | |
| All WMU | $35,000-$40,000 | $45,000-$50,000 | $60,000-$65,000 | 1,430 |
| Undergraduate | $30,000-$35,000 | $45,000-$50,000 | $60,000-$66,000 | 914 |
| Graduate | $40,000-$45,000 | $50,000-$55,000 | $65,000-$70,000 | 516 |
Type of employers
64% of graduates work for for-profit businesses, 15% for nonprofit organizations, 15% for educational institutions, and 7% for government.
Select employers of undergraduate degrees
- Advantage
- Aerotek
- Arbor Financial Credit Union
- Ascension
- BDO
- Beaumont Health
- Boeing
- Bronson
- C.H. Robinson
- Charles River Laboratories
- Denso
- Eaton
- Enterprise Holdings
- FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
- FEMA Corporation
- Flowserve
- General Motors
- GHD Partners
- Graphic Packaging
- Great Lakes Wine and Spirits
- Hormel Foods
- Insight Global
- Kalamazoo Public Schools
- Kellogg's
- Kroger
- Lakeland Health
- Meijer
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
- Nolan Transportation
- Parker Hannifin
- Pfizer
- PNC Bank
- Portage Public Schools
- Quicken Loans
- SkyWest Airlines
- Spectrum Health
- State of Michigan
- Streamline Healthcare Solutions
- Stryker
- Summit Polymers
- Target
- United Wholesale Mortgage
- U.S. Army
- Walt Disney World
- WMU
- Whirlpool
- Zoetis
Select employers of graduate degrees
- AAM - American Axle Manufacturing
- Ascension
- BDO
- Benteler Automotive
- Bethany Christian Services
- Bronson
- Catholic Charities West Michigan
- Charles River Laboratories
- Detroit Public Schools
- Gateway Pediatric Therapy
- IET, Inc.
- Indonesian Institute of Sciences
- Kalamazoo Public Schools
- Kellogg's
- Plante Moran
- Residential Opportunities Inc.
- Sprectrum Health
- State of Michigan
- Stryker
- Wedgwood Christian Services
- Whirlpool
- WMU
Location of full-time Employment
- 73% work in Michigan; 23% work in 45 other U.S. states; and 4% work in 30 countries outside the U.S.
- Top states: Illinois, California, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, Texas, New York, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, and North Carolina.
- Top countries: Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iraq, Dominican Republic, China, Germany, and Japan.
Experiential education
- 93% of all WMU graduates completed at least one experiential education activity.
- 73% had an internship, co-op, practicum, or field experience where they applied what they were learning in the classroom.
- 67% had a job (full time or part time; on or off campus) where they applied what they were learning in the classroom.
- 58% worked on a project that took a semester or more to complete (e.g., capstone, senior design, senior performance project).
- 49% were very active in extracurricular activities and organizations (e.g., leadership role, or involved in multiple organizations such as RSO, intramurals, club sports, or volunteerism).
- View internships by major in the WMU Internship Catalog.
Select Internship Employers
- American Axle and Manufacturing
- Ascension
- Auto Owners Insurance
- Battle Creek Public Schools
- Bethany Christian Services
- Bronson
- Communities in Schools
- Comstock Public Schools
- Consumers Energy
- Duncan Aviation
- Eaton
- Flowserve
- General Motors
- Grand Rapids Public Schools
- Gryphon Place
- Hormel Foods
- Houser and Associates
- Imperial Beverage
- Kalamazoo Autism Center
- Kalamazoo College
- Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
- Kalamazoo Juvenile Home
- Kalamazoo Literacy Council
- Kalamazoo Nature Center
- Kalamazoo Public Schools
- Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital
- Kalamazoo Valley Community College
- Kellogg's
- Kimberly-Clark
- KRESA
- Mel Trotter
- Michigan Medicine
- Novacare Rehabilitation
- Parchment Middle School
- Parker Hannifin
- Pfizer
- Plainwell Public Schools
- Plante Moran
- Portage Public Schools
- Prevention Works
- Quicken Loans
- Sparrow Health System
- State of Michigan
- Streamline Healthcare Solutions
- Stryker
- Summit Pointe
- Summit Polymers
- Thomson Reuters
- TowerPinkster
- Unified Clinics
- Western Diversified Plastics
- Whirlpool
- Zoetis
Continuing education
- 19% of undergraduates and 11% of graduate degree recipients will be pursuing further education after completing their WMU degree.
- 64% will pursue master's degrees, 19% doctoral degrees, and 7% professional schools.
- WMU graduates are pursuing further education in 137 fields of study.
- 51% attend WMU for further education.
Top Institutions Chosen for Further Education
- Central Michigan University
- Cooley Law School
- Grand Valley State University
- Indiana University
- Michigan State University
- Oakland University
- Ohio State University
- University of Detroit Mercy
- University of Illinois
- University of Michigan
- University of Minnesota
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of South Carolina
- Wayne State University
- West Virginia University
- Western Kentucky University
Top fields Chosen for Further Education
- Accountancy
- Applied Economics
- Biology
- Business Administration
- Communication
- Counseling
- Education
- Educational Leadership
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- Geography
- HR Management
- Law
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medicine
- Music
- Nursing
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Physician Assistant
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Social Work
- Speech Pathology and Audiology
- Sports Management
- Statistics