Broncos charging ahead in the workforce, according to latest report
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—From shaping the future of space travel at Blue Origin to editing videos for major athletic events at FOX Sports, Western Michigan University graduates are hitting the ground running. According to the most recent Career Outcomes Report, which surveyed students graduating between August 2023 and June 2024, 95% of graduates working full time have a job related to their degree.
"Western's engineering program prepared me for success by providing resources to help me find different internships and jobs while also helping me build my resume," says Noah Gould, B.S.'24, who secured a full-time job as a manufacturing engineer months before graduating.
"Our professors tell us they get a lot of feedback from companies saying they want to hire Broncos," adds Julia Haas, B.S.'24, an industrial and entrepreneurial engineering graduate. "It's nice to know that there is a demand for me outside of here as soon as I graduate."
Western continues to be a leading contributor to the state's workforce; 76% of recent graduates working full time are employed in Michigan.
“Our latest student success outcomes reaffirm what we already know: Our students are succeeding at record rates while building meaningful careers and contributing to Michigan’s economic growth,” says WMU President Edward Montgomery. “We’re also proud that so many of our alumni are staying in the state after graduation, strengthening our local communities and driving statewide prosperity.”
Top destinations for Western graduates included health care providers like Bronson Healthcare and Ascension Michigan; global medical innovators such as Stryker and Pfizer; and school districts like Kalamazoo Public Schools and Portage (Michigan) Public Schools.
In addition to full-time careers, nearly one in five graduates—19%—chose to pursue further education such as a master's or doctoral degree after graduation.
Impactful experiences
The Post-Graduation Activity Survey is distributed annually to all students graduating from Western. By gathering data on topics such as employment, plans for continued education and earnings as well as experiences that contributed to career readiness and relationships forged on campus, the survey aims to measure and track graduate success.
"(The counselor education) program has allowed me to grow personally and has challenged me to look inward at myself and figure out the kind of person I want to be, the kind of clinician I want to be," says Navia Walker, B.S.'21, M.A.'24. "I've grown professionally, I feel so much more confident and I've had experiences that prepared me for my career."
In the 2023-24 Career Outcomes Report, data was obtained for 2,859 graduates, or 73%, who earned degrees. Highlights of the report include:
- 97% of Broncos had instructors who made them excited about learning.
- 94% of graduates are working or continuing their education.
- Graduates working full time report median starting salaries of $60,000 to $70,000, based on 722 respondents.
- 93% of graduates participated in experience-driven learning.
- 92% of graduates working full time are satisfied with their job.
Data is collected following the National Association of Colleges and Employers standards for collecting post-graduation outcomes for students and is reported annually in a comprehensive dashboard. The survey also asks a series of open-ended questions related to Western experiences.
"There were so many positive comments about graduates feeling Western is a great place, having welcoming spaces and feeling like they belong. A lot of people talked about the opportunities they had to prepare for their career and hands-on learning," says Dr. Ewa Urban, director of assessment and effectiveness in the Office of Institutional Research.
Another overarching theme in responses was the emphasis on student success and the impact staff and faculty had on student journeys—expanding upon data that shows 92% of graduates felt their instructors cared about them as a person.
"The most valuable thing for me in my graduate work at WMU was the professors who genuinely cared about my work and helped me find opportunities for growth," writes one anonymous graduate.
"The community at WMU helped me become highly connected and provided opportunities to pursue my passions," says another.
Explore the Career Outcomes Report dashboard online.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.