Many 'Recent' UConn Grads Staying In CT For Jobs, Grad School: Data

STORRS, CT — Record numbers of recent UConn graduates are securing jobs or getting into graduate schools within six months of receiving their diplomas, according to new figures released by the university. A good number is also staying in the state, according to the statistics.

The data comes from the annual Undergraduate First Destination Survey, in which UConn participates along with most other colleges and universities through National Association of Colleges and Employers survey protocols.

According to the data, of the UConn undergraduates who received degrees in August 2022, December 2022, and May 2023, about 92 percent were involved in "pursuits of their choosing" within six months. That is UConn's highest figure since it started tracking the outcomes in 2016, and also well-exceeds the national average of 86 percent, officials said.

Of the 92 percent, a total of 58 percent was employed and 33 percent was were pursuing higher education avenues, officials said.

The remaining students were either serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, volunteering, or pursuing other pursuits, officials said.

About 75 percent of Connecticut natives who graduated from UConn remained in the state for jobs, according to the data. That is up from 69 percent last year.

About 80 percent of in-state students who decided to pursue graduate degrees enrolled in Connecticut institutions, predominantly at UConn, according to the data.

Many students who came to UConn from other states decided to stay as well, with 18 percent of employed out-of-state graduates working in Connecticut and 38 percent enrolling in Connecticut colleges or universities – again, mostly at UConn – for graduate programs.

“These are all students who graduate, stay in Connecticut, have jobs in Connecticut, contribute to the economy, pay taxes, buy groceries, eat at our restaurants, come to our entertainment venues, and continue to drive the economic engine of the state," UConn Associate Vice Provost James Lowe said.