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Employer survey
´¡²ÔÌýonline surveyÌýconducted by The Harris PollÌýexamined how managers evaluate Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates compared with graduates from benchmark colleges and universities. Results show strong ratings across workplace readiness, job performance, leadership potentialÌýand overall employer satisfaction.ÌýÌýÌý
LaToya D. | BSM, 2023
Employer survey highlights
98%
Satisfied overall
98% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates report being satisfied overall with the employee at their organization. [1]
94%
Above-average performers
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates rate Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates as excellent or above-average performers. [1]
90%
Prepared to perform
90% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates describe them as extremely or very prepared to perform their responsibilities. [1]
85%
Job readiness
85% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they were job-ready when they started their role. [1]
Source: The Harris Poll online survey conducted on behalf of Â鶹´«Ã½, June 4–25, 2026, among U.S. managers supervising at least one Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate (N=204) and managers supervising graduates from benchmark colleges and universities (N=204).  
Employer validationÌýat a glanceÌý
The employer survey shows positive feedback across multiple measures of graduate success. Managers overseeing Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates report high satisfaction with their employees and strong ratings for job readiness, workplace skills and potential for advancement.ÌýÌý
How employers perceiveÌýÂ鶹´«Ã½ graduates
See how Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates are rated across workplace readiness, leadership potential and job-related skills.
| Comparison | UOPX |
|---|---|
|
Positive perception
|
98%Ìý
|
|
Overall satisfaction
|
98%
|
|
Above-average performance
|
94%
|
|
Preparedness
|
90%
|
±Ê´Ç²õ¾±³Ù¾±±¹±ðÌý±è±ð°ù³¦±ð±è³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô
98%ÌýUOPX
(88%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
98% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates report a positive perception of them, compared with 88% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Overall satisfaction
98%ÌýUOPX
(90%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
98% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates report being satisfied overall with the employee at their organization, compared with 90% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges andÌýuniversities.Ìý[1]
Above-average performance
94%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(79%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates rate them as excellent or above-average performers, compared with 79% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Preparedness
90%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(74%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
90% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates describe them as extremely or very prepared to perform their responsibilities, compared with 74% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
How employers rate the performance of UOPX graduatesÌý
See how Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates are rated across workplace readiness, leadership potential and job-related skills.Ìý
Workplace readiness
95%
´¡»å²¹±è³Ù²¹²ú¾±±ô¾±³Ù²âÌý
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their education helped them adapt to workplace expectations. [1]
85%
Understand real-world expectations
85% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they understand real-world workplace expectations. [1]
74%
Exceed expectations
74% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say graduates exceed or far exceed expectations for their position. [1]
Leadership potential
95%
Advancement potential
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they have very or somewhat high potential for advancement or promotion.Ìý[1]
96%
Recommended for responsibility
96% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they would recommend them for greater responsibility.Ìý[1]
Job-related skills
95%
Learn new skills
90% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they are able to learn new skills on the job. [1]
86%
Demonstrate practical skills
86% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they demonstrated strong practical, job-related skills. [1]
95%
Prepared employees
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their education prepared them with the knowledge and skills needed for success in their job. [1]
Â鶹´«Ã½ credibility with employersÌý
Employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates report positive perceptions of the University. They say UOPX understands employer needs and aligns its programs with workforce demands.Ìý
97%
Likelihood to hire in the future
97% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they are likely to hire someone with a Â鶹´«Ã½ degree in the future. [1]
94%
Positive perception
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their experience has positively influenced their perception of the University.Ìý[1]
92%
Workforce aligned programs
92% of employers agree that the University aligns its programs with workforce demands, compared with 78% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Skills employers value
Among employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates, professionalism, teamwork and collaboration, communication, technical or job-specific skills, critical thinking and time management were the six skills most often rated extremely important for employees to have.
- Professionalism
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Communication
- Technical or job-specific skills
- Critical thinking
- Time management
- Professionalism
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Communication
- Technical or job-specific skills
- Critical thinking
- Time management
Methodology
The 2026 Harris Poll Employer Satisfaction Survey was conducted online on behalf of Â鶹´«Ã½ among 408 U.S. managers age 21 or older with at least one direct report. The survey included 204 managers supervising at least one Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate and 204 managers supervising graduates from other colleges and universities. Conducted June 4-25, 2026, the survey compared employers' perceptions of Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates with those of employers supervising graduates from other colleges and universities. Results were weighted to reflect the national distribution of U.S. employers by company size, based on Dun & Bradstreet data.Ìý
The Harris Poll employers survey results
Explore the full set of findings on how employers evaluate Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates.
Recommended for greater responsibility
96%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(87%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
96% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they would recommend them for greater responsibility, compared with 87% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Advancement or promotion potential
95%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(86%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they have very or somewhat high potential for advancement or promotion, compared with 86% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Expertise and training
99%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(89%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
99% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say colleagues or supervisors seek their input because of their expertise or training at least sometimes, compared with 89% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
±Ê´Ç²õ¾±³Ù¾±±¹±ðÌý±è±ð°ù³¦±ð±è³Ù¾±´Ç²ÔÌýof graduates
98%ÌýUOPX
(88%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
98% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates report a positiveÌýperceptionÌýof them, compared with 88% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
±Ê´Ç²õ¾±³Ù¾±±¹±ðÌý±è±ð°ù³¦±ð±è³Ù¾±´Ç²ÔÌýof the UniversityÌý
94%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(83%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their experience has positively influenced theirÌýperceptionÌýof the University, compared with 83% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Understanding employer needs
94%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(82%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say the University understands employer needs, compared with 82% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Alignment with workforce demands
92%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(78% Benchmark)
SUMMARY
92% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree that the University aligns its programs with workforce demands, compared with 78% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Alliance with Â鶹´«Ã½
92%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
92% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree that an alliance with Â鶹´«Ã½ could add value to their organization.Ìý[1]
Understanding employer needs
97%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
97% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they are likely to hire someone with a Â鶹´«Ã½ degree in the future. [1]
Overall satisfaction
98%ÌýUOPX
(90%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
98% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates report being satisfied overall with the employee at their organization, compared with 90% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Job performance
94%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(79%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates rate them as excellent or above-average performers, compared with 79% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Exceed expectations
74%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(58%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
74% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say graduates exceed or far exceed expectations for their position, compared with 58% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Top performers
89%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
89% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they are top performers. [1]
Ìý
Adapting to workplace expectationsÌý
95%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(85% Benchmark)
SUMMARY
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their education helped them adapt to workplace expectations, compared with 85% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Knowledge and skills for job success
95%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their education prepared them with the knowledge and skills needed for success in their job.Ìý[1]
Ability to ramp up quickly
Ìý
91%ÌýUOPX
(80%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
91% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their education enabled them to ramp up quickly in their roles, compared with 80% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Education prepared them for their career
80%ÌýUOPX
SUMMARY
80% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say their education prepared them well for their career. [1]
Prepared to perform job responsibilitiesÌý
90%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(74%Ìýµþ±ð²Ô³¦³ó³¾²¹°ù°ì)
SUMMARY
90% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates describe them as extremely or very prepared to perform their responsibilities, compared with 74% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Ability to learn new skills on the job
90%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(80%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
90% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they are able to learn new skills on the job, compared with 80% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Practical, job-related skill
Ìý
86%ÌýUOPX
(76%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
86% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they demonstrated strong practical, job-related skills, compared with 76% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Job readiness
Ìý
85%ÌýUOPX
(69%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
85% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they were job-ready when they started their role, compared with 69% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Understanding workplace expectations
85%ÌýUOPX
(68%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
85% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they understand real-world workplace expectations, compared with 68% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Long-term career readiness
Ìý
84%ÌýUOPX
(68%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
84% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they have long-term career readiness, compared with 68% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Job-specific knowledgeÌý
62%ÌýUOPX
(48%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
62% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates say they exceed or far exceed expectations in job-specific knowledge (including policies, procedures, and tools unique to the role), compared with 48% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Problem-solving abilitiesÌýÌý
Ìý
96%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
(87%ÌýMBenchmark)
SUMMARY
96% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, compared with 87% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities. [1]
Communication with colleagues
95%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they communicate effectively with colleagues at different levels.Ìý[1]
Following through on commitments
95%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
95% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they can be relied on to follow through on commitments.Ìý[1]
Initiative and accountability
Ìý
94%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they show initiative and accountability. [1]
Team morale and collaborationÌý
94%Ìý±«°¿±Ê³Ý
SUMMARY
94% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they contribute positively to team morale and collaboration. [1]
Qualities valued across the workforce
93%ÌýUOPX
(85%ÌýBenchmark)
SUMMARY
93% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they generally demonstrate qualities they would like to see more broadly across their workforce, compared with 85% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.Ìý[1]
Handling feedback
91%ÌýUOPX
SUMMARY
91% of employers who oversee Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates agree they handle feedback well and use it to improve their performance.Ìý[1]
Questions prospective students are asking
The survey reflects the views of participating managers, not every employer. There were 204 participating managers who oversee at least one Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate and 204 participating managers who oversee at least one graduate from a benchmark institution. ÌýThe results show how these employers view a graduate’s performance. The survey does not predict or guarantee whether a particular graduate will find desired employment.
The research provides employer perspectives on Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates and the University. It shows how surveyed managers evaluate graduates’ workplace readiness, job performance, practical skills, adaptability and potential for advancement. Prospective students can consider these findings as one datapoint among many others, including but not limited to program fit, cost, flexibility, student support and educational goals.
Employer survey results can be one source of information when comparing colleges. Consider who participated in the research, what the survey measured and whether the findings address your questions. You should also compare each college’s programs, curriculum, cost, format, flexibility, student support and connection to your educational goals.
The survey reflects the perspectives of 408 U.S. managers who participated in the research: 204 managers supervising at least one Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate and 204 managers supervising graduates from other colleges and universities. It is not a survey of all employers, Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates or individual employment outcomes. The results do not establish that a Â鶹´«Ã½ education caused a specific workplace result or guarantee employment, advancement or promotion.
The available employer survey findings do not report job placement rates for Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates. The research surveyed managers who already oversee at least one Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate, so it measures employer perceptions of those graduates rather than the percentage of graduates employed after completing a program. The finding that 97% of surveyed managers are likely to hire someone with a Â鶹´«Ã½ degree in the future reflects future hiring intent, not a job placement rate.
The available survey findings do not establish whether Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates are more likely to be hired by large companies or smaller ones. The survey included managers at companies of different sizes, and some findings compare employer ratings across small, medium-sized and enterprise companies. However, the research does not report the distribution of Â鶹´«Ã½ graduates by company size or identify where graduates tend to be hired.
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[1] Source: The Harris Poll online survey conducted on behalf of Â鶹´«Ã½, June 4–25, 2026, among U.S. managers supervising at least one Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate (N=204) and managers supervising graduates fromÌýbenchmark colleges and universities (N=204).  
Last updated: September 10, 2026