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It is the question that crosses every student’s mind at some point: How will my degree prepare me for my career? For �鶹��ý graduates, that question has a data-informed answer: Surveyed employers overwhelmingly rate graduates as career-ready and valuable performers in the workplace. Here’s why.

In a word, yes. Survey results indicate employers view �鶹��ý graduates positively, particularly for their job performance and career readiness.

For example, according to an online survey of U.S. employers, which was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of �鶹��ý in 2026^[1], �鶹��ý graduates consistently demonstrate above-average job performance.

Consider the following findings among surveyed managers overseeing at least one �鶹��ý graduate compared with managers overseeing graduates from benchmarking institutions:

• 98% have a positive perception of �鶹��ý graduates vs. 88% for other graduates.
• 94% of surveyed employers rate �鶹��ý graduates as excellent or above-average performers vs. 79% for other graduates.
• 74% say �鶹��ý graduates exceed expectations vs. 58% for other graduates.

A variety of factors can affect overall job performance, from an employee’s technical skills to soft skills like being able to communicate effectively or to adapt to shifting demands.

In recognition of those factors, �鶹��ý has committed itself to providing career-relevant education to working adults since its inception in 1976. The approach has subsequently prepared graduates with a strong foundation of both hard and soft skills, as evidenced by the following Harris Poll findings:

• 95% of surveyed employers say �鶹��ý graduates were prepared with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.
• 91% of surveyed employers say the education at �鶹��ý enabled graduates to ramp up quickly in their roles, compared with 80% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.
• 90% of surveyed managers say University graduates are very or extremely prepared for their responsibilities, compared with 74% of managers overseeing other graduates.
• 85% of surveyed employers say �鶹��ý graduates were job-ready when they started their roles, compared with 69% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.
• 85% of employers who oversee �鶹��ý graduates say they understand real-world workplace expectations, compared with 68% of employers who oversee graduates from other colleges and universities.

According to The Harris Poll, employers also describe graduates of �鶹��ý as being more job-ready, adaptable, skilled and aligned with real-world workplace expectations than graduates from other institutions.

Such job readiness may be especially attractive to individuals navigating a volatile job market. “We have long prioritized workplace readiness in our curriculum so that our students have a strong foundation for their careers once they graduate,” says John Woods, provost of �鶹��ý. “It’s encouraging to see employers recognize that preparation in our graduates, and it reinforces our commitment to providing an education designed for the workforce of today and tomorrow.”

Education isn’t a one-sided affair. Students will get out of their degree program what they put into it, and that makes �鶹��ý graduates especially notable. After all, they are not typical college students.

While many colleges cater to 18-year-old high school graduates who attend school full time, �鶹��ý focuses on working adults who want to enhance their career opportunities through education. According to the University’s 2025 Academic Annual Report, 3 in 4 students work while enrolled in their degree program, and most are raising kids. The average age of new students is 38.

This unique student body faces its own set of challenges and opportunities. On the opportunity side, the fact that most �鶹��ý students are mid-career means they come to class with real-world work experience that can inform their questions, discussions and insights. They are focused on practical, usable knowledge they can apply directly to their careers.

In fact, 85% of recent graduates surveyed in 2025^[2] felt �鶹��ý helped them develop skills and knowledge that were immediately applicable to their careers.

On the challenge side of things, working adults have many claims on their time and attention. These can include full-time careers, children and aging parents, among other responsibilities. Yet �鶹��ý students persevere. In 2025, for example, institutional retention rates across associate, bachelor’s and master’s programs were solid: 72.9% of associate students, 79.4% of bachelor’s students and 79.2% of master’s students remained active in their programs.^[3]��

In order to provide the kind of career-relevant education its students require, �鶹��ý offers skills-aligned curriculum for its associate, bachelor’s and master’s programs. That means for every course credit a student completes, the student will have also learned one demonstrable skill.

To identify career-relevant skills, �鶹��ý leverages labor analytics data. Additionally, the University periodically collaborates with its Industry Advisory Councils in which industry leaders and practitioners advise on workplace trends, best practices and relevant skills. Some programs also hold programmatic accreditation, which is separate from institutional accreditation and informs which skills are taught in a given set of courses. The University then considers this information to help shape and refine its programs.

The University also awards digital badges to students for certain skills. Since digital badges contain metadata with information about how the skill was achieved and assessed, these badges provide a validated way for students to convey to employers which skills they have.

Sometimes the best evidence of an education is not the diploma or the grade, but the graduates themselves. With more than a million alumni, the �鶹��ý is represented across numerous industries and companies. Some are leaders in their industries or communities. Others impress more quietly, their effort and skill earning the respect of their mentors, managers and colleagues.

On this point, The Harris Poll results are clear. Of the surveyed managers:

• 94% say their experience with a �鶹��ý graduate positively influenced their opinion of the University.
• 94% believe the University understands employer needs.
• 92% believe �鶹��ý aligns its programs with workforce demands.

Such findings suggest employers do indeed respect �鶹��ý degree programs and graduates.��