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Illini Success
About 75% of graduating Illinois residents stayed in the state for a job or graduate school

Illini Success report shows power of Illini degree

The eighth annual Illini Success report released today shows that University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduates from summer 2021, fall 2021 and spring 2022 experienced exceptional success in finding jobs, enrolling in graduate school or beginning volunteer programs.

The report found that 95 percent of graduates secured a “first destination”—defined as a job, enrollment in graduate or professional school, or a volunteer position—within six months of graduation. Approximately 57 percent started a job, 38 percent enrolled in additional education and less than 1 percent began a volunteer position. The report also shows that the average salary for a full-time-employed recent graduate is about $74,974, up from last year’s $68,701.

For the College of Applied Health Sciences, that number was 96 percent. Of the respondents, 71 percent reported enrolling in continuing education and 25 percent were employed full time.

Top employers include Amazon, Boeing Co., Caterpillar, Deloitte, EY, Google, John Deere, JPMorgan Chase & Co., KPMG, Meta (formerly known as Facebook), Microsoft, PepsiCo Inc., PwC and others.

Top graduate and professional schools include Columbia University, Northwestern University, New York University, Stanford University, the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin.

“No matter where they are from or where they land, a degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is one of the best decisions and best investments a student can make for their education, career and life,” Chancellor Robert J. Jones said. “We are thrilled to see our graduates succeeding at such high rates.”

The report includes students who completed undergraduate degrees in August 2021, December 2021 and May 2022. Data was obtained from a survey of graduates and other sources such as the National Student Clearinghouse, college reports and LinkedIn data. The project is supported by the Office of the Provost, Career Services Council, Division of Management Information, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, Office of the Registrar, Institutional Review Board Office, Council of Undergraduate Deans and other partners.

Illini Success by the numbers (2021-22) for AHS

●          96, the percentage of graduates who secured a first destination (job, graduate school, volunteer program).

●          71, the percentage of students who are enrolled in additional education.

●          25, the percentage of AHS graduates who are working full-time.

●          47, the number of states, including Illinois, where students found first destinations.

●          21, the number of other countries where students found first destinations.

●          $46,917, the average salary for a full-time-employed recent AHS graduate

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