K-State students continue to excel in employment and continuing education after graduation
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024
According to the latest Kansas State University post-graduation report for 2022-2023 graduates, 96% are employed or furthering their education. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Of a row of 25 Wildcats who walk across the stage in their purple caps and gowns at commencement, 24 will either be employed or furthering their education in the six months after graduation. And for the one graduate who is still finding their path, Kansas State University continues to support them with the resources to be successful.
That's according to the latest post-graduation report from K-State, which shows that 96% of 2022-23 school year graduates are employed or furthering their education. This is based on an 82% knowledge rate of the graduating class.
"The successful career outcomes of our graduates are a testament to the career readiness efforts of our entire university," said Kerri Keller, K-State Career Center executive director. "As articulated in our Next-Gen K-State strategic plan, we want our students to have an unmatched and impactful student experience. This includes experience both inside and outside the classroom, which is a real advantage when it comes to being recruited for first jobs and advanced degree opportunities."
K-State continues to make a significant contribution to the Kansas workforce, with 54% of all 2022-23 graduates staying and working in the state. An additional 17% of Wildcat graduates found employment in the neighboring states of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Of the remaining employed graduates, 27% were employed elsewhere in the U.S. and 2% were employed internationally.
Leading employers of new K-State bachelor’s degree graduates include Burns and McDonnell, Garmin, Koch Industries, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, Shamrock Trading Corporation, Textron and the U.S. Army.
The median starting annual salary for new K-State bachelor's degree graduates increased to $57,000 — up $3,500, or more than 6%, from the previous year.
"It's exciting to see the K-State experience enhance the prospects for students' starting salaries," Keller said.
Of the graduates included in the report, 19% were furthering their education through over 150 different colleges and universities, professional schools or continuing education sites across the US and globe. The most common fields of study were accounting, business administration, dietetics, law and veterinary medicine.
The K-State Career Center offers recruiting events that connect students with employers across all industries and career fields. The center also provides support to current students and to new graduates throughout the year following their degree completion as they pursue their next steps. Services are available to students in person at the Berney Family Welcome Center, as well as online through the Career Center website and a variety of virtual resources.
