Kansas State University students are excelling in employment and continuing education after graduation.
According to the latest post-graduation report from Kansas State University for graduates in the 2021-2022 school year, 97% are employed or furthering their education.
“The post-graduation outcomes for our latest graduates indicate the market remains strong for recruiting K-State talent,” said Kerri Keller, K-State Career Center executive director. “Our graduates are landing opportunities in a variety of career fields and industries. That is a testament to the quality of our graduates and K-State’s strong brand among employers and graduate/professional degree programs.”
The annual post-graduation report is based on survey responses and data collected within six months of a student’s graduation from K-State. 71% of Wildcat graduates found employment in Kansas and the surrounding states of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Kansas remained the top state for employment of K-State graduates at 53%. Of the remaining employed graduates, 28% were employed elsewhere in the U.S. and 1% were employed internationally.
The knowledge rate for the report was 81%.
Leading employers of new K-State graduates include Burns and McDonnell, Garmin, Geary County USD 475, Koch Industries, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, Shamrock Trading Corporation and Textron. More than 3,000 different organizations hired at least one K-State graduate from the class of 2021-2022.
“A recent survey of employers related to the university’s next-gen strategic planning process indicates that K-State students and graduates are seen as job-ready, respectful and hardworking,” said Keller. “It’s exciting to see our graduates successfully moving forward!”
The median starting salary for new K-State bachelor’s degree graduates increased to $53,500 — up $1,500 from the previous year.
Of the graduates included in the report, 19% were furthering their education through nearly 200 different graduate or professional programs, with the most common fields of study including accounting, dietetics, law, physical therapy and veterinary medicine.
The K-State Career Center offers recruiting events that connect students with employers across all industries and career fields. The Career Center 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.