New Report Shows Success of Gonzaga’s Class of ’15

March 24, 2016

SPOKANE, Wash. – More than 92 percent of Gonzaga University graduates who received their bachelor’s degrees with the class of 2015 reported they are either employed (full- or part-time), continuing their education or serving as volunteers or in the military.

Gonzaga’s 2015 first Destination Survey Report found nearly two-thirds (65.6 percent) of those graduates were employed, while nearly a quarter (23.7 percent) either were continuing their education (17 percent), performing volunteer service (5.5 percent) or serving in the military (1.2 percent). A total of 7.6 percent of the graduates were still seeking employment or acceptance into a graduate or professional school.

The report includes data from 1,103 of the 1,153 undergraduates (95.7 percent) who received their bachelor’s degrees between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. The report was developed by Gonzaga’s career and professional development using guidelines developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Ray Angle, Gonzaga’s assistant vice president for career and professional development, said the University’s “success rate” of 92.4 percent for the class of 2015 underscores the value of a Gonzaga degree in an increasingly competitive job market nationwide.

The NACE has not yet issued its success rate report for 2015, but the national average success rate for the class of 2014 was 80.3 percent.

“Even if the success rate for 2015 moves a few points higher than 2014, the Gonzaga University success rate of 92.4 percent suggests that Zags fare well in comparison to national data,” Angle said, noting an increasing public demand that colleges and universities document their return on higher education expense.

“They should be asking us these tough questions. By improving our process, by further engaging faculty, trustees, regents and alumni as partners in the process, we are equipping students with the resources to find and excel in their first job out of college,” Angle said. “At Gonzaga, it all goes along with our Jesuit tradition of working for the greater good. We are preparing students to serve the greater good.”

For more information, please contact Ray Angle at (509) 313-4086 or via email at angle@gonzaga.edu.