New Report: Alumni Perspectives on How College Experiences Improve Their Lives

Posted by Strada Education Network on November 22, 2022

Findings could help educators and policymakers improve post-completion outcomes for students.

At a time when public confidence in the value of education is declining and enrollments are decreasing, one group that has a special understanding of the full value of their education is alumni. They have critical insights into how their education experiences have enriched their lives in ways that go beyond dollars and cents.

In March and April 2022 Strada conducted a nationally representative study of 3,230 alumni who completed bachelor’s degrees since 2002. The findings are eye-opening: Alumni who report they developed key skills during college earned $8,700 more in their first year after graduation than their peers who report lower levels of skill development through college. They are also more likely to attribute life and career successes to their education experiences. These key skills included general, interpersonal, and specialized skills.

Key Findings

• Alumni who say they developed key skills during college earned $8,700 more in their first year after graduation than peers who report low levels of skill development through college. They are also more likely to report life and career benefits from their education.
• Developing skills can provide benefits for all students, but not equally. Strong skill development is associated with similar benefits in noneconomic outcomes across race, gender, and first-generation status, and similar economic benefits for men and women. However, for Black alumni, stronger self-assessments of skills developed do not appear to be associated with income gains.

Review the report.

Download the charts.