Students choose how to spend their time in college and maximize the campus experience . If we can isolate behaviors that yield better career outcomes , younger generations will benefit from this wisdom . Results from our third annual study reinforce findings from prior years with progressively more robust quantitative findings4
Internships are the most important factor in finding employment , even after controlling for other college behaviors , academic characteristics , and student demographics . Having one internship in college increases a student ’ s odds of being employed by 45 %; two or more internships by 50 %.
STEM ( Science , Technology , Engineering & Math ) majors are 20 % more likely to be employed and earn more at their 1st job compared to any other major . “ Second best ” are social science majors : they are 30 % more likely to be employed than those who major in all other non-STEM disciplines ( eg liberal arts , psychology , business ).
Graduating from a “ Best Fit College ” increases one ’ s chances of employment by 20 %. We define a Best Fit College as one with high graduation rates , low debt postgraduation , and support services for first-generation and low-income students .
A handful of in-college behaviors appear to impact finding a job upon graduation : having a welldefined college plan , being part of a club on campus ( and having a leadership role in that club ), and attending networking events all increase employment chances by 10 to 40 %. Strong academic performance also correlates with better outcomes , including college and high school GPA .
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