Purpose of Study
Santa Clara University surveyed the Class of 2009 in February 2010, approximately eight months after their graduation dates. The purpose of the study was to learn the respondents’ employment and/or graduate school status.
Statistics Available for Arts & Sciences graduates
55 percent of the Arts and Sciences respondents reported that they were employed or self-employed full time or attending graduate school.
- 59 percent of social sciences graduates reported that they were employed full time or attending graduate school..
- 53 percent of mathematics and natural sciences graduates reported that they were employed full time or attending graduate school.
- 52 percent of arts and humanities graduates reported that they were employed full time or attending graduate school.
89 percent of the Arts and Sciences respondents reported that they received good to excellent preparation for life after college.
- 92 percent of social sciences graduates reported that they received good to excellent preparation for life after college.
- 85 percent of mathematics and natural sciences graduates reported receiving good to good preparation for life after college.
- 89 percent of arts and humanities graduates reported that they had received good to excellent preparation for life after college.
The median salary for the working graduate was $32,000.
- The median starting salary for arts and humanities graduates was $31,000.
- The median starting salary for mathematics and natural science graduates was $27,000.
- The median starting salary for social science graduates was $33,000.
90 percent of graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences who were employed full-time reported receiving good to excellent preparation for their careers.
- 90 percent of social sciences graduates reported receiving good to excellent preparation for success in their careers.
- 92 percent of mathematics and natural sciences majors reported receiving good to excellent preparation for their careers.
- 90 percent of arts and humanities majors reported receiving good to excellent preparation for their careers after college.
Of those who applied, 91 percent were admitted to at least one full-time graduate program.
- 82 percent of social sciences graduates were admitted into at least one graduate institution.
- 93 percent of mathematics and natural sciences majors were accepted into at least one graduate institution.
- 96 percent of arts and humanities graduates reported that they were accepted into at least one graduate institution.
Methodology and Statistical Significance of the Study
These data were collected from graduates who began as first-time freshmen in 2005 and graduated within four years. The survey instrument was emailed to all 2009 graduates for whom we had valid e-mail addresses (96%). The response rate of 42 percent (388 respondents) yield a profile that is representative of the class of 2009 by sex, school/college, ethnicity/race and grade point average.
