GRADUATE STATUS REPORT INTRODUCTION

The 1999-2000 graduating class jumped on board the strong economy that has been enjoyed by so many for the past couple years. With information received on 58% of the graduates, a total of 96% of those responding reported full time employment or attending a graduate or professional school at the time of the survey. Strength across many sectors of the economy is reflected in this report when we note that all six colleges and the University Center for Teacher Education each reported 94% or higher when these categories were combined. As noted in the accompanying 10 Year Comparison Chart, these figures are a continuation of the upward trend, dating back to the 1994-95 class and perhaps even earlier. Rapid growth and diversity in the high-technology industries jump-started the national trend and we see such sectors as agriculture, education, social services, the building and design industries, accounting and software business applications, bio-technology and entertainment/tourism as full participants in today’s market.

Year	Graduates	Respondents		Employed Full-time		Employed Part-time		Graduate School		Seeking Employment		Other
1999-00	3966	2318	58%	1798	78%	44	2%	425	20%	36	2%	15	1%
1998-99	3648	1991	55%	1525	77%	43	2%	394	20%	17	1%	12	1%
1997-98	3440	1989	58%	1534	77%	53	3%	364	18%	21	1%	17	1%
1996-97	3111	1834	59%	1427	78%	58	3%	293	16%	35	2%	21	1%
1995-96	3353	1925	57%	1479	77%	94	5%	298	15%	34	2%	20	1%
1994-95	3364	2142	64%	1627	76%	92	4%	330	15%	57	3%	36	2%
1993-94	3723	1907	51%	1369	72%	94	5%	357	19%	53	3%	34	2%
1992-93	3653	2170	59%	1518	70%	148	7%	364	17%	97	4%	43	2%
1991-92	3637	2184	60%	1538	70%	144	7%	347	16%	108	5%	47	2%
1990-91	2971	1941	65%	1456	75%	81	4%	273	14%	98	5%	33	2%

Historically, Cal Poly has been the campus of choice for many hiring officials who seek talented new college graduates, particularly with its career-related emphasis. So it should come as no surprise that 91% of the graduates reported their employment as directly or somewhat related to their major. But the demand for this year’s class did not stop there. Cal Poly graduates surpassed national percentages when looking at length of time taken to secure their employment.

For the percentage of graduates who obtained their employment prior to graduation, Cal Poly graduates (51%) mirrored the national average (50%). However, when looking at length of time it took to obtain employment following graduation, 35 % of the Cal Poly graduates reported finding employment within 1-3 months and an additional 10% reported employment 4-6 months out. Nationally, for the same 1-6 month time frame, approximately 20% of the graduates reported employment.

As the economy continued to demand more aggressive strategies in the hiring process, the rise in salary levels was a given. The median salary for the 1999-2000 class came in at $3250/month, up over 8% from the previous median of $3000/month. As with past reports, this class median is greatly influenced by the high percentage of technical graduates entering high profile, high tech industries. Computer Science graduates captured the top median salary at $4833/month or just under $58,000/year. For a number of graduates the monthly salary does not include signing bonuses, health benefits, travel accounts, housing or car allowances. In reality the actual compensation package can be, and usually is, much higher.

Even with such a strong economy, graduates are always encouraged to begin early and to participate in as many job-search methods as time allows. For the 1999-2000 year, employer representatives as well as new graduates, placed greater emphasis on attending large scale Job Fair and special events, utilizing campus and off campus based electronic job listing services and relying on personal and professional referrals for their initial contacts. Traditional methods such as the On Campus Interview program were quite active but clearly diversity in approach was the general rule. Career Services continued to respond with multiple access points for graduate and employer and this trend will clearly continue into the future.

This brief introduction is simply intended to touch on highlights for the 1999-2000 class. The synopsis and full report by college and department provide valued information for career planning and advising, University advancement efforts, outreach to prospective Cal Poly students, and program accreditation. It is the most comprehensive University report of its kind, reflecting the cooperative work and support of Career Services, the six academic colleges and UCTE, and employer representatives who graciously submit annual hiring reports. Special thanks to Shel Burrell and Mary Milosevic from Career Services who served as co-coordinators of the report.