Study finds most UConn undergraduates remain in the state

The majority of University of Connecticut undergraduates are either pursuing careers or graduate studies within the state, according to a new study released by the school.

In a study of undergraduates who received degrees in August 2022, December 2022 and May 2023, about 75% of Connecticut natives who graduated from UConn stayed in the state for jobs, up from 69% last year. Approximately 80% of state resident students who opted to pursue graduate degrees enrolled at schools within Connecticut, predominantly at UConn.

Furthermore, the school found many undergraduates who initially came to UConn from other states are staying in the state – 18% of employed out-of-state graduates are working in Connecticut and 38% enrolled in Connecticut colleges or universities.

“These are all students who graduate, stay in Connecticut, have jobs in Connecticut, contribute to the economy, pay taxes, buy groceries, eat at our restaurants, come to our entertainment venues, and continue to drive the economic engine of the state,” says UConn Associate Vice Provost James Lowe, who is executive director of the UConn Center for Career Development.

UConn also noted that 92% of its undergraduates were in pursuits of their choosing within six months of graduating, the highest figure since the school started tracking the outcomes in 2016 and also above the national average of 86%.