Office of Institutional Research & Planning


	1997 GRADUATES SURVEY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SURVEY OF ‘95-’96 GRADUATES

Fall 1997

The Office of Institutional Research and Planning at Portland State University conducted a survey in Fall 1997 of ‘95-96 graduates. Below is a brief summary of results of the survey, which does not include the charts and graphs contained in the original survey report. For detailed results of the survey, contact Dr. Kathi Ketcheson, Director, at ketchek@oirp.pdx.edu or at (503) 725-3425.

The Respondents

This survey was sent to 2,269 1995-1996 Portland State University bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree recipients. A total of 1,007 (44%) graduates responded. These graduates attended PSU an average of 3-4 years. Most of them ( 75%) attended as full time students and 89% were Oregon residents. The majority (85%) worked at least part-time while at school. Currently 21% of the respondents are enrolled in graduate schools, and almost half (48%) are enrolled at PSU. The primary reasons mentioned for continuing education were: Satisfying career goals (38%); Increase earning capacity (16%), and: Self- improvement (19%). Most are employed (79%) and working in Oregon (83%) including 87% working in the Portland Metropolitan Area. Gross annual income of the respondents ranges from $10,000 to $50,000 annually.

Why They Chose PSU

The factors rated most important in choosing PSU were: Location (94%); Program offerings (86%), and; Cost (80%). Many appreciated the ability to schedule courses to fit into work or personal schedules (69%) and the academic reputation (53%) of the institution. For the majority (76%) PSU was their first choice when applying for college admission.

Experience at PSU

Overall, the majority (90%) of these graduates were "Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with their experience at PSU. Respondents were most satisfied with: Admissions Services (85%); Quality of instruction (88%); Course content (90%); Testing and grading practices (91%), and; Library (89%).

Education at PSU

A majority of respondents (86%) rated the education they received at PSU “Excellent”, “Very Good”, or “Fair”. After graduation, 61% of respondents planned to continue their education, and 66% planned to continue in the same field. Almost half (48%) of the respondents who continued their education are enrolled in graduate programs at PSU. Respondents indicated they found what they learned at PSU has been “Very Helpful” or “Helpful” (95%) in pursuing further education. Most respondents (84%) felt that PSU did an "Excellent" or "Adequate" job in preparing them for graduate programs.

Employment After Graduation

A majority of respondents (79%) were employed after graduation, and 83% of them are currently working in the Portland Metropolitan Area. After graduation, 86% obtained their first full-time job in less than a year, and 42% found full-time jobs in a month or less. They reported that their current occupations were “Directly Related” or “Somewhat Related” (79%) to their PSU majors. Approximately half of the respondents (49%) reported that they have applied what they learned in a real-world setting. Over one half (54%) reported that they had completed a course that required them to apply their knowledge to the solution of a problem. Respondents reported that they found what they learned in college “Very Helpful” or “Helpful” (67%) to them in performing their jobs. Most (70%) thought their employers rated PSU’s academic reputation as “Excellent” or “Good”. The annual income of the majority of respondents (75%) was between $15,000 to $50,000 annually, with 22% earning $15,000 to $25,000; 30% earning $25,000 to $35,000, and 23% earning $35,000 to $50,000.