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Pitt Gallup Report

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Measuring the Value of a Pitt Degree

The University of Pittsburgh commissioned Gallup, Inc. to survey recent alumni, as well as current students in the fourth study, about their experiences as Pitt undergraduates and in the workplace.

Beginning in 2015, over the course of the four-part research project, Pitt and Gallup collected more than 20,000 surveys and conducted 10 focus groups.

The Gallup Studies have had meaningful impact on the development or enhancement of new and existing initiatives, programs, and resources at the University of Pittsburgh. Jump to Impacts.

Pitt-Gallup Report Findings

  • The mean personal income for recent Pitt graduates is $65,325, while their AAU counterparts earn on average $55,771.
  • 83% of Pitt recent alumni work fulltime for an employer or for themselves, higher than the AAU average of 75%.
  • Recent Pitt graduates match or surpass their AAU counterparts in the likelihood to thrive in all five elements of well-being measured by Gallup.
  • 41% of Pitt alumni (compared with 35% of AAU grads) strongly agree that their jobs/internships allowed them to apply what they learned in the classroom.

First Study: Establishing a Baseline

A survey of 12,444 Pitt graduates (1950-2014) found that Pitt graduates fare better than their counterparts on employment, engagement, attachment, and preparation. Gallup’s “Big Six”—six key collegiate experiences tied to student support and experiential learning—is associated with higher levels of post-college preparation and well-being.

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Second Study: Workplace Engagement and Student Debt

A survey of 4,196 recent graduates (2005-2015) found that Pitt graduates surpass peers on employment, internships and college debt-to-income ratio.

Key Findings

  • The mean personal income for recent Pitt graduates is $65,325, while their AAU counterparts earn on average $55,771.
     
  • 41% of Pitt alumni (compared with 35% of AAU grads) strongly agree that their jobs/internships allowed them to apply what they learned in the classroom.
     
  • Recent Pitt graduates match or surpass their AAU counterparts in the likelihood to thrive in all five elements of well-being—purpose, social, financial, community, and physical—measured by Gallup.
     
  • 83% of Pitt recent alumni work full time for an employer or for themselves, higher than the AAU average of 75%.

Resources

 

Third Study: Graduate Outcomes

A survey of 3,536 recent Pitt graduates (2006-2016) found that Pitt graduates fare better than comparison groups on advanced education and well-being. In addition, Pitt’s first-generation graduates fare better than their peers in employment and advanced education.

Key Findings

  • 79% of Pitt graduates are employed full time, higher than the national average for college graduates (71%). 80% of first-generation Pitt graduates are employed full time.
     
  • Pitt graduates are twice as likely than college graduates nationally to earn a postgraduate degree.
     
  • Recent Pitt graduates are more likely than college graduates nationally to be thriving in all five elements of well-being.

Resources

 

Fourth Study: Advising

Whereas previous Gallup research examined Pitt undergraduate alumni outcomes and undergraduate experiences through quantitative surveys, the Year 4 study used in-depth interviews with 15 recent alumni and 10 focus groups of 74 undergraduates to deepen leaders’ understanding of seminal Pitt experiences and the opportunities that inform the Personalized Education and Forge Your Own Path efforts.

Key Findings 

  • Older students advise others to get involved in diverse activities at Pitt as early as possible; many find their own way to these experiences without formal mechanisms to guide them.
     
  • Students desire an online, searchable resource to connect with activities that match their interests.
     
  • Students generally do not look for advisors to assist them beyond course selection; however, advisors help students overcome common frustrations with Pitt’s online registration and scheduling technologies.
     
  • Students and alumni identify mentor behaviors—ranging from simple gestures to deeper engagement; personas include professors, extracurricular, academic and major-related advisors, older students, and lab members.
     
  • Transfer students need targeted and enhanced supports to ensure they succeed at Pitt, including transfer orientation and mechanisms to connect with other transfer students and same-level, non-transfer students.
     
  • Favored professors exhibit behaviors in their teaching and approach with students that demonstrate interest in students and the subject matter—and is reflected in the energy they bring to the classroom.
     
  • Effective teaching practices include hands-on, interactive learning techniques and opportunities for students to make novel connections across seemingly unrelated topics.

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Gallup Study Impacts

The Gallup Studies have had meaningful impact on the development or enhancement of new and existing initiatives, programs, and resources at the University of Pittsburgh, including the following efforts. Follow the links for more information on each.

Personalizing Education

  • Evolution of the Personalized Education initiative to the "Forge Your Own Path" strategy
  • Integration and interdependency of four core components: people, tools, information, infrastructure
  • Four key work streams: Mentoring and Advising, Student Toolbox, Resources, Community Engagement

Mentoring and Advising

Student Toolbox

Additional Faculty, Student, and Staff Resources