Explore the data / Sources / National Survey of College Graduates What is National Survey of College Graduates? The National Science Foundation surveys college graduates about education and work. It covers degree fields, jobs, job relatedness, and work activities.
Full name National Survey of College Graduates
Published by National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, NSF
Edition in EduInsights 2023
Current availability Used in the current EduInsights data release. Why it matters
Why we use National Survey of College Graduates This survey helps us understand the education and careers of college graduates, especially people working in science and engineering.
What people studied and where they work Graduates report their degree fields and current jobs. The public results do not name their colleges.
Whether the degree feels related to the job Graduates answer this themselves. It reflects their judgment, not an outside classification.
What changed in their work The survey also asks about work activities, job changes, and personal background.
Good to know
What to keep in mind
The response count is not the population count Survey weights help a smaller group of respondents represent graduates across the country.
Its field and job labels are its own They do not line up automatically with every other federal file. We review a connection before using it.
Very small groups stay hidden We do not publish a measure based on fewer than 30 responses. Tiny samples can mislead and expose people. On its own
Questions this source can answer by itself These questions need no facts from another source.
Which jobs employ graduates from a field? How often do graduates say their work relates to their degree? How do education-to-work patterns differ across groups? With other sources
Questions this source helps answer We use another source only when it describes the same college, field, career, place, or time.
Do published career links resemble observed graduate work patterns? How do graduate work patterns compare with job outlook? Where it stops
What this source cannot tell you The survey does not report outcomes for named colleges. EduInsights publishes national estimates for groups. We do not show details about individual people. Small groups may be withheld under the EduInsights publication rule. Use this source in a real question. Ask about a college, field, career, place, or change over time.
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