NIU Alumni SurveyGraduate StudentsAcademic Year 2016-2017
Employment, Additional Education, Satisfaction, and Internships
Accreditation, Assessment and Evaluation
© 2017 Northern Illinois University
Background
NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Sample• Graduate alumni
• Graduated in Fall 2016, Spring 2017, and Summer 2017
Method• Surveys distributed to alumni via email,
texts, and phone calls• Surveyed post-graduation, in 2019
Survey Highlights• Alumni employment and additional
education• Alumni satisfaction with NIU• Alumni internships while attending NIU
2
Response Rates
3 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
21%
30%
30%
16%
31%
21%
23%
24%
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
College of Visual & Performing Arts
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
College of Law
College of Health & Human Sciences
College of Engineering & Engineering Technology
College of Education
College of Business
Overall
Number of Respondents/Alumni Surveyed
Number of Respondents Number of Alumni Surveyed
n = 413n = 1728
n = 112n = 492
n = 90n = 436
n = 48n = 157n = 24n = 154n = 20
n = 70n = 107
n = 362n = 12
n = 57
Alumni Employment and Additional Education
4 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Employment Status
5 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
n = 356
Total Respondents = 397
90%
5% 3% 3%0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Yes, full-time Yes, part-time No, but am seeking employment No, and am not seekingemployment
Perc
ent o
f Res
pond
ents
n = 358n = 18 n = 11 n = 10
Pursuing or Completed Additional Education
6 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Total Respondents = 352
28%
72%
Yes No
n = 254
n = 98
Types of Additional Degrees Pursued*
7 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Total Respondents = 81
0%
0%
1%
1%
2%
2%
6%
7%
14%
30%
49%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Additional undergraduate degree
Health Professional (AuD, DDS, DNP, DVM, RN, PA...)
Theology/Divinity
Law (JD, Paralegal)
Education Specialist (EdS...)
Medicine (MD, DO)
Other (specify)
Professional Master's (MBA, MSW, MFA...)
Academic Master's (MA, MS, MSEd, MPH, MPA...)
Doctorate (PhD, EdD, DA, DBA, PsyD...)
Certificate (specify)
Percent of Respondents
n = 40
n = 24
n = 11
n = 6
n = 5
n = 2
n = 2
n =1
n = 1
n = 0
n = 0
*Respondents could check multiple categories
Sector of Current Employment
8 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Total Respondents = 351
1%
2%
3%
4%
7%
8%
13%
13%
15%
34%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%
Self-employed or private practice
Military/Armed services
Other
Non-profit (non-government)
Government (federal, state, local)
Health agency (hospital, clinic)
Professional firm (engineering, law)
College or university
Elementary/secondary school (including cooperatives)
Business (industry, commercial, service)
Percent of Respondents
n = 119
n = 54
n = 47
n = 45
n = 27
n = 23
n = 14
n = 11
n = 6
n = 5
Location of Employment
9 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Total Respondents = 298
n = 18762%
38%
IL Other states
n = 112
n = 186
Time to Employment
10 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
n = 238 n = 104
Total Respondents = 411
58%
6% 5%
26%
4%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Less than 6 months More than 6 months butless than 1 year
One year or more Held the same job whileenrolled at NIU
Have not secured a job yet
Perc
ent o
f Res
pond
ents
n = 240 n = 106
n = 25 n = 22 n = 18
Relatedness of NIU Degree to Job
11 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
n = 335
Total Respondents = 351
95%
3% 2%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Related Unrelated, by choice Unrelated, NOT by choice
Perc
ent o
f Res
pond
ents
n = 335n = 10 n = 6
Satisfaction With Job
12 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
n = 136
Total Respondents = 333
41% 43%
9%4% 2% 2%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Strongly agree Agree Slightly agree Slightly disagree Strongly disagree Disagree
Perc
ent o
f Res
pond
ents
n = 136
n = 143
n = 30n = 12 n = 6 n = 6
Agree = 93% Disagree = 7 %
Preparedness For Job
13 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
n = 122
Total Respondents = 346
35%
47%
12%
1% 2% 3%0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Strongly agree Agree Slightly agree Slightly disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
Perc
ent o
f Res
pond
ents
n = 122
n = 162
n = 41
n = 5 n = 6 n = 10
Agree = 94 % Disagree = 6%
Alumni Satisfaction with NIU
14 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Overall Satisfaction with NIU
15 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
n = 319
n = 324
Agree = Slightly Agree, Agree, and Strongly Agree; Disagree = Slightly Disagree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree
94%
92%
6%
8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I am satisfied with my overall experience as agraduate student at NIU.
I would recommend NIU to a prospective student.
Percent of Respondents
Agree Disagree
n = 319n = 28
n = 324n = 21
n = 347
n = 345
Satisfaction with NIU’s Services
16 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
n = 198
n = 296
Agree = Slightly Agree, Agree, and Strongly Agree; Disagree = Slightly Disagree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree
91%
75%
9%
25%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
I felt safe while on campus at NIU.
I am satisfied with the career advising I received atNIU.
Percent of Respondents
Agree Disagree
N = 265
N = 324
n = 198 n = 67
n = 296 n = 28
Satisfaction with NIU Degree
17 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Agree = Slightly Agree, Agree, and Strongly Agree; Disagree = Slightly Disagree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree
93%
93%
92%
87%
7%
7%
8%
13%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Considering my circumstances, I am satisfied with theamount of time it took me to complete my graduate degree.
I am satisfied with the educational experiences I had withinmy major at NIU.
I believe my graduate degree from NIU represents a goodvalue for the investment I made.
I am satisfied with the academic advising I received withinmy graduate degree program.
Percent of Respondents
Agree Disagree
N = 328
N = 341
N = 347
N = 347
n = 286n = 42
n = 26
n = 26
n = 25
n = 315
n = 321
n = 322
Internships Completed While Attending NIU
18 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Internships While Attending NIU
19 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Completed An Internship Number of Internships Completed
Total Respondents = 357 Total Respondents = 132
73%
19%
8%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
One Two Three or more
Perc
ent o
f Res
pond
ents
n = 97
n = 25
n = 7
38%
62%
Yes No
n = 221
n = 136
Characteristics of Internships Completed
20 NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-2017
Total Respondents = 133
Note: Question specifies “check all that apply”; therefore total does not add to 100%
57% 58%63%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Paid For credit Within your discipline
Perc
ent o
f Res
pond
ents
n = 76 n = 77 n = 84
For more information, please contact:
Accreditation, Assessment and EvaluationNorthern Illinois University
Swen Parson [email protected]
815-753-3545go.niu.edu/assessment
NIU Alumni Survey Graduate Students | Academic Year 2016-201721