TAMPA — During a meeting at the University of South Florida today, the Board of Governors heard a presentation on the Baccalaureate Follow-up Study, which measures employment and education outcomes one, five, & ten years after graduation.
The study is the fifth one conducted by the Board of Governors on the employment and education outcomes of baccalaureate degree recipients. These studies provide students, parents, educators, and policymakers critical information about the experiences of graduates after they complete a bachelor’s degree.
Highlights of this study include:
- Most graduates were employed– 92% in year 1, 95% in year 5, and 98% in year 10, and most graduates worked full-time.
- 35% of graduates completed additional credentials.
- SUS graduates earn more over time, earning $40,800 in year 1, $63,900 by year 10, and for those graduates with additional credentials, wages exceeded $75,000 in year 10.
The Board’s website includes a new interactive online data tool to explore the data behind this report. With this tool, individuals can compare employment and wages by program 1, 5, and 10 years out for SUS graduates.
“The numbers clearly show how the State’s investment in our great state universities results in tremendous long term benefits to our students,” said Syd Kitson, chair of the Board of Governors. “The study also emphasizes the System’s dedication to exploring ways to better connect with businesses and to identify gaps in Florida’s workforce. Combining the two leads to the success of both Florida’s business economy as well as the lives of our graduates.”
The Board also approved the 2020 System Accountability Plan. The System Accountability Plan is an annual report that closely aligns with the Board of Governors’ 2025 System Strategic Plan. This report enhances the System’s commitment to accountability and strategic planning by fostering greater coordination between institutional administrators, University Boards of Trustees, and the Board of Governors regarding each institution’s direction and priorities as well as performance expectations and outcomes on institutional and System-wide goals. Highlights from the Plan include:
- A 10% increase in 4-year graduation rates in the last five years.
- Lower cost to the students, with a 60% reduction in the last five years.
- More graduates employed & higher median wages.
- An increase of $ 400+million in research expenditures in the last five years.
“The System Accountability Plan is a strategic tool in the toolbox for measuring the success of both Florida’s students as well as the impact these students make on Florida’s economy,” said Marshall M. Criser, III, chancellor of the State University System. “The collective commitment to student success by the leadership of the Board of Governors and the state universities is evidenced in the positive results outlined in the Plan.”
Other meeting highlights include:
- The Board approved the 2020-2021 Fixed Capital Outlay Legislative Budget Request and Preliminary Selection Group.
- The Board approved the 2020-2021 State University System Operating Budget.
- The Board approved the 2021-2022 State University System Legislative Budget Request.
- The Board appointed Beth Kigel and Kaine Powell to the Florida Polytechnic Board of Trustees.
For more information, consult the meeting’s official minutes at http://www.flbog.edu/. The Board’s next meeting is November 4 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.
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Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The System has 12 universities and more than 420,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the System’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the System’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.