Holy Cross Graduates Report Strong Outcomes After Graduation Despite Pandemic

Despite the ongoing international pandemic and recent recession due to coronavirus, a recent survey of the graduates of the class of 2020 shows strong outcomes for Holy Cross graduates in securing job offers, internships and graduate program acceptances across the country. In a snapshot of outcomes for the class of 2020 with 83% of graduates responding, a considerable 94% of respondents are employed full-time in a job or internship, engaged in service work or pursuing a graduate degree.

The most popular outcome for graduates was full-time employment, with salaries ranging from $30,000 to $100,000 per year, with the average salary over $56,000.

The top industries where Holy Cross graduates found employment include health care (15%); financial services (14%); technology (11%); government, politics and law (10%); and education (9%). Top employers included Massachusetts General Hospital, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Dell EMC.

Most students moving on to graduate school entered master’s programs (53%), while others enrolled in medical school or health professions programs (19%), entered law school (14%) or pursued doctoral degrees (8%). Some students were also awarded fellowships, including the National Institutes of Health's Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Awards. Those pursuing their passions through volunteering were accepted by organizations such as the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and AmeriCorps.

The key to Holy Cross students’ success after graduation is no secret—students prepare for the future while still in school by working with class deans, academic advisors and resources such as the Center for Career Development. The majority of responding students (82%) participated in at least one internship or research program while still enrolled at Holy Cross to get valuable real-world experience, with the College distributing more than $385,000 to members of the Class of 2020 to offset the cost of completing 90 unpaid summer internships. Many students took advantage of Holy Cross’ extensive alumni network when pursuing internships and employment after graduation.

The First Destinations Report was compiled by the Center for Career Development, which collaborates with the network of Holy Cross alumni, employers and campus partners to share expertise and engage students throughout their undergraduate career to translate the liberal arts experience into meaningful vocation and a lifetime of professional achievement.

Learn more about outcomes after Holy Cross!