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Student Placement

We asked students questions like, “what is most likely to be your principal activity this fall?” Find out how they responded.

6 students write Pi from memory. Photo: Jose-Luis Olivares/MIT News

View information on student placement below.

SOURCE: 2022 Graduating Student Survey

Answered survey, at least partially Bachelor's Master's
Yes 51.6% 47.8%
No 48.4% 52.2%
Number of Responses 956 1,193

 

What is most likely to be your principal activity this fall (fall 2022)?
  Degree (highest)
Bachelor's Master's
Employed full-time, including self-employment, returning to previous employment, internship, starting a company. Full time is on average 30 hours or more per week. 50.3% 76.5%
Employed part-time, including self-employment, returning to previous employment, internship, starting a company. Part time is on average less than 30 hours per week. 0.8% 1.9%
Military service 0.6% 2.8%
Attending graduate or professional school 40.8% 12.2%
Enrolled in another educational program (e.g., second bachelor's degree, post baccalaureate premedical program) 1.0% 1.4%
Service (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) 0.2% 0.4%
Distinguished fellowship (e.g., Marshall, Rhodes) 2.0% 0.4%
Undecided (e.g., deciding between fields) 2.0% 2.3%
Other activity (e.g., traveling) 2.2% 2.1%
Number of Responses 493 566

 

Please select which of the following best describes the current state of your employment plans.
  Degree (highest)
Bachelor's Master's
Have accepted a position (including self-employment, returning to previous employment, internship, starting a company) 88.5% 88.0%
Have been offered a position and refused it; still searching for preferred position 0.0% 1.8%
Received one or more specific offers I am still considering 1.2% 4.4%
Currently searching for a position or waiting for an offer 8.3% 4.8%
Will begin searching for a position after graduation 2.0% 1.1%
Number of Responses 253 457
For students who indicated 'Working' or 'Military Service' as post-graduation plan.

 

Employer industry: What best describes the industry you will work in?
  Degree (highest)
Bachelor's Master's
Information/Computer Technology 34.3% 22.4%
Energy and Utilites 2.9% 4.7%
Chemicals or Materials 1.9% 1.1%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (including Consulting) 15.7% 25.0%
Academic Institution 4.8% 1.1%
Health Care, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices 7.6% 5.0%
Finance and Insurance 14.8% 13.4%
Transportation 5.7% 4.7%
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 1.0% 1.6%
Non-profit and membership organizations 0.5% 1.1%
Government 3.8% 7.4%
Other 7.1% 12.6%
Number of Responses 210 380
For students who indicated they accepted a position.

 

Please select one of the following to describe where you are in your plans for Graduate or Professional School:
  Degree (highest)
Bachelor's Master's
I have been accepted to and chosen a graduate or professional school. 95.2% 100.0%
I have been accepted to and am deciding between schools. 1.4% 0.0%
I am awaiting acceptance to a graduate or professional school. 3.3% 0.0%
Number of Responses 210 67
For students who indicated 'Graduate or Professional School' as post-graduation plan.

 

What will be your general field of study?
  Degree (highest)
Bachelor's Master's
Arts 1.0% 1.5%
Business 0.5% 4.6%
Education 0.5% 1.5%
Engineering 61.5% 70.8%
Law 0.5% 1.5%
Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine 3.4% 1.5%
Science 27.9% 10.8%
Other 4.8% 7.7%
Number of Responses 208 65
For students who indicated 'Graduate or Professional School' as post-graduation plan.

 

Which degree(s) will you pursue? (Check all that apply)
  Degree (highest)
Bachelor's Master's
Percent of
Respondents
Percent of
Respondents
MEng 45.9% 0.0%
MS 15.3% 0.0%
MA 1.4% 0.0%
MBA 1.4% 1.5%
MD/PhD joint program 3.3% 0.0%
PhD or ScD 32.1% 93.8%
MD 3.3% 0.0%
Other medical (e.g., DDS, DMD, DVM) 0.0% 0.0%
JD 1.0% 1.5%
Other 3.8% 4.6%
Number of Responses 225 66
For students who indicated 'Graduate or Professional School' as post-graduation plan.
Percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses.

 


SOURCE: 2022 Doctoral Student Exit Survey

Postgraduation Plans

What is the status of your postgraduate plans (in the next year)?
Returning to, or continuing in, predoctoral employment 4%
Have signed contract or made definite commitment for a "postdoc" or other work 79%
Negotiating with one or more specific organizations 5%
Seeking position but have no specific prospects 7%
Other full-time degree program (e.g., MD, DDS, JD, MBA, etc.) 0%
Other 4%
Do not plan to work or study (e.g., family commitments, etc.) 1%
Number of Responses 406

 

What type of appointment do you have/plan to have?
Postdoc-doctoral appointment 58%

Tenure-track faculty appointment

16%
Non-tenure track faculty appointment 2%
Administrative 0%
Other 24%
Number of Responses 268

Only shown to those who indicated they will be employed at an academic or research institution OR indicated they will be conducting research in the same area as their doctoral degree as part of their employment.

 

What best describes the Industry Group you will work in?
Academic Institution 43%
Information/Computer Technology 17%
Health Care, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices 10%
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (including Consulting) 10%
Government 5%
Chemicals or Materials 5%
Energy and Utilities 3%
Finance and Insurance 2%
Other 2%
Transportation 1%
Non-profit and membership organizations 1%
Number of Responses 288

Only shown to those who indicated they will be employed after graduation.
*Industry categories were revised during the 2021 survey year.