Title: Table 1
Author: Student
Last saved by: wjackson
Company: St. Francis Xavier University

Trends in Incomes and Employment:

 1987-2000 StFX Graduates 5 & 10 Years Post Graduation

Winston Jackson, Director
Office of Institutional Analysis
St. Francis Xavier University
May, 2005
Report: H:\oia\reports\2005\Incomes Alumni 2005.doc

 Trends in Incomes and Employment:
 1987-2000 StFX Graduates 5 & 10 Years Post Graduation

A.  Introduction

This report will present some job related information on recent graduates from St. F.X., including: unemployment; the length of time it takes graduates to get their first full-time jobs; the number of jobs held; income levels on the first full-time jobs, incomes of present jobs; percentage increases in incomes; and, for those with a spouse or partner, the combined incomes. 

The evidence will be drawn from five surveys of our graduates who were asked to complete a questionnaire either 5 or 10 years after graduation from StFX. These surveys have been completed in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2005.

B.  The Surveys Used in This Report

1.  Name/ When Done:	St. F.X. Survey of Graduates, 1997 
    Done By: 		Office of Institutional Analysis, StFX
    Sampling Procedure:	Mail to 1050; 100% 1987 graduates; 80% 1992 graduates
    Response Rate:		33.5 % [35 undelivered; 340 returned; 320 useable]
    Final Sample Size	320   [1987:174; 1992:146]

2. Name/ When Done:	St. F.X. Survey of Graduates, 1999 
    Done By: 		Office of Institutional Analysis, StFX
    Sampling Procedure:	Mail survey to graduates of 1989 & 1994
    Response Rate:		unavailable
    Final Sample Size:	320 (1989: 153; 1994:165; NA 2)

3. Name/ When Done:	St. F.X. Survey of Graduates, 2001 
    Done By: 		Office of Institutional Analysis, StFX
    Sampling Procedure:	Mail to sample of 1,210 1991 & 1996 graduates
    Response Rate:		26.1% [59 undelivered; 300 returned including 8 late ones]
    Final Sample Size:	292

4. Name/ When Done:	St. F.X. Survey of Graduates, 2003 
    Done By: 		Office of Institutional Analysis, StFX
    Sampling Procedure:	Mail to sample of  1,281 1993 & 1998 graduates
    Response Rate:		27.8%   [83 undelivered; 333 returned including 1 late one]
    Final Sample Size:	332

5. Name/ When Done:	St. F.X. Survey of Graduates, 2005 
    Done By: 		Office of Institutional Analysis, StFX
    Sampling Procedure:	Mail to sample of  1,274 1995 & 2000 graduates
    Response Rate:		32.5%   [56 undelivered; 396 returned  (as of May 12, 2005)
    Final Sample Size:	396

C.  Results

Job related data will be reported by the type of program from which the respondent graduated as well as by the year of graduation. 

1.	Starting Salaries

Table 1 reports the average starting salaries for graduates from different areas of study. The information was collected from the five surveys of alumni conducted in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005. These surveys were directed toward graduates who had completed their programs at StFX 5 or 10 years prior to the survey. The table is formatted to show the starting salary of the first full-time job the graduate held after completing work at StFX. 

Table 1. Mean Starting Salaries by Area of Study, StFX Graduates*

Area of Study** | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993
Humanities | $24,333 | $27,000 | $29,611 | $21,758 | 25,155
Social Sciences | $25,759 | $25,050 | $28,327 | $21,131 | 28,641
Business & IS | $20,962 | $24,500 | $29,778 | $24,767 | 27,155
Science | $33,368 | $29,440 | $29,410 | $27,286 | 40,619
Applied Science | $28,278 | $26,988 | $30,884 | $30,654 | 34,605
Education | $29,417 | $42,428 | $35,444 | $37,081 | 37,206
Overall Means | $26,167 | $27,279 | $30,006 | $26,638 | 31,459

Area of Study** | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1998 | 2000
Humanities | $28,023 | $26,800 | $27,231 | $32,719 | $29,143
Social Sciences | $28,428 | $36,742 | $27,057 | $25,333 | $29,285
Business & IS | $24,656 | $26,167 | $28,068 | $28,761 | $32,500
Science | $33,036 | $46,739 | $36,591 | $32,957 | $35,013
Applied Science | $30,481 | $35,148 | $34,903 | $41,625 | $46,243
Education | $35,147 | $48,769 | $42,714 | $40,929 | $43,600
Overall Means | $29,093 | $34,921 | $31,463 | $33,301 | $36,564

*The data are based on the 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005 survey of alumni who had graduated 5 and 10 years prior to the survey being conducted. 
**The grouping into areas of study were as follows: Humanities: all Arts disciplines, excluding the social sciences; Social Sciences: Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, & Sociology; Business & IS: prior to the 2001 survey Information Systems was included in the Applied Science category; Science: Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, & Physics; Applied Science: Human Kinetics (PE), Human Nutrition, Computer Science, & Nursing; Education: Education, Adult Education.

Science, Applied Science, and Education graduates have tended to have somewhat higher starting salaries than the graduates from the humanities, social sciences, and the business program. The data for the 1992 graduates show a significant drop in all areas of study and, in Table 2, note that the length of the job search in that year was not rosy either. Over the decade, average starting salaries moved from the mid-20 thousand range to just over $36,000.  Education and Applied Science showed somewhat higher increases over the decade. 

Overall, starting salaries have been relatively stable over the years spanning 1987 to 1998 with a substantial boost for graduates in applied science occurring for those starting in 2000.

2. Length of Employment Search

Table 2. Median Length of Employment Search (Weeks), First Job, by Area of Study, StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 Surveys

Area of Study | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994
Humanities | 6.0 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 4.0
Social Sciences | 5.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 3.5
Business & IS | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 5.5
Science | 10.0 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 10.0 | 8.0
Applied Science | 8.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 12.0 | 10.0 | 15.0
Education | 9.0 | 52.0 | 0.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 2.0
Overall Medians | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 5.0

Area of Study | 1995 | 1996 | 1998 | 2000 | Overall
Humanities | 3.5 | 12.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 6.0
Social Sciences | 6.0 | 2.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 5.0
Business & IS | 4.0 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0
Science | 2.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 12.0 | 4.0
Applied Science | 12.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 8.0
Education | 12.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 3.5
Overall Medians | 6.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.0

Table 2 indicates the median number of weeks it took graduates to find their first job after graduation.  A number of graduates report zero weeks to their first full-time job since they had secured a job prior to graduation. Through the years1987 to 2000 the median length of time to the first job was 5 weeks.  Note that for those who started work in 1992 and 1993 job search times were extended somewhat with the exception of the Business graduates. Education and Adult Education graduates have experienced considerable fluctuations over the period varying from 0 weeks in 1991 to 52 weeks in 1989. 

Overall, through the nineties the length of time to getting the first job has been around the 5 week mark but with that time being extended for the 1992 and the 1993 graduates. 

3. Present Income

Current incomes have been monitored for our graduates 5 and 10 years after completing their programs at StFX. One of the reasons we wait a few years to monitor career paths is that we wished to allow sufficient time for graduates to become established and to complete other educational programs which they may have taken since graduating from StFX. Table 3 reports the average incomes for graduates either 5 or 10 years post StFX graduation.

Table 3. Mean Income of Present Work by Area of Study,
StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 Surveys

Mean Income of Present Work

Area of Study

1997 Survey

1999 Survey

2001 Survey

2003
Survey

2005
Survey

Graduates 5 years out | (1992) | (1994) | (1996) | (1998) | (2000)
Humanities | $23,344 | $34,675 | $47,750 | $44,267 | $34,333
Social Sciences | $28,630 | $35,424 | $35,888 | $33,706 | $37,712
Business & IS | $41,479 | $60,030 | $64,813 | $44,504 | $54,385
Science | $28,893 | $43,000 | $41,597 | $41,283 | $53,380
Applied Science | $33,471 | $41,831 | $39,712 | $47,253 | $53,622
Education | $45,169 | $43,562 | $50,714 | $42,300 | $49,957
Overall Means | $32,586 | $43,522 | $46,101 | $46,307 | $48,480
Graduates 10 years out | (1987) | (1989) | (1991) | (1993) | (1995)
Humanities | $33,330 | $46,586 | $48,866 | $47,362 | $46,399
Social Sciences | $45,863 | $46,783 | $54,154 | $57,600 | $58,448
Business & IS | $58,790 | $58,636 | $92,115 | $85,054 | $59,355
Science | $47,659 | $50,826 | $53,060 | $64,305 | $69,839
Applied Science | $41,887 | $40,200 | $48,647 | $53,795 | $52,728
Education | $46,167 | $56,889 | $49,625 | $56,111 | $60,800
Overall Means | $45,845 | $48,649 | $58,440 | $60,038 | $56,846

Those respondents out for 5 years have experienced average incomes rise from $32,586 (these would be the 1992 graduates) to $48,480 (for the 2000 graduates).  For the 1997 survey, the cohort who had been out of StFX for 10 years report average incomes of $45,845 as compared to the 2005 survey where those out 10 years reported average incomes of $56,846.  

The 2005 survey indicates that for those out 10 years, there was little income variation by area of study—the means running between 50 and 60 thousand. The Humanities graduates current salaries are slightly lower than graduates from other programs. Similarly, for those out 5 years, the graduates fall into two clusters with the Humanities and Social Science graduates somewhat below graduates from other areas of study. 

4. Percentage Change in Income: First Job to Present Job

Table 4 shows the percentage change in salary from first job to present job. A positive trend is seen in these data. Graduates out five years who completed degrees in 1997 have experienced an increase of 29.6 percent over the five year period; in contrast, those who graduated in 2005 experienced a percentage change in average income of 48.0 percent. 

Table 4. Percent Increase in Salary by Area of Study,
StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 Surveys

Percent Change in Salary

Area of Study

1997 Survey

1999 Survey

2001 Survey

2003
Survey

2005
Survey

Graduates 5 years out | (1992) | (1994) | (1996) | (1998) | (2000)
Humanities | 9.3 | 51.1 | 136.0 | 51.9 | 18.6
Social Sciences | 43.9 | 55.4 | 58.1 | 52.2 | 84.1
Business & IS | 62.9 | 154.3 | 160.0 | 74.0 | 77.9
Science | 8.7 | 23.8 | 26.0 | 28.7 | 64.8
Applied Science | 19.1 | 54.5 | 26.0 | 8.5 | 16.5
Education | 24.4 | 29.5 | 19.2 | 10.6 | 13.8
Overall Means | 29.6 | 72.0 | 75.8 | 41.0 | 48.0
Graduates 10 years out | (1987) | (1989) | (1991) | (1993) | (1995)
Humanities | 40.4 | 76.8 | 84.4 | 102.5 | 83.8
Social Sciences | 92.7 | 117.1 | 112.4 | 149.5 | 70.8
Business & IS | 189.0 | 135.8 | 215.9 | 245.2 | 134.7
Science | 56.1 | 110.3 | 100.1 | 78.5 | 61.1
Applied Science | 54.0 | 61.1 | 61.8 | 72.9 | 63.7
Education | 64.7 | 57.3 | 45.3 | 62.7 | 58.7
Overall Means | 90.9 | 97.0 | 110.2 | 121.6 | 82.9

The data show a similar trend for those who have been in the labour force for 10 years. While the 1997 survey of graduates out 10 years indicated that the respondents incomes grew by 90.9 percent when their first job was compared to their present job, this figure grew to as high as 121.6 percent for those surveyed in 2003, then dropped to 82.9 percent for the surveyed in 2005. 

The percentage change appears to be robust in all areas of study indicating that a university degree is still very much a worthwhile investment, especially after a few years in the labour force. 

5. Combined Incomes

Respondents with a partner or spouse were asked to indicate their combined income. Table 5 reports the mean incomes for such cases.

 Table 5. Mean Combined Income With Partner by Area of Study, 
StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 Surveys
Mean Combined Income With Partner

Area of Study

1997 Survey

1999 Survey

2001 Survey

2003
Survey

2005
Survey

Graduates 5 years out | (1992) | (1994) | (1996) | (1998) | (2000)
Humanities | $44,833 | $71,727 | $49,800 | $114,375 | $78,125
Social Sciences | $60,375 | $62,583 | $69,478 | $71,000 | $75,077
Business & IS | $74,217 | $106,190 | $92,846 | $81,686 | $94,800
Science | $64,500 | $72,857 | $103,410 | $94,786 | $95,533
Applied Science | $64,227 | $76,895 | $81,224 | $91,059 | $97,562
Education | $89,914 | $90,083 | $89,250 | $104,250 | $92,500
Overall Means | $68,933 | $81,839 | $81,324 | $92,283 | $91,635
Graduates 10 years out | (1987) | (1989) | (1991) | (1993) | (1995)
Humanities | $70,053 | $81,318 | $100,450 | $96,026 | $113,238
Social Sciences | $87,421 | $92,100 | $91,222 | $122,058 | $116,146
Business & IS | $104,674 | $104,132 | $129,300 | $152,417 | $118,800
Science | $100,727 | $95,000 | $107,529 | $119,713 | $116,733
Applied Science | $79,810 | $85,660 | $102,573 | $103,680 | $110,263
Education | $104,000 | $69,200 | $95,571 | $107,263 | $124,250
Overall Means | $89,175 | $89,936 | $105,354 | $116,247 | $115,635

Five Years Out. In the 2005 survey, respondents who had been out of StFX for five years report combined incomes averaging $91,635.  The humanities and social science graduates reported the lowest combined incomes ($78,125 and $75,077 respectively) while the applied science graduates report the highest combined incomes, $97,562. At five years out, there is not a lot of variation in combined mean incomes, with the overall mean of $91,635.  The overall means have grown from $68,933 for the 1992 graduates to $91, 635 for the 2000 graduates. 

Ten Years Out. Respondents who have been out 10 years and who report combined incomes are reporting higher average incomes than was previously the case. In the 1997 and 1999 surveys the combined incomes were around the $90,000 mark, in 2003 and 2005 surveys the figure is in the $115,000 to $116,000 range.  In the 2005 survey the respondents from all six areas of study indicate combined incomes averaging above $100,000 per year. 

Table 6 shows the percentage in each category reporting combined incomes above $100,000. Overall there has been an increase in the percent of graduates reporting combined incomes above the $100,000 mark. For those out five years, the growth has been from nine percent to around forty percent; for those out ten years, the growth has doubled from thirty to just over sixty percent.  The decline of the Business & IS graduates reporting combined incomes above $100,000 between the 2003 and the 2005 surveys probably represents the down turn in the economy. The down turn did not seem to influence graduates from Science, Applied Science, and Education as much as the Business and IS graduates.

The Combined income data indicate a robust growth in the number of graduates reporting incomes above $100,000.  It seems that graduates are likely to form partnerships with persons of high income potential. 

Table 6. Percent Over $100,000 (Combined Salary) by Area of Study, StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 Surveys

Percent Over $100,000

Area of Study

1997 Survey

1999 Survey

2001 Survey

2003
Survey

2005
Survey

Graduates 5 years out | (1992) | (1994) | (1996) | (1998) | (2000)
Humanities | 0.0 | 18.2 | 0.0 | 62.5 | 12.5
Social Sciences | 0.0 | 0.0 | 23.1 | 18.2 | 15.4
Business & IS | 16.7 | 19.0 | 30.8 | 35.7 | 44.0
Science | 0.0 | 42.9 | 66.7 | 50.0 | 40.0
Applied Science | 4.5 | 15.8 | 25.0 | 41.2 | 44.8
Education | 21.4 | 33.3 | 50.0 | 43.8 | 50.0
TOTAL | 8.6 | 19.4 | 29.2 | 42.0 | 38.7
Graduates 10 years out | (1987) | (1989) | (1991) | (1993) | (1995)
Humanities | 10.5 | 36.4 | 50.0 | 52.2 | 47.6
Social Sciences | 31.6 | 35.0 | 30.0 | 58.3 | 66.7
Business & IS | 48.5 | 52.6 | 85.0 | 83.3 | 55.0
Science | 27.3 | 38.5 | 41.2 | 62.5 | 73.3
Applied Science | 24.1 | 30.0 | 54.2 | 41.2 | 59.3
Education | 50.0 | 20.0 | 28.6 | 47.4 | 83.3
TOTAL | 30.4 | 37.0 | 50.9 | 56.3 | 63.0

6. Unemployment

Respondents were asked to indicate their present employment situation (see question 24 of the 2005 survey). Table 7 reports the percentage of respondents who that they were "Not employed and looking for work". Overall there are very low levels of unemployment among the StFX graduates who have been out of university for 5 or 10 years; among respondents to the 2005 survey, the unemployment rates for those out 5 years was 4.1 percent and 1.7 percent for those out 10 years.

Table 8 reports on the median number of weeks unemployed since graduating from StFX. Graduates out of university for 5 years show a trend toward fewer weeks of unemployment from 12 weeks (1992 graduates) to 2 weeks (graduates of 2000). For those out 10 years the median length of unemployment has dropped from 6 (1987) to 4 weeks (1995 graduates). 

Table 7. Percent Unemployed by Area of Study,
StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 Surveys.

Percent Unemployed
Area of Study | 1997 Survey | 1999 Survey | 2001 Survey | 2003 Survey | 2005 Survey
Graduates 5 years out | (1992) | (1994) | (1996) | (1998) | (2000)
Humanities | 15.6 | 2.6 | 27.8 | 0.0 | 4.0
Social Sciences | 12.1 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.1
Business & IS | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0
Science | 0.0 | 18.8 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 7.7
Applied Science | 0.0 | 6.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.3
Education | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.7
MEAN PERCENT (N) | 6.2  (145) | 4.3   (163) | 5.6  (126) | 1.5  (134) | 4.1 (194)
Graduates 10 years out | (1987) | (1989) | (1991) | (1993) | (1995)
Humanities | 3.6 | 3.1 | 6.3 | 2.8 | 0.0
Social Sciences | 2.9 | 9.7 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 8.1
Business & IS | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0
Science | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0
Applied Science | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0
Education | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 0.0
MEAN PERCENT (N) | .8 (173) | 2.7  (150) | 1.8  (164) | 1.0  (192) | 1.7 (176)

Table 8. Median Length of Unemployment (weeks) by Area of Study, StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 Surveys

Median Length of Unemployment
Area of Study | 1997 Survey | 1999 Survey | 2001 Survey | 2003 Survey | 2005 Survey
Graduates 5 years out | (1992) | (1994) | (1996) | (1998) | (2000)
Humanities | 32.0 | 4.0 | 12.0 | 2.0 | 4.0
Social Sciences | 9.0 | 7.5 | .5 | 12.0 | 5.0
Business & IS | 14.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 3.0
Science | 8.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 4.5
Applied Science | 12.0 | 8.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0
Education | 6.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0
Overall Medians | 12.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 2.0
Graduates 10 years out | (1987) | (1989) | (1991) | (1993) | (1995)
Humanities | 9.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 10.0 | 5.0
Social Sciences | 5.5 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 3.0
Business & IS | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 9.0
Science | 4.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 7.0 | 0.0
Applied Science | 10.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 16.0
Education | 10.0 | 16.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0
Overall Medians | 6.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 4.0

7.  Job Turnover

The standard advice that students are given is that they should be prepared to work for a number of different employers during their careers and to be ready to take on a variety of different specialties during their careers. Developing solid general skills in writing, analysis, critical thinking, working with others are all cited as important in landing and holding jobs. Table 9 indicates the average number of full-time jobs respondents have held since graduating from StFX.

Table 9. Mean Number of Permanent Full-Time Jobs by Area of Study,
StFX Graduates, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 Surveys

Mean Number of Full Time Jobs
Area of Study | 1997 Survey | 1999 Survey | 2001 Survey | 2003 Survey | 2005 Survey
Graduates 5 years out | (1992) | (1994) | (1996) | (1998) | (2000)
Humanities | 1.82 | 1.75 | 2.57 | 1.79 | 1.24
Social Sciences | 2.73 | 2.79 | 3.00 | 2.07 | 1.24
Business & IS | 2.50 | 2.34 | 1.96 | 1.70 | 1.63
Science | 2.71 | 1.78 | 2.36 | 1.94 | 1.23
Applied Science | 1.87 | 1.85 | 1.87 | 1.38 | 1.45
Education | 1.33 | 1.88 | 2.43 | 1.13 | .96
Overall means | 2.13 | 2.11 | 2.30 | 1.66 | 1.33
Graduates 10 years out | (1987) | (1989) | (1991) | (1993) | (1995)
Humanities | 2.23 | 1.93 | 2.48 | 1.88 | 2.43
Social Sciences | 2.58 | 1.93 | 2.00 | 1.94 | 2.03
Business & IS | 2.74 | 2.88 | 2.63 | 2.48 | 2.72
Science | 2.13 | 2.77 | 2.32 | 1.57 | 2.08
Applied Science | 2.40 | 2.52 | 1.89 | 1.88 | 2.06
Education | 1.83 | 3.86 | 3.91 | 1.62 | 1.21
Overall means | 2.42 | 2.45 | 2.36 | 1.93 | 2.18

To be noted in Table 9 is that the graduates who have been out 5 years have held almost as many jobs as those respondents who have been out for 10 years. These data show that job turnover and short periods of unemployment are likely to be in the future of most graduates. Such will be their lot. Long gone are the days where a university graduate could rely on moving into a career with one employer and plan to spend the rest of his/her career with that employer. Students clearly must develop general skills so that they can readily adapt to new challenges and opportunities.