System-Level Accountability Scorecard
Assessments: Progress toward Implementing the Strategic Plan

Community Development & Economic Vitality
Indicator 11: Economic Development - College and university expertise contributes to the state's economic development.

Measure 11C: Graduates Median Wage Rates

Measure 11B reports system graduates’ continued education rate during the year after graduation. The numerator is the number of graduates that reported continuing
their education. The denominator is the
number of graduates that responded to the
follow-up survey (click here for a printer friendly PDF copy of this page).

Significance: Measure 11C is signficant in that it indicates graduates’ economic returns to their college and university education during the first year after graduation. This measure is complementary to Measure 11A, Graduate Related Employment Rate.

Measure: The Fiscal Year 2004 median wage rate earned by Fiscal Year 2003 system graduates was $14.70, as shown in Figure 11C-1. The constant dollar wage rate has been stable at this level for the last three years.

Drill-Downs: Median wage rates for Fiscal Year 2003 graduates were highest at the graduate level, as shown in Figure 11C-2. This reflects the fact that many graduate students have been in the workforce for several years and are using the graduate degree to advance in their careers.

Certificate graduates in the law enforcement, the trades and business have the highest median wage rates, as shown in Figure 11C-3.

Bachelor’s graduates in the health fields and computer science and engineering have the highest median wage rates, as shown in Figure 11C-4.