Understanding the early career phase of students’ lives is not always as clear as examining their access and attainment outcomes. In fall 2024, Washington, DC’s Office of Education Through Employment Pathways (ETEP) conducted the Alumni Early Career Outcomes Survey to gather information on education, employment, and quality-of-life outcomes. The survey collected data from nearly 500 students who graduated from the District’s public and public charter school system, and their responses revealed several key findings about the alumni respondents. Notably, there’s a clear opportunity for other states and jurisdictions to field this survey and better understand their students’ outcomes.
In a city where 40% of adults and more than half of children are Black, DC is focused on understanding the experiences and pathways of this population of young people. The survey revealed that Black alumni are not accessing the same opportunities as their peers after obtaining their bachelor’s degrees, both in terms of median wages and jobs that will put them on a strong career path. Although among survey respondents, Black and white bachelor’s degree holders were nearly equally likely to be employed full-time, 86% of white respondents were earning a living wage, compared to only 43% of Black respondents (ETEP, 5).
Financial considerations are a driving force for alumni who either do not pursue college or stop out before earning a college degree. Very few alumni who went to work directly out of high school indicated they didn’t see value in college or future training. Among alumni respondents who went straight into the workforce after graduating high school, most cited that financial challenges influenced their post-high school path. Specifically, these alumni either stated that they prioritized earning income or lacked financial aid support to continue their education.
Similarly, nearly half of alumni who stopped out before completing their bachelor's degree cited not being able to afford the cost of their desired program as a driving factor. Despite perceptions nationwide that young people are not interested in college, less than 5% of survey respondents who did not earn a college degree said that they did not see the value in more education or training. This points to the critical nature of alleviating financial barriers as youth make decisions about post-high school plans (ETEP, 6).
Alumni who stopped out before earning a college degree face numerous complex barriers to completion, including program cost, mental or physical health challenges, family considerations, and academic difficulties. While cost was the most cited barrier to persisting through college, there was no other single driving force that led to students dropping out of college. Instead, alumni named a variety of factors, indicating the complex nature of supporting student success. These barriers to completion included family considerations, mental or physical health, and academic challenges (ETEP, 7).
When making decisions about education beyond high school, students are focused on selecting programs that will set them up for their future desired career. Personal interests, along with thinking ahead to future career goals, were the primary drivers of students’ selection of their area of study. Nearly 40% of respondents selected their area of study because of alignment with future career goals or strong career prospects. In addition, a third of survey respondents selected their area of study because of their interest in the subject matter. More than 10% selected a program of study because of encouragement from their family, indicating the important role that family members play in young adults’ decision-making (ETEP, 8).
Monica Dodge, ETEP’s Executive Director, saw the value in looking at a wider lens of student experiences, and heard consistent feedback from community members about the importance of hearing directly from students. To accomplish this goal, ETEP took on facilitation of DC’s Early Career Outcomes Survey, which had previously been coordinated by CityWorksDC.
“Our work aims to be directly responsive to and informed by the experiences and outcomes of students,” said Dodge. “These survey findings shed light on not only the paths that students are taking, but why they are making certain decisions and how we as a system can address systemic barriers.”
The survey was administered through the Charter School Growth Fund’s nationwide survey on the same topic. DC students are an oversample representing about 20% of the 2,000 total respondents. Respondents received $15 each for their participation. DC schools who received 30 or more responses received school-level data, making this a valuable tool for school leaders and counselors who want to better understand their specific alumni’s outcomes.
“School principals were really excited to hear about this data and we have been thrilled by the robust conversations that this information has informed,” notes Dodge. In 2027, ETEP hopes increased participation will allow for more school-level data sharing. Dodge continues to engage with school leaders to think about how the survey findings align with their expectations, what is surprising to them, and the root causes of these results.
These findings emphasize the ongoing need to expand student and graduate support services, such as exploring opportunities for ongoing transition support, increasing awareness about financial support and affordable postsecondary options, and ensuring schools and community partners are equipped with information about local industries’ hiring needs. There is also a growing body of evidence, driven by Strada Education Foundation, that quality career coaching positively impacts students’ postgraduate outcomes.
ETEP will leverage findings from this research to engage with students and community partners, address system gaps with agency partners, and increase access to information about the barriers that students face. This year, ETEP will also be publishing the first insights from its Education Through Employment Data System including additional information on median earnings and industry trends for students who have been served by DC schools, as well as tools specifically for LEA and school leaders to understand their alumni post-high school outcomes across college and career.
Interested in learning more or participating in the next Alumni Survey?
The Alumni Survey is tentatively scheduled to be administered in 2027. If your organization is interested in learning more about participation in the next Alumni Survey, please reach out to Aubrey Nelson ([email protected]) to express interest and receive updates as planning progresses.