Each year, BU’s Center for Career Development conducts a First Destination Survey of the graduating class. The results show the varied paths that recent graduates are taking after they accept their degrees. Here are some highlights from the Class of 2023.

First Destinations

52% Full-Time Employment
39% Grad School
7.6% Still Looking
0.7% Part-Time Employment
0.6% Volunteering
0.3% Not Seeking Employment
0.1% Military

Top 10 Employment Industries

21% Higher Education
17% Healthcare
11% Financial Services
8% Computer Games & Software
8% Hospital & Healthcare
8% Research
7% Internet & Software
5% Nonprofit Organization
3% Advertising, PR & Marketing
3% Investment & Portfolio Management
3% IT Services & Consulting
3% K-12 Education
3% Management Consulting

Continuing Education

44% Master’s
32% Unknown
15% Professional
9% Doctoral

The industries hiring Philosophy majors are…

43% Higher Education
14% Business Consulting & Services
14% Hospital & Healthcare
14% Internet & Software
14% Movies, TV & Music

The Internship Boost

Fifty-nine percent of survey respondents had at least one internship while at BU. Their starting salary:

$68,640

Starting salary for students who did not have an internship:

$54,085

This data reflects respondents to the First Destination Survey (48 percent, or 979 members, of the Class of 2023) plus information gathered from other sources, including LinkedIn. Sample sizes are 518 (employment industries); 383 (continuing education); 17 (philosophy); 140 (internships)


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