Uncertain job market is no match for graduates, CMU officials say
Despite the uncertain nature of the current United States job market, Central Michigan University officials said they’re confident CMU students will succeed in their search for jobs post-graduation.
Erica O’Toole, director of CMU’s Career Development Center, said data collected by CMU’s most recent First Destination Survey points to alumni success.
“As of this past first destination survey, which is a survey we give to graduates, we have a 94.3% placement rate,” O’Toole said. “So yes, the current job market is competitive, and it’s hard, but our CMU students are definitely rising up to the challenge.”
She said there’s 26% higher earnings for CMU students two years after graduation, compared to the national mean.
In August, The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projected an increase of 5.2 million jobs from 2024 to 2034. Industries related to healthcare, artificial intelligence, data processing and energy-related technologies are expected to experience the most growth.
But those numbers do not necessarily indicate a fruitful job market. According to the Stanford University Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), the current economy is resting in a low-hire, low-fire equilibrium. The labor market is performing well for those who already have jobs, but not as well for those who don’t.
CMU students succeed
Considering these trends, CMU officials said they believe students are performing well. The university has implemented the Central Career Guarantee Initiative, which would pay students who opt-in $2,000 if they are still unemployed or not accepted to graduate school six months after graduation.
According to results for the 2023-24 First Destination Survey, 85% of the 272 responding graduates indicated they had been employed either full or part time, or enrolled in continuing education six months after graduation. Only 12% of respondents were unemployed depsite searching for jobs, and 3% indicated plans to enroll in continuing education but hadn’t at the time of the survey.
In 2025, The Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education, an organization that categorizes universities across the U.S., named CMU as a leading “opportunity university.”
O’Toole said the university’s Carnegie designation and being ranked #1 in the state for student success and graduate earnings are large contributors to student success on the job market.
“That’s why employers are wanting to hire our CMU students,” she said. “We host career fairs, and most of those employers are always saying how much they love to hire our students because they’re professional and they’re ready with those skills that they can use in the job force.”
Marcie Otteman, CMU’s deputy chief of alumni relations and constituent engagement, agreed, adding that mid-career alums look for CMU graduates when hiring.
“Our grads do have great hands-on experience from their time at CMU that gives them an advantage in the job market,” Otteman said in a statement to Central Michigan Life. “Time and again, I am told by our mid-career alumni, they hire CMU students and grads for internships and positions.”
O’Toole said the job market “isn’t that bad,” and pointed to statistics presented by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), where employers within the organization rate the job market for upcoming 2026 graduates across the country. NACE reported in November that the market was flat, rather than volatile for graduating students.
For 2025-26 graduates, 45% of NACE employers rated the job market as “fair,” while 37% rated the current market as “good,” and 12% rated it as “very good.
Major’s impact
Data provided by CMU shows that the most popular programs by credit hours taken are Teacher and Special Education, Interdisciplinary Business, Information Systems, Communication, Journalism/Media and English (Literature and Language).
The programs that graduate the most students are related to healthcare, technology, communication development and biology, keeping in trend with the BLS’ job growth predictions.
But, O’Toole said students who study areas outside of those shouldn’t be worried.
“These stats are taken for the job market as a whole, but when we look at those individual majors, we’re seeing that same kind of success,” O’Toole said
Preparing for the future
CMU students have access to different resources in the Career Development Center, which is located in Ronan Hall.
These resources are available for students and alumni throughout their lifetime, and include:
- Career coaching
- Resume assistance
- Career exploration
- Networking opportunities
- Job search assistance
- Help with graduate school applications
“Career development isn’t something you come in your senior year, last semester for,” O’Toole said. “I really encourage students to come in their first semester. Obviously, if a junior is reading this, come in as soon as you can as well. It’s never too late.
“I think setting yourself up for success really looks like starting a career development journey.”
