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First Destination Survey

Where do Occidental students go after graduation? 

The First Destination Survey provides a snapshot of what Occidental graduates are doing in the first six months after earning their degrees, including employment, graduate school, and other pursuits.

Conducted through Handshake, Oxy’s career services platform, the survey follows standards established by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and includes students who earned a bachelor’s degree between July 1 and June 30 of each graduating class year.

Data below represents outcomes for the Classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025, as reported within six months of graduation.

Notable Employers

Accenture
Amazon
Bank of America
City of Hope
Cambridge Associates
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Cisco
City of Hope
Deloitte
EY
Federal Reserve Board of Governors
Google, Inc.
Habitat for Humanity, International
Human Rights Watch
JPMorgan Chase & Co.

LA County Department of Public Health
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Times
Mattel, Inc.
Microsoft
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
National Public Radio (NPR)
NERA Economic Consulting
Oracle
Payden & Rygel Investment Management
Resolution Economics, LLC
The Walt Disney Company
Toyota
U.S. Department of State
Warner Music Group

Accountability Metrics

Program CredentialCIP CodeMedian EarningsMedian Benchmark Earnings
Biology GeneralBachelor2601$59,985$34,808
National HS
Cognitive ScienceBachelor3025$78,782$34,808
National HS
EconomicsBachelor4506$103,164$34,808
National HS
International Relations and National Security StudiesBachelor4509$70,394$34,808
National HS
MathematicsBachelor2701$88,080$34,808
National HS
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor301$59,542$34,808
National HS
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor4510$72,441$34,808
National HS
Psychology GeneralBachelor4201$56,800$34,808
National HS
Romance Languages Literatures and LinguisticsBachelor1609$71,779$34,808
National HS
SociologyBachelor4511$58,598$34,808
National HS

Please refer to the following for more information on accountability metrics in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

 

Below you will find a collection of interactive dashboards and other data that provide insights into the post-graduation pursuits of our recent alumni, offering a comprehensive view of their career and academic paths as reported within six months of completing their bachelor’s degrees.

The dashboards allow users to interact with the data in multiple ways:

  • Academic Programs: Click on different majors to see whether graduates from each program pursue the job market or further education.
  • Top Employment Destinations: Explore which industries are hiring Oxy graduates and the role or responsibilities a graduate holds within their organizations.

The data in the dashboards is interactive—simply click on any category to filter results by program, industry, or job function. This allows you to explore specific outcomes, helping you better understand the career trajectories of Occidental graduates.

Dashboards and Other Data

 

Overall Outcomes

Working: Recognizing the diverse nature of employment, there are a number of important sub-categories defining employment that are tracked for individual graduates within their first six months post graduation, as reported through the graduation survey via graduate responses or knowledge-based answers. Graduates in this category are:

  • Employed as an entrepreneur
  • Employed in a temporary/contract work assignment
  • Employed freelance
  • Employed in a postgraduate internship or fellowship
  • Employed in all other work categories, including military or volunteer service

Continuing Education: Graduates who have enrolled in postgraduate or professional programs in the first six months post graduation, as reported through the graduation survey via graduate responses or knowledge-based answers.

$57,000 median salary

Median Salary, College-Wide, Six Months Post-Graduation

Industries

Employer Industry: The broader sector in which the employer operates (e.g., Healthcare, Technology, Education) reflects the industry of the graduate's employment within their first six months post-graduation as reported through the graduation survey via graduate responses or knowledge-based answers.

Job Functions

Job Function: The specific role or responsibilities a graduate holds within their organization (e.g., Marketing, Research, Consulting) within the first six months post graduation as reported through the graduation survey via graduate responses or knowledge-based answers.

Continuing Education

The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) is a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization that collects student enrollment and degree data from over 90% of higher education institutions. Data presented reflects actual subsequent enrollment of the 2023, 2024, and 2025 graduates.

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Data Collection & Knowledge Rate

The dashboard reflects data collected using NACE standards, ensuring accurate and verifiable information about the post-graduation career activities of our students. The knowledge rate indicates the percentage of graduates for whom the college has reasonable and verifiable information about their career activities. This information is obtained either through response answers from graduates or knowledge answers from external sources like LinkedIn profiles or employers.

  • Response Answer: Information provided directly by graduates through survey responses.
  • Knowledge Answer: Data obtained from sources like employers or LinkedIn profiles when graduates do not respond to the survey.
Contact Career Services
Hameetman Career Center

AGC 109, F-34
1600 Campus Road / Los Angeles, CA 90041

Office Hours: 9 - 5 pm, Mon - Fri