Bryant’s Class of 2023 graduates have achieved the most substantial return on investment in university history, according to new data compiled by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategy.
The findings, released in April, report a median starting salary of $72,500 within the first six months post-graduation — an impressive 6.6 percent increase from the previous year's record-breaking earnings of $68,000. Additionally, 99 percent of Class of 2023 graduates were either employed or pursuing advanced degrees within six months of Commencement, as indicated by the survey.
"These strong outcomes underscore the exceptional value of a Bryant education," says Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D.
Recent Bryant graduates have moved on to careers at Sotheby’s, Goldman Sachs, PwC, Uber, and Fidelity Investments, Gittell notes. Others continue their education at graduate institutions including Harvard Business School, Brown University’s School of Public Health, and the London School of Economics and Political Science.
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"Our transformative learning experiences equip students for both professional success and personal fulfillment,” notes Gittell, pointing to the experiential learning opportunities available to Bryant students, from global internships for International Business majors to summer research placements for School of Health and Behavioral Sciences undergraduates. Career preparation, too, is built into the first-year curriculum with a new course focused on career exploration and professional development.
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In addition to the first-year course, the Amica Center for Career Education, which supports students throughout their collegiate experience and five years post-graduation, collaborates with academic leaders on New York City visits including Walk Down Wall Street, which connects students with professionals in finance, and Arts in the City, which introduces undergraduates to alumni in the creative industries.
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Gittell also credits Bryant’s forward-thinking, engaged faculty for mentoring students who enter the workforce prepared to lead with passion and purpose. That emphasis on leadership will flourish, he notes, with the fall 2024 launch of Bryant’s Ellen Wilson Leadership Center, anchored at the new Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center. Here, Bryant students will be empowered to explore and enrich their leadership potential with fellowship opportunities, certificate programs, and collaboration with industry leaders in residence.
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“A Bryant education also contributes to the economic mobility of our graduates,” Gittell says, noting that Pell Grant recipients within the Class of 2023 achieved an average starting salary of $68,650. The Class of 2023 is also closing the gender wage gap, Gittell notes, with a female-to-male average earnings ratio of 94 percent, compared to 82 percent nationwide.
