An annual study of recent alumni reports that 95 percent of SLCL alumni who graduated during the 2022-23 period secured a first destination within six months of commencement.

Of that figure, 55 percent of new graduates found employment and 40 percent sought further education such as graduate or professional school.

The average salary for new SLCL alumni is $78,219. 

That data comes from the Illini Success initiative, a campuswide report that began in 2016 to highlight the early career paths of bachelor’s degree recipients.

This year’s report examines undergraduates who received their degrees in August 2022, December 2022, and May 2023. The university collected data on 56 percent of graduates—1,788 out of 3,181—from the 2022-2023 class. The data came from a survey of graduates and other sources, such as the National Student Clearinghouse and social media.

Graduates in several humanities units, including literatures, cultures, and linguistics, reported higher than average first destination rates this year. The 95 percent first destination rate for SLCL is seven percentage points higher than four years ago. Meanwhile, the average salary for new SLCL alumni also went up by close to $10,000. 

“Students studying the humanities learn skills that are increasingly recognized as valuable: navigating ambiguity, communicating effectively to different audiences, analyzing complex qualitative data,” said Kirstin Wilcox, director of LAS Career Services. “When you take smart, curious, independent-minded students and give them some support in finding and applying for opportunities, they do well.”

The first destination rate for SLCL is slightly higher than the average for campus and the College of LAS. Campuswide, 91 percent of the 2022-23 graduation cohort secured a first destination: 56 percent of students started a job, 35 percent enrolled in additional education, and 1 percent took on a volunteer or service position. 

The university continues to attract top students in the state who stay in Illinois after graduation. Of those graduates who are Illinois residents, 78 percent secured their first destination within Illinois and 69 percent of all graduates from the 2022-2023 classes remained in the state for employment or continuing education. The remaining 31 percent secured first destinations across 48 other U.S. states and 25 other countries.

“The day we release the results from this survey has become one of our annual highlights,” said Chancellor Robert J. Jones. “We know that the choice to attend Illinois will provide our students with a world-class educational experience. The Illini Success data demonstrates that the decision to come here is also a great investment in your life and career after you graduate.” 

The Illini Success report also serves as a measurement of how many graduates participated in an experiential learning opportunity (internship, research project, study abroad, service learning, clinical programs) while attending Illinois. The report noted that 88 percent of graduates took part in experiential learning, with 40 percent of those students receiving job offers as a result of that opportunity. 

The majors included in the SLCL-specific data include classics, computer science and linguistics, East Asian languages and cultures, French, Germanic studies, Italian, linguistics, Portuguese, religion, Slavic studies, Spanish, and teaching of Spanish. 

Editor's note: A version of this story first appeared on the College of LAS and Illinois News Bureau websites.