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What do JMU Graduates do with their Psychology Degree?
We know something about the post-graduate activities of JMU students from an alumni survey conducted by JMU's Academic Advising and Career development Office. The latest survey examined students graduating in 2001. Of the 233 Psychology Majors that graduated that year, 131 (56%) responded to the survey. At the time of the survey, 53% of our graduated Psychology Majors were employed and 30% were in graduate programs. The remaining alumni were seeking alternate employment (11%) or student teaching (6%).
The starting salaries of JMU Psychology Majors with bachelor's degrees vary tremendously. Graduates in 2001 reported initial salaries as high as $50,600 with a mean of $28,912. Salary figures are comparable to those reported for other liberal arts majors at JMU.
We also know about our graduates from a survey of all Psychology Majors who graduated during the years 1996-2000. This survey, conducted during Spring 2002, examined the responses of 514 graduates. Here are some highlights of the results of that survey.
Psychology was relevant to our students' occupations. Alumni were asked to what extent was the Psychology Major related to your current occupation. Over three quarters of the alumni who responded to the survey (77%) said the Psychology Major was relevant. When asked to what extent did the Psychology help you perform in the workplace, 86% of those who responded said that the major was helpful. (39% said very helpful, and 47% said somewhat helpful.)
Our students go to graduate school. 284 of the 514 alumni who responded to this survey (55.3%) were currently enrolled in graduate courses or have completed a degree including: 122 Master's Degrees, 9 Law Degrees, 11 Medical Degrees, 16 Doctoral Degrees, and 22 Other Degrees or Programs. When asked how well the Psychology Major prepared you academically for graduate school, 58% said very much (and 37% said somewhat).
