Employment outcomes for college graduates: sector data

Employment outcomes are easier to understand when each source is used for the right question. College Scorecard can help students review institution-level earnings. BLS can help students understand broader occupational wages and job outlook. Employer research may be useful when the sample and method are clear.

Scorecard and BLS answer different questions

College Scorecard earnings data describes measured post-attendance earnings for a defined federal-aid population. BLS data describes national occupations, wages and projections. BLS does not report outcomes for graduates of a particular institution, and BLS information is not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.

That distinction matters for students comparing programs. Scorecard can help with school-level earnings context, while BLS can help students understand the labor market for a target occupation. Neither source guarantees employment, salary, promotion or career advancement.

What students should pair with employment data

Employment outcome research should not rely on earnings alone. Students should also consider completion, debt, net price, field of study and prior work experience.

A credential path with strong occupational demand may still be a poor fit if cost and completion risk are too high for the student. A lower-cost path may still underperform if the credential does not connect to the student’s career goal.

Employer perception is a separate question

Employer perception research is different from employment outcomes data. If an employer survey is used, the sample, date and question wording should be clear. Otherwise, students should treat employer-perception claims cautiously.

For University of Phoenix-related employment questions, the safer source path is College Scorecard for earnings, BLS for occupational context and approved employer research only when the claim is specific and sourced.

Field of study and background matter

Employment outcomes can vary by field of study, credential level, location and prior experience. A working adult who is already employed may use a credential to support advancement, while another student may be entering a new field.

That difference matters because federal earnings data cannot explain every individual pathway. Students should use the data as a starting point, then compare it with their own work history, target role and local labor market.

What this means for students

When comparing employment outcomes, students should ask which source is answering which question. College Scorecard can help with institution-level earnings context. BLS can help with national occupational context. Employer research can help only when the sample and method are clear.

The strongest employment-outcomes review connects earnings, debt, completion and field of study. It avoids treating any one data point as a promise of employment or salary.

Sources

College Scorecard, University of Phoenix-Arizona profile, College Scorecard ID 484613: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?484613-University-of-Phoenix-Arizona=

College Scorecard Data, Data Documentation and Glossary: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/ and https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/glossary/

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and OEWS data: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ and https://www.bls.gov/oes/