A comprehensive survey of last year’s Bellarmine University graduates shows that they significantly outperform their peers from other colleges in two areas –- starting salaries and ease in finding their first job.
According to the university’s “first destination survey,” which yielded career outcome information for 82% of the Class of 2024, an impressive 99% of graduates successfully secured employment, enrolled in further education or committed
to military or volunteer service programs within six months of graduation. This outcome is 14% higher than the national average for all U.S. colleges and universities. 97% of those who are working are already employed full-time in their field of study.
Additionally, according to data from the Kentucky Center for Statistics, Bellarmine graduates earn more on average than graduates from any other Kentucky college or university. For those who earned bachelor’s degrees, their starting average salary
was $53,000. For those completing graduate degrees, their starting average salary was $68,000. Over a 40-year career, a Bellarmine degree will deliver a $1.9 million return on investment through higher salaries, according to a study by Georgetown
University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.
The outcomes for Bellarmine’s NCAA Division I student-athletes are even more impressive. For the third year in a row, 100% of graduating student-athletes achieved career success or continued their education within six months of graduation, with
98% working full-time in their field of study.
While students come to Bellarmine from 42 states and 40 nations, 72% of all graduates remain in the Louisville metro area after graduation. Impressively, 49% of graduates who came to Bellarmine from outside
Louisville remained in the metro area after graduation, creating a significant net positive impact on the Louisville region’s economy.
Hannah Mitchell graduated from Bellarmine in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Studies and now works as an education advocate at a local nonprofit organization, The Book Works. She credits her Bellarmine education and support from
the Office of Career Services for her ability to find a job.
“Entering college as a criminal justice major, I thought I was set on what I wanted to do," said Mitchell. "I thought there was only one career for me, but through my experience at Bellarmine, I was exposed to many more options that aligned with the intersection
of my criminal justice and community activism interests. My new position here not only fulfills my purpose of service but also aids in my endeavors as a future civil rights lawyer. My experiences at Bellarmine taught me that
the path to my future is a journey and prepared me to be successful no matter what career I choose!”
While Bellarmine graduates are making a difference in organizations of all sizes, the five employers who have hired the most graduates from Bellarmine’s Class of 2024 are Norton Healthcare, UofL Health, Baptist Health, Jefferson County Public Schools
and the Archdiocese of Louisville.
"Each year, our First Destination Survey shows that our graduates achieve career success at remarkable rates that exceed benchmarks in higher education,” said Dr. Susan M. Donovan, Bellarmine’s president. “This speaks to both the remarkable
character and quality of our students, but also to the education they receive, which pairs personalized academic instruction with an impressive array of internship and service opportunities where they put their education into real-world practice before
they graduate.”
Here is a breakdown of employment by industry for Bellarmine’s 2024 graduates:
Healthcare 42%
Business 30%
Education & Community Impact 20%
Technology & Analytics 6%
Other 2%