Graduate Employment Rate Calculator: Hired Out of Cohort
Work out a graduate employment rate — the headline outcome metric for any university, program, or training cohort, and the figure that admissions materials cite most often.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Employment rate | Unplaced share |
|---|---|---|
| 180 of 200 | 90.00% | 10.00% |
| 60 of 90 | 66.67% | 33.33% |
| 350 of 400 | 87.50% | 12.50% |
| 22 of 50 | 44.00% | 56.00% |
How This Calculator Works
Enter graduates employed within the reporting window and the total graduates in the cohort. The calculator divides one by the other and multiplies by 100 to give the employment rate, with the unplaced share shown alongside.
The Formula
Part as a Percentage of a Whole
Part is the portion, Whole is the total it belongs to
Worked Example
A cohort of 200 graduates with 180 employed within 6 months posts a 90% employment rate, with 10% unplaced. Strong professional programs commonly report 90%+ within 6 months; less specialized or oversupplied fields often report 60% to 75%.
Key Insight
Employment rate is the most-cited outcome metric and the easiest to misread. Definitions matter: 'employed' can include any job (cashier, barista) or only jobs in the field; the window can be 3 months, 6 months, or a year. A 95% rate at 6 months can hide many graduates working outside the field they studied. Read the methodology, not just the percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is graduate employment rate calculated?
Divide graduates employed within the reporting window by the total cohort, then multiply by 100. 180 hired out of 200 graduates is a 90% employment rate.
What counts as employed?
Definitions vary — some count any job, others count only field-related jobs, and some bundle in self-employment, military, and continuing education. Always check the source's definition.
What window is standard?
Six months post-graduation is the most common reporting window for university outcomes. Bootcamps often use 180 days; some surveys use 3 months. Comparing across windows is meaningless.
What is a good employment rate?
Strong professional programs (nursing, engineering, accounting, law) post 90%+ within 6 months. Liberal arts and some social sciences run lower at the headline level but often converge at longer windows.
Why are reported rates often so high?
Selection bias and broad definitions. Programs that publish only surveyed graduates often report on the most engaged segment; broad definitions of 'employed' lift the rate further. Skeptical reading of the methodology matters.
Related Calculators
Methodology & Review
The employment rate is graduates employed within the chosen window divided by total graduates in the cohort, multiplied by 100. Self-employment, military, and continuing-education placements count if you include them in the numerator — definitions vary across reports.
Written by Ugo Candido · Last updated May 17, 2026.