Bucknell Class of 2025 Grads Earn Higher-Than-National Average Starting Salary

Bucknell University's Class of 2025 graduates continued the University's strong record of career success, with 93% securing employment, graduate school or another post-graduation opportunity within nine months of earning their degree, according to the University's latest graduate outcomes report from the Center for Career Advancement (CCA).

Among employed graduates, the average starting salary was $73,346 — nearly $5,000 higher than the projected national average starting salary of $68,680 for Class of 2025 bachelor's degree recipients, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

The report found that 71% of graduates were employed, 17% were enrolled in graduate school or continuing education, and 5% pursued other opportunities, including military service, fellowships and volunteer programs.

Average starting salaries by college ranged from $79,028 for graduates of the Freeman College of Management, $77,872 for the College of Engineering and $67,845 for the College of Arts & Sciences. Graduates of Bucknell's five-year dual-degree programs in engineering and liberal arts or engineering and management reported an average starting salary of $82,073.

"Providing students with the support they need to launch meaningful careers is one of Bucknell's highest priorities," says Moe McGuinness, vice president for student affairs and Fritz Family Dean of Students. "These outcomes reflect the strength of a Bucknell education and the collaborative efforts across campus and with employer partners who help students connect their academic experiences with rewarding career opportunities. We remain committed to expanding those partnerships and continuing to elevate career success across the University."

Among employed graduates, 69% accepted on-site positions, while 28% reported hybrid work arrangements and 3% worked remotely.

Graduates accepted positions with a wide range of employers, including AlphaSights, Amazon, Aon, Axtria, Bank of America, Cisco, Clark Construction Group, DAVIS Construction, Deloitte, EY, Fidelity Investments, Goldman Sachs, Guidepoint, J.P. Morgan, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Morgan Stanley, Northrop Grumman, Oracle, PwC, RSM, SEI, Siemens Digital Industries Software, UBS, Uncommon Schools, Veeva Systems and The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.

Among the 17% of graduates pursuing advanced education, 64% enrolled in master's programs, 14% entered doctoral programs, 10% attended medical or other health professions schools, and 7% enrolled in law school. Twenty-five graduates also received competitive fellowships or graduate assistantships.

Bucknell graduates enrolled at leading institutions that included Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University, Georgia Tech, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Washington, as well as medical and health programs at Penn State College of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University and Thomas Jefferson University's Sidney Kimmel Medical College. Graduates also enrolled at law schools including Georgetown University Law Center, Boston University School of Law, William & Mary Law School and Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.

The outcomes report combines graduate survey responses with information gathered from faculty and staff, LinkedIn and other verified sources to provide the most complete picture possible of our graduates' next steps.

"Our outreach begins during Commencement weekend and continues for nine months through email, phone and text communications to ensure we accurately capture the wide range of opportunities our graduates pursue," says Emily Dietrich, co-interim executive director of Bucknell's CCA.

The CCA is part of Bucknell's Division of Student Affairs and provides career coaching, internship support, employer connections and graduate school advising to help students prepare for life after graduation.

Bucknell achieved a 98% knowledge rate for the Class of 2025, with postgraduate outcomes confirmed for 891 of the University's 906 graduates through graduate surveys, faculty and staff reporting, LinkedIn and other sources.