Career Outcomes

Each year we survey graduating seniors and produce a comprehensive report that highlights what our students are doing upon graduation. Data collected includes positions, geographical locations, employers, salaries and much more.

December 2020, May 2021, and August 2021 graduates should complete the Cornell Career Services 2021 Postgraduate Survey.

2020 Undergraduate Career Outcomes

Leveraging their life-changing undergraduate experiences, our graduates have explored the boundaries of purpose-driven science alongside the leading minds of today — becoming the leading minds of tomorrow.

Cornell CALS graduates embark on inspiring careers as industry leaders, innovators, scholars, public servants and engaged citizens.

Post-graduate outcomes

The 2020 post-graduate report survey yielded a 76% response rate.

60%

entered the workforce

20%

were offered two or more job offers

26%

went on to graduate or professional school

* 10% are seeking employment, 4% are exploring other endeavors.

Starting salary ranges

20% reported two or more job offers.

$139,000

High starting salary range

$67,000

Median salary range

$63,198

Average salary range

Cornell CALS graduates work and study around the world

United States

Region	Number of graduates
New York	323
West	42
Mid Atlantic	59
New England	35
Midwest	25
Southwest & Rocky Mnt.	11
Southeast	19

Around the World

Location	Number of graduates
Australia	1
Asia: China, Japan, Hong Kong	3
Canada	2
St. Kitts	2
United Kingdom	4

Where our graduates go

A sample of employers they're working for

Adobe Systems
Aldi, Inc.
Amazon
Comcast/NBC Universal
Cargill
Danone
E. & J. Gallo
EY
GlaxoSmithKline
Goldman Sachs
Google
Howard Hugs Medical Institute
IBM
ICF International
Instacart
JP Morgan & Chase Co.
Kraft Heinz
McKinsey & Company
Microsoft
National Institutes of Health
Oracle
PepsiCo
Procter & Gamble
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Syngenta
Unilever
United Nations
USDA
Vogue Magazine
Wayfair
Weill Cornell

A sample of graduate schools they're attending

Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Georgetown University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Stanford University
The Ohio State University
Tufts University
University of Arizona
University College London
University of California – Berkeley
University of Michigan
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
Washington University – St. Louis
Yale University

Industries where our graduates work

Employment sectors	Percent	Average salary
Agriculture	4%	$55,089
Architecture/Design	2%	$60,500
Biotechnology/Pharmaceuticals	4%	$50,644
Communications/Media	5%	$59,225
Consulting/Professional Practice	9%	$71,736
Education	7%	$41,030
Financial Services	25%	$79,430
Government	3%	$37,523
Hospitality	1%	$66,180
Human Healthcare Services	12%	$40,726
Insurance	2%	$62,083
Law	2%	$44,767
Manufacturing	5%	$64,786
Other Nonprofit Organizations	4%	$40,181
Real Estate	1%	n/a
Retail	4%	$78,604
Technology	9%	$76,948
Not reported	1%	$70,000

Degree types & graduate fields of study

Degree types

Degree type	Percent
Master's	56.9%
Ph.D.	17.2%
D.V.M.	10.1%
M.D. and M.D./Ph.D.	7.7%
J.D.	3.3%
Other	4.8%

Most frequently selected graduate fields of study

Graduate field	Percent
Agriculture & Natural Resources	5.7%
Applied & Fine Arts	0.5%
Architecture & Environmental Design	2.4%
Biological Sciences	13.4%
Business & Management	10.0%
Chemistry	0.5%
Communication	1%
Computer & Information Sciences	9.6%
Dentistry	0.5%
Education	1.4%
Engineering	6.2%
Law	3.3%
Mathematics	2.4%
Medicine	9.1%
Nutritional Sciences	2.9%
Other Human Health Fields	7.6%
Physical Sciences	1.9%
Psychology	1%
Public Affairs & Services	1.4%
Social Sciences	1.4%
Veterinary Medicine	10.1%
Other	7.7%

Note: This data offer a snapshot of Cornell CALS students outcomes from the undergraduate class of 2020. Figures include the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.

What's next?

Career Outcomes

2020 Undergraduate Career Outcomes

Post-graduate outcomes

Starting salary ranges