Penn State Ranked Among Nation’s Top Employers for New College Graduates

Penn State was recently ranked No. 38 among all large United States employers for new college graduates, according to a Forbes survey. The survey includes the top 250 public, private, and non-profit employers.

“The university has a lot to offer to its employees, including great benefits, competitive pay and robust professional development opportunities,” Lorraine Goffe, vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer, said in a release. “In a rapidly changing world, Penn State stands as an employer of choice. We continue to innovate and evolve as an organization with the needs of our workforce in mind. I am delighted that Forbes has recognized Penn State as a top employer of recent graduates.”

Goffe noted that Penn State is undergoing a project to create modern compensation structures and clear development resources to attract and retain employees. Additionally, Penn State employees can pursue a degree at a reduced cost thanks to its tuition assistance benefit.

Forbes and research company Statista surveyed more than 20,000 recent graduates with fewer than 10 years of experience who work at companies with more than 1,000 employees.

Survey participants rated their employers on a list of criteria, including safety, company image, and competitiveness of compensation. Then, participants were asked how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to others.

Pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co. is ranked the No. 1 employer for recent graduates and Southwest Airlines is No. 2. Penn State is the fourth-highest ranked university-affiliated employer, behind the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (No. 3), University of Alabama (No. 4), and Notre Dame (No. 33). Virginia Tech (No. 42) and Washington University in St. Louis (No. 49) are the only other colleges in the top 50.

About 18 of Penn State’s full-time employees are under 35 years old.

Penn State employees expressed that the university’s many locations throughout the state and national reputation were reasons for employment.

President Eric Barron said Penn State’s status is a key driver of economic development in Pennsylvania.

“By establishing and maintaining a reputation as a top employer for new graduates, we can attract and keep vibrant talent to fill roles that will benefit generations of Pennsylvanians,” Barron said. “As Pennsylvania’s sole land-grant institution, our mission is to offer not only unparalleled access to education and public service across the commonwealth, but also to act as a substantial contributor to the state’s economy.”

To see how Penn State stacks up against other employers, check out Forbes’ complete rankings here.