Photo by Caitlin Cunningham

Ninety-six percent of graduates from the Boston College Class of 2021 are employed, studying in graduate school, or engaged in a fellowship or meaningful volunteer experience, according to survey results released by the Office of Institutional Research & Planning and the Boston College Career Center.

The findings, which represent a three percent increase from the Class of 2020 survey, underscore the value of a Boston College education and showcase varied accomplishments of BC graduates who earned their diplomas last year, according to administrators.

“Despite the upheaval caused by the pandemic, the Class of 2021 enjoyed remarkably successful post-graduate, first-destination outcomes,” said Associate Vice President for Career Services Joseph Du Pont. “Their success is a testament to their effort and the rich experience they had in and outside the classroom at Boston College.”

According to the survey results, 70 percent of graduates have entered the workforce, with the majority (84 percent) receiving job offers by the end of the second semester of their senior year. Their occupations cover a range of industries: 25 percent are employed by financial services and real estate firms, including Deloitte Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers; 19 percent are working in health care and the sciences at institutions such as Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital; 12 percent have jobs at technology, consulting, and management companies such as Oracle and IBM. The median salary reported by members of the Class of 2021 is $62,000.

Of these students, 69 percent said they utilized resources offered by the Boston College Career Center in order to secure their employment, such as the campus Career Fair, Handshake job postings, or networking opportunities.

Despite the upheaval caused by the pandemic, the Class of 2021 enjoyed remarkably successful post-graduate, first-destination outcomes. Their success is a testament to their effort and the rich experience they had in and outside the classroom at Boston College.
Associate Vice President for Career Services Joseph Du Pont


Of the 20 percent enrolled in a graduate school, 65 percent are pursuing a master’s degree, 16 percent a law degree, and 15 percent a doctoral degree. The top areas of study are science, technology, engineering, and math (20 percent), law (17), business (15), and education (13). The most popular graduate schools include Boston College, Boston University, Columbia University, Harvard University, and New York University.

The Jesuit Volunteer Corps and AmeriCorps are the most popular volunteer programs among the three percent of the class engaged in volunteer service or fellowships, while Fulbright study is the top fellowship.

The findings reported by the IR&P represent 78 percent of the Class of 2021. Most of the data were collected through an online survey sent to graduates between May and December of last year. The rest were obtained from National Student Clearinghouse, Boston College data, and public data.

Christine Balquist | University Communications | May 2022