After following up with 81.3 percent of the Class of 2018, the Career Center confirmed that 98 percent of students secured full-time employment, placement in a graduate or professional school, or are participating in a volunteer service program within six months after graduation. The average starting salary for the Class of 2018 is $56,124 excluding bonuses.

“With 98% of our recent graduates employed, enrolled in full-time graduate studies, or serving in volunteer service organizations, it is evident that our rigorous academic preparation, combined with the opportunities students have to participate in professional development programs, make them highly desirable in the marketplace, ” stated Susanne Quinlivan, associate director of Career Services in the Career Center.

More than 47 percent of the students from the Class of 2018 obtained employment through Fairfield University's senior year campus recruiting and employment resources. Financial services was the highest area of placement at 21.8 percent. Additionally, 20.1 percent of students gained employment through internships and 32.4 percent from networking or direct applications.

Through the Career Center, students have a number of resources available to them including Job Shadow Day, employer immersion experiences, career and internship fairs, on-campus recruiting, Stags4Hire, and internships. Through these opportunities, students obtain real-world experience and build relationships and industry connections, which often result in employment offers from the companies where they interned.

During the 2017-2018 academic year, a total of 602 members of the Class of 2018 reported participating in internships during their time at Fairfield. In addition to securing full-time employment, 29.5 percent of the class gained admission into graduate school, with the greatest number entering programs in business (42.5%), education (14.5%), arts and sciences (14.5%), engineering (10.7%), healthcare (7.5 %), and law (7%).

The next Career and Internship Fair will be held Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the RecPlex.