New Sallie Mae and Ipsos Study ‘How America Succeeds After College 2025’ Finds 90% of Recent Grads Had A Positive College Experience

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[{"type":"text","content":"\nReport Highlights Strong Correlation Between Planning and Post-College Success\n\n NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nNine in 10 recent college graduates say they had a positive college experience, and 84% maintain a positive outlook on their lives overall, according to the newly released national study, “How America Succeeds After College 2025,” by Sallie Mae and Ipsos.\nThis press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508743394/en/\nThe study reveals 82% of recent graduates are employed, with 74% working in a field related to their degree. Just 14% of recent graduates say they feel unsuccessful after college. In addition, of the 47% of recent graduates who borrowed to help pay for school, 75% say they are confident in their ability to repay their student loans. Nearly half of recent graduates (48%) say they follow a budget and, 94%, are pursuing at least one near-term financial goal including saving for retirement (47%), saving for a major purchase (44%), or building an emergency fund (37%).\n\n“Despite attending college and graduating during a pandemic, recent graduates were able to land jobs and are generally optimistic about their future,” said Annaleise Lohr, director, Ipsos. “The research highlights the resilience of this generation as they navigate the college-to-career transition and the clear connection between intentional planning—both academic and financial—and strong outcomes after college.”\n\nThe study offers additional insights and factors driving recent graduates' sense of success after college:\n\n\nRecent graduates view success as achieving a balance between life and career. Financial health is the top indicator of success, cited by 46% of graduates, followed by mental health (36%) and career prospects (30%). While 70% of recent college graduates rate their mental health positively, it is also one of the top areas they want to improve (40%).\n\n\nPlanning ahead for higher education pays off. Seventy-five percent of recent graduates who developed a plan for how to pay for all years of college before enrolling report they feel successful, compared to 54% of non-planners.\n\n\nTapping career resources on campus can be a game-changer but not many students utilize them. Just 37% of recent graduates used their school’s career resources. However, of those...

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