Class of 2025 achieves impressive results in First Destination Survey

The Class of 2025 began their college journeys in the fall of 2021, as college campuses and the world reopened following the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. By commencement, 2025 graduates faced a labor market economists call “low hire, low fire,” with stagnant hiring and increased competition, amplified by layoffs and organizational adjustments amid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. Sydney Ember, a business reporter for The New York Times, described this as “the grimmest job market in years.”

Although their path was not an easy one, the Class of 2025 showed remarkable resiliency and proved the power of a Case Western Reserve University education. 

“Despite this challenging environment, the Class of 2025 exercised their creativity, initiative and determination. The data captured from the First Destination Survey shows that our graduates continue to achieve outstanding results, reflecting the preparation and strength of a Case Western Reserve University education.”

—Krittika Grau, assistant vice president, career success, Center for Career Success

Data about first destinations for graduates from CWRU undergraduate programs is collected annually by the Center for Career Success through surveys sent to members of the graduating class, social media and conversations with faculty and staff. This year’s survey boasts a response rate of 90.5%.

The full results of the First Destination Survey are available online. For those who would like to explore the data in greater detail, an interactive Tableau dashboard containing the last 10 years of data is also available.

Employment

For graduates who chose to pursue full-time employment, the industries with the most graduates were engineering (30%), followed by nursing (13%), and research and science (13%). Healthcare and public health grew to 11%, while information technology grew to 9%. Other notable career paths include financial services (5%), consulting (4%), business/administration (3%), marketing/sales (2%) and education/teaching (2%).

Of the 721 graduates in the Class of 2025 who entered the workforce, we have employment location data for 442. Among those, 185 are working in Ohio, while others are building careers across the country in a wide range of industries and markets. Of the 185 graduates employed in Ohio, 125 are not originally from the state, reflecting the university’s role in bringing talent to Ohio. Among the 83 Ohio-native graduates in the workforce for whom location data are available, 60 have continued their careers within the state, while the remaining 23 have secured roles in highly competitive markets across the country, reflecting strong national demand for CWRU graduates.

Across all Class of 2025 graduates working outside Ohio, the top destinations were California (28), New York (24), Illinois (21), Wisconsin (21) and Massachusetts (17), with additional concentrations in Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, New Jersey and Washington. Five graduates reported fully remote employment.

In addition, several graduates accepted prestigious post-graduate fellowships, including positions at the National Institutes of Health, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute and Princeton in Asia.

Advancing education

Thirty-six percent of the Class of 2025 (491 students with known outcomes) pursued continuing education immediately after graduation, enrolling in graduate and professional programs across the U.S. and internationally.

Nearly a quarter of the Class of 2025 reported taking a growth year, and approximately 83% of those students are using that time to prepare for programs such as medicine, dentistry, law and doctoral study.

As Tom McKenzie, assistant director of admissions at the CWRU School of Medicine, noted, “It’s important to stop and reflect on the journey to medicine.”

Our students are pursuing graduate and professional programs at Ivy League institutions, other selective U.S. programs and highly regarded programs internationally. Of those with known outcomes, 35% chose to continue their education at CWRU, demonstrating confidence in the institution’s academic and research offerings.

Institutions attended include:

• Boston College
• Boston University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Duke University
• Emory University
• Georgetown University
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Harvard University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• New York University
• Northwestern University
• Ohio State University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Princeton University
• Purdue University
• Rice University
• Stanford University
• University of California-System
• University of Chicago
• University of Michigan
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Rochester
• University of Southern California
• Vanderbilt University
• Washington University in St. Louis
• Yale University

Renowned international institutions

In addition to prestigious institutions in the U.S., CWRU graduates matriculated to highly esteemed international institutions, reflecting the global reach and academic excellence of our students.

• Edinburgh Napier University (Scotland): Known for strong programs in business, computing and applied sciences
• Politecnico di Milano (Italy): Consistently ranked among the top engineering and design schools in Europe
• Sorbonne Université (France): A world-renowned research university with historical prominence in the sciences, medicine and humanities.
• Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (Israel): Recognized globally for engineering, computer science and innovation
• Mila/Université de Montréal (Canada): A leading center for artificial intelligence research and graduate studies

Competitiveness for professional schools

Students pursuing MD programs in the Class of 2025 achieved outstanding outcomes, with a 69% acceptance rate to allopathic medical programs, well above the national rate of 45%, and a combined MD and DO acceptance rate of 78%. Graduates received multiple offers, with CWRU students averaging 1.8 MD acceptances and 2.8 DO acceptances.

One aspiring medical student, Gloria Liu (CWR ’25), far exceeded these averages. While earning her dual degree in biology and finance, she underwent the medical school admissions process, ultimately earning a CWRU record-setting 13 MD program admissions. She noted that frequent check-ins from the Center for Career Success helped keep her on track during the application process. 

When asked her formula for success, Liu, who is now completing her first year at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said:

“Pre-medical and pre-dental students are integrated with the Center for Career Success from the very beginning because we submit items to the advising office and have a packet of materials prepared before applications even open. Their support helped keep us on track with deadlines, and they offered additional assistance with reading and providing feedback on personal statements, which helped refine my application.” 

—Gloria Liu (CWR ’25)

• For programs in dentistry, CWRU graduates achieved a 100% acceptance rate, securing spots at prestigious schools such as the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and Harvard University.
• All physical therapy applicants from the Class of 2025 were accepted (versus 69% nationally).
• The optometry and pharmacy programs both maintained perfect acceptance rates (versus 70% and 83% nationally, respectively).
• In veterinary medicine, CWRU graduates achieved a 100% acceptance rate (versus 48% nationally).
• Law school applicants were highly successful, with a 91% acceptance rate (versus 76% nationally).

Experiential education

Experiential learning continues to define the undergraduate experience at Case Western Reserve, with students engaging in research, creative projects, internships, co-ops, education abroad, community service and more. These hands-on opportunities provide valuable real-world experience and help prepare students for their next steps after graduation.

Among graduates with known experiential education data, 68% completed at least one internship, practicum or cooperative education experience. Research remains a hallmark of the Case Western Reserve experience, with 84% of graduates participating in research or creative endeavors.

This level of research engagement aligns with the university’s expanding research enterprise, as Case Western Reserve is now the #1 fastest-growing research university in the Association of American Universities, according to the National Science Foundation.

Celebrating graduate accomplishments

We celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2025 and anticipate the impact they have and will continue to make in the world. Their accomplishments remind us that supporting students in pursuing meaningful opportunities requires forward thinking, proactive guidance and continued commitment to preparing them for an ever-changing world.