Survey: MSU degree propels Bulldog graduates to career success
STARKVILLE, Mississippi — Mississippi State University graduates continued to find career success, according to the university’s annual First Destination Survey. The survey found 95% of responding 2024-25 graduates reported being employed full or part time, continuing their education, participating in service programs or serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Responses came from 4,136 graduates, about 72% of the 5,770-member graduating class. Of those respondents, 183 graduates, or 4%, reported they were seeking employment at the time of the survey.
Of graduates reporting employment status, roughly 56% work in Mississippi. Seventy percent of those pursuing further education stayed at an institution in the Magnolia State. Approximately 88% of participating graduates said their degrees aligned with their current jobs and industries.
Top employers named by respondents include Ergon Refining, Ingalls Shipbuilding, International Paper, Mississippi State University and its Extension Service, Neel‑Schaffer engineering firm and the Rankin County School District. The survey is administered by the MSU Career Center and follows National Association of Colleges and Employers guidelines; MSU’s successful-outcomes rate exceeds the national average, according to NACE FDS reports.
During the 2024-25 academic year, students engaged with 703 employers through 71 career fairs, interviewing events and campus visits. “Students at Mississippi State University continue to find successful career opportunities upon graduation,” said Bethany Mills, executive director of the MSU Career Center. She added that career advisors provide tailored development advice and connect students with industry opportunities.
The MSU Career Center, located in Montgomery Hall, offers drop-in hours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information is available at www.career.msstate.edu.
