By graduation, 36.2 percent of members of Princeton’s Class of 2010 had jobs, up from 31.7 percent a year earlier, according to the annual Career Services survey of departing seniors. The top sector: Financial services, which drew 142 seniors, compared with 111 in 2009. Nearly 10 percent of the class (113 students) accepted yearlong internships, which are not included in the figures below:
Financial services 35.9%
Services/consulting 25.6%
Nonprofits 20.0%
Manufacturing 6.8%
Government 4.8%
Communications 4.1%
Other 2.0%
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2 Responses
John Milton ’57
8 Years AgoJobs after graduation
Thank you for fearlessly reporting on the jobs taken by recent Princeton graduates in 2010 (Campus Notebook, Nov. 17). According to the report, 61.5 percent took jobs in financial services or services/consulting. So after receiving (arguably) the best education in the United States, they chose to follow in the footsteps of those who have wrecked our economy and now are laughing at the rest of us — while they sip champagne in the Hamptons. Princeton in the nation’s service? That’s so “greatest generation”! I can find better causes for my charitable dollars.
Editor’s note: As was noted in the Nov. 17 article, the numbers reported by PAW did not include yearlong internships, which were accepted by nearly 10 percent of the Class of 2010.
Benjamin R. Beede *62
8 Years AgoJobs in finance, and financial support
I am dismayed by a letter from John Milton ’57 (Feb. 9), in which he argued that Princeton is not worthy of support from its alumni because a high percentage of its 2010 graduates entered the world of finance. Milton believes that this fact is somehow in opposition to the famous phrase “Princeton in the nation’s service.”
In my view, there are serious problems with Milton’s argument. First, we need to keep in mind that the University really has no control over the employment decisions of its graduates. Second, we do not know that all the people who enter financial occupations are intent only upon enriching themselves. Third, it is not impossible that some of the graduates that Milton criticizes may at some point work in government or in the nonprofit sector.
Fourth, it is quite possible, probably likely, that many of these graduates will devote significant amounts of their time to community services of various kinds, perhaps in part by using skills that they have learned in finance. Fifth, Milton ignores the employment decisions of graduate students. Sixth, the research programs at Princeton are in themselves worthy of support, even if one is outraged by the employment decisions of undergraduate students.
Milton says that Princeton provides “(arguably) the best education in the United States.” How can one possibly object to supporting such a university? I suggest that Milton and others who may be concerned about undergraduate employment decisions propose ways to change Princeton education, orientation, and employment services to encourage more graduates to enter governmental and nonprofit employment. As a matter of fact, I believe that PAW gives a good deal of attention to alumni who are not working in the private sector.