About UMA
Graduates: Areas of Study, Debt, Employment, Higher Education, Satisfaction
- Over 19,000 alumni
624 Degrees/Certificates Awarded to 588 students in 2024-25
- 14.4% Associates
- 67.3% Bachelors
- 15.2% Certificates
- 0.8% Graduate Certificates
- 2.2% Masters
Top 5 Fields of Study: Associate Degrees Awarded
- Liberal Studies
- Dental Assisting/Hygiene
- Applied Science
- Business Administration
- Mental Health Services
Top 5 Fields of Study: Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded
- Nursing
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Services
- Applied Science
- Liberal Studies
- Business Administration
2024-25 Bachelor’s Graduates who started at UMA as First-Year Students (N=127)
- 60% Graduated with loan debt (includes only debt accrued at UMA)
- Average amount of Federal Title IV debt – $29,882
- Average amount of Private debt – $16,444 (3% graduated with Private debt)
- Average age at time of graduation – 34
Updated October, 2025
First Destination Survey
The First Destination Survey (FDS) is a survey conducted by colleges and universities to collect information on the post-graduation outcomes of their recent graduates. It typically asks graduates about their primary activity after earning their degree, such as:
- Employment (full-time or part-time)
- Continuing education (graduate or professional school)
- Military service
- Volunteering
- Still seeking employment or education opportunities
The data gathered helps institutions understand career trends, assess the effectiveness of academic programs, and provide useful insights to current and prospective students. The survey is usually conducted around 6 months after graduation and follows standards set by organizations like the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Please see UMA’s First Destination Survey results for our 2023-2024 graduates.
Survey of Summer 2022 – Spring 2025 Graduating Students (34.7% Response Rate, N=569)
Overall UMA Experience
- 76.9% would return to UMA to pursue an advanced degree (if UMA offered a graduate degree in their field)
- 77.2% would return to UMA for continuing education workshops or seminars
- 81.1% said if they had to do their education over again, they would choose UMA
- 87.5% would recommend UMA to others
- 80.4% believe that their career success is/will be greater as a result of their UMA education
- 82.5% believe that their UMA education was an excellent financial investment
| Educational Experience | Very/Somewhat Satisfied |
| Overall quality of academic program | 89.7% |
| Quality of faculty instruction | 86.6% |
| Coursework relevance to current position or career goals | 85.7% |
| Coursework providing practical applications of material | 85.3% |
| Coursework providing theoretical perspectives in my field | 85.5% |
| Courses scheduled at convenient times | 89.7% |
| Rigor of curriculum | 81.7% |
| Coursework providing development of research skills | 83.8% |
| Personal attention from faculty | 81.7% |
| Availability of courses in my Major | 83.5% |
| Availability of courses in General Education | 80.7% |
| Breadth of course offerings | 78.6% |
| Quality of faculty career advising | 76.4% |
| Campus Climate | Very/Somewhat Satisfied |
| Academically stimulating environment | 68.9% |
| Interaction with other students | 58.0% |
| Curriculum connected to community (e.g. service-learning) | 58.5% |
| Sense of community | 56.7% |
| Student Support Services | Very/Somewhat Satisfied |
| Course registration process | 86.8% |
| Admission process | 87.8% |
| Billing and payment process | 75.0% |
| Financial aid services (not the amount of financial aid received) | 73.7% |
| Library’s ability to meet academic needs | 77.5% |
| Adequacy of facilities (e.g. labs, computers, building conditions) | 62.3% |
| Academic advising through Advising Center staff | 75.9% |
| Learning support services (e.g. writing, math tutoring, TRiO) | 63.4% |
| Learning Outcomes: UMA education developed your knowledge, skills and abilities in… | Strongly/Somewhat Agree |
| Developing better knowledge in my field of study | 91.8% |
| Working independently | 88.3% |
| Writing clearly and effectively | 87.6% |
| Thinking analytically | 87.0% |
| Defining and solving problems effectively | 86.3% |
| Understanding my professional responsibilities and obligations | 84.5% |
| Reading texts critically | 82.8% |
| Formulating more creative/original ideas | 83.0% |
| Improving interpersonal skills | 77.9% |
| Being a productive team member | 78.8% |
| Using information technology | 84.8% |
| Speaking clearly and effectively | 79.2% |
| Understanding people of other cultural backgrounds | 80.3% |
| Leading a group effectively | 74.0% |
| Working more productively at my current job | 76.1% |
| Analyzing numerical and statistical information | 74.0% |
Time to Earn Degree
- 38.8% said it took more time than expected
- 51.4% said it took the same amount of time as expected
- 9.9% said it took less time than expected
Employment
- 76.0% currently employed at the time of graduation
- 64.5% were working in their field of study
- 31.1% received an increase in salary due to their education
| Top 6 Fields Graduates are Working In | Percentage |
| 1. Education | 17.3% |
| 2. Social/Human/Mental Services | 13.7% |
| 3. Computer/IT | 7.6% |
| 4. TIE: Library Services; Nursing | 6.3% |
| 5. Medical | 5.6% |
| 6. Business/Management | 4.6% |
Top Reasons Graduates are Currently Not Working in their Field of Study
- 63.0% employed in a different field of study
- 30.8% seeking employment in my field
Making Use of their UMA Education in the Next Year
- 58.4% to advance in their current field
- 37.0% to be more productive at my current job
- 36.0% to qualify for additional education
- 27.0% to get a job different from their current field of work
UMA Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
Statistics updated November 2025.