Turns out, employers today still value new hires with a college degree

College may not be for everyone as there are a plethora of well-paying and respectable occupations out there available for anyone who wants to invest the time and effort needed to become successful in a chosen career path.  And while trades and apprenticeships may be the path for some, many of those doing the hiring still want some of their employees to have a college degree.

A new study released from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) on October 26 underscores employers’ perceptions around the value of the college degree, higher education, and institutions of higher education.

Employers responding to NACE’s 2023 Recruiting Benchmarks Survey said an average of nearly 70% of their entry-level jobs require a bachelor’s degree.

“There has been some conversation nationally about eliminating the college degree as a criterion for certain entry-level jobs,” says Shawn VanDerziel, NACE president and chief executive officer. “Our results counter the notion of a potential widespread trend and point to the value employers place on the degree.”

To dig further into employer perspectives, NACE “also asked employers explicitly about discussions their organizations may have had about forgoing the college degree as a criterion for entry-level jobs. About one-quarter said they had done so, and most who engaged in such discussions were driven by a focus on skills and concerns about equity. None said it was because they lacked confidence in the value of the college degree,” according to VanDerziel.

Additional results made it clear that employers also value higher education institutions: When asked about the popular trend of certificates obtained by new college graduates and others, three-quarters identified college/university-based certificates as being of the highest quality over those offered by industry, company, and online providers.

“Here again, when asked about the rising number of certificate programs available, employers recognize that the value of certificates is tied to the quality of the curriculum that colleges and universities offer,” says VanDerziel.

Employers are not the only stakeholders that believe in the value of higher education. A forthcoming report from NACE based on input from more than 2,000 Class of 2023 graduating seniors shows that students also believe in higher education. 

“More than 90% of graduating seniors said their degree was worth it—and that they would pursue a college degree again if they had the chance,” says VanDerziel.

Investigating views related to the value of higher education from multiple vantage points is among NACE’s strategic research priorities, says VanDerziel.

“We are deeply interested studying and understanding how higher education serves employers, students, and the workforce at large,” says VanDerziel, “and our early results all point to the importance and value of higher ed.”

NACE’s 2023 Recruiting Benchmarks Survey was conducted April 12 through May 19, 2023. A total of 334 organizations took part, including 269 organizations that hold NACE membership (30% response rate) and 65 companies that do not hold NACE membership. An executive summary of the report based on the survey results is available on NACEWeb.

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(Source: and cover clip art image: NACE)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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