Of Oklahomans who graduate from an Oklahoma state system college or university, more than 87% remain and work in the state one year after graduation, according to the 2025 Employment Outcomes Report from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
“This report demonstrates the lasting impact of public higher education on Oklahoma’s future,” said State Regents’ chair Courtney Warmington. “When graduates of our state system colleges and universities choose to build their lives and careers here, they strengthen our labor force and boost our economy, which secures a brighter future for generations of Oklahomans to come.”
Employment outcome rates reflected in the report are calculated from data matched between the State Regents, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) and Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) records to determine the percentage of state system graduates who remain in and are employed in the state one, five and 10 years after graduation.
“Our state system of higher education remains a powerful workforce and economic development driver for Oklahoma,” said Chancellor Sean Burrage. “Strong retention rates among graduates in critical workforce fields, including engineering, nursing, teaching and STEM disciplines, indicate that our institutions are preparing students for career success while helping meet our state’s most pressing employment needs.”
The report shows that five years after graduation, over 81% of Oklahomans who graduate from a state system college or university remain and work in the state.
Of STEM graduates from our state system colleges and universities, nearly 84% of resident undergraduate students remain and work in Oklahoma one year after graduation. Five years after graduating with a STEM degree from a public institution, more than 76% still live and work here, while 70% remain employed in our state after 10 years.
Of graduates in fields identified by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission as critical to economic growth, nearly 88% of resident undergraduate students remain and work in Oklahoma one year after graduation; almost 82% remain and work in the state five years after graduation; and more than 75% are still working here after 10 years.
Nearly 72% of engineering undergraduates, both resident and non-resident, are working in the state one year after graduation. Of teacher education graduates from our public institutions, nearly 85% earning a bachelor’s degree are employed in Oklahoma one year later. More than 89% of nursing graduates at all degree levels are employed in the state one year later, and nearly 82% remain five years after graduation, meeting a critical workforce need.
Most Oklahoma’s Promise students also stay and work in the state after earning a degree. More than 88% of Oklahoma’s Promise graduates remain and work in Oklahoma one year later, and almost 84% are still living and working in the state after five years.
The report also examines how education level impacts earnings. The 2025 study supports national data that link salary to educational attainment. Consistent with national trends, data for graduates of Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities confirm that the higher the degree a student earns, the higher the salary they are likely to earn. Additionally, wages increase five years and 10 years after graduation, demonstrating consistent wage growth over time at all degree levels.
The 2025 Employment Outcomes Report is available online at https://okhighered.org/econ-dev/statewide-employment-outcomes/.