Mines Placement Rate and Starting Salary for Recent Grads Remains Strong

June 29, 2022
Mines Placement Rate and Starting Salary for Recent Grads Remains Strong
Kathy Mathieu, a mechanical engineering major from Brady, Neb. is on a summer internship at Raven Industries. Mathieu is one of a majority of students at Mines who undertake internships during their college career. 

South Dakota Mines graduates continue to enjoy a very high placement rate in their field of study and an excellent starting salary. The most recent data, from the graduating class of 2021, shows a 97% job placement rate in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields with an average annual starting compensation of $68,685.

This data is part of why Mines is continually ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment. “Mines gives our students the tools needed to advance the frontiers of innovation. Our graduates work on the cutting edge of STEM. They are quick to become industry leaders because they are proven problem solvers,” says Mines President Jim Rankin.

Hands-on education and real-world experience with ample internship opportunities are part of why Mines graduates do so well. A majority of Mines students complete at least one internship in industry during their college career and internship experience boosts both placement and starting salary. The placement rate for those with internship experience is 99.6% with a starting salary of $71,491.

Industry demand for more women in STEM may have helped drive up the starting salary for female graduates in 2021. Women graduates from Mines are now earning average starting pay of $70,215 compared to their male counterparts with $68,115. Women at Mines also did internships at a higher rate than male students, which may add to the higher starting salary. Traditionally women have been underrepresented in many STEM fields and often paid less than their male counterparts. Mines has engaged in a long-term effort to meet industry demand for more women by providing opportunities for everyone with programs like Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE).

The demand for graduates with a strong background in STEM is expected to grow in the coming years in both South Dakota and nationwide. Mines 2021 graduates are employed by 178 different companies in 33 different states. Many Mines students choose to remain in the state after graduation; 139 graduates from the class of 2021 are working or attending graduate school in South Dakota. They are located in 17 different South Dakota cities working for 51 different companies. A recent list of the highest paying jobs in the local area put Mines degrees among the top 20 in annual salary. This data underlies the high return on investment a degree from Mines brings.