2025 Jobs Report
Together with our higher education and employer partners, we’re proving what’s possible when you empower the next generation of leaders with the skills, networks, experiences, and confidence necessary to launch a strong career.
Together with our higher education and employer partners, we’re proving what’s possible when you empower the next generation of leaders with the skills, networks, experiences, and confidence necessary to launch a strong career.
By 2032, our ambition is to work with 80,000-100,000 students, empowering 25,000 new students through the course each year.
To date, we’ve worked with 12,000 Fellows in many communities across the country.
Nationally, only about 30% of 1.4 million low-income or first-generation college students who enroll in college each year will graduate and secure a strong first job or enter graduate school.1
Braven empowers promising college students on their paths toward quality economic opportunities through a semester-long, cohort-based course—developed with input from our higher education partners and faculty—and support that extends beyond the course, continuing through six months after college graduation.
In our core higher education model, students take the course for credit. Students who come through BravenX via college success organizations receive a financial stipend in lieu of credit.
The percentage of students enrolled in at least one distance education course doubled.2
In March 2022, job openings
rebounded to the highest level recorded since 2000: 12 million openings.3
The Braven Class of 2024 had the highest rate of internship attainment out of the past 6 graduating classes largely due to increases in internship opportunities post-pandemic.4
The newest job seekers, those aged 20 to 24, saw a 1.2 percentage point increase in their unemployment rate -- 4x the growth in the unemployment rate across all workers.5, 6
The percentage of students enrolled in at least one distance education course doubled.2
In March 2022, job openings
rebounded to the highest level recorded since 2000: 12 million openings.3
The Braven Class of 2024 had the highest rate of internship attainment out of the past 6 graduating classes largely due to increases in internship opportunities post-pandemic.4
The newest job seekers, those aged 20 to 24, saw a 1.2 percentage point increase in their unemployment rate -- 4x the growth in the unemployment rate across all workers.5, 6
In June 2024, Chicago had the nation’s worst unemployment rate of 6.2%, which was 2.1 percentage points higher than the nation.7
While not as severe as Chicago, in June 2024, the unemployment rate in DeKalb, County was 5.6%, 1.5 percentage points higher than the nation.8
From May 2023 to May 2024, Chicago showed much slower growth in employment across industries, particularly professional & business services, compared to the rest of the nation.9
52% of graduates secured quality opportunities, and 85% are employed overall or enrolled in graduate school.10
a full-time role that requires a bachelor’s degree and includes some combination of promotion pathways, employee benefits, and a market-competitive starting salary, or enrollment in graduate school
a role that does not require a bachelor’s degree but helps students’ financial sustainability, is aligned with career interests, and will likely lead to more career-accelerating possibilities through skill development
a role that does not require a bachelor’s degree, offers limited runway to additional career-accelerating opportunities, and is not aligned with students’ career interests
International Schools
/ Denotes schools in Washington D.C. area (8)
* Denotes schools in New York City area (9)
+ Denotes schools in Chicago area (8)
International Schools
/ Denotes schools in Washington D.C. area (8)
* Denotes schools in New York City area (9)
+ Denotes schools in Chicago area (8)
74% of our graduates nationally are already out earning their parents at the same age in their first job out of college.13
By comparison, by age 30, Americans have a 50-50 shot of out-earning their parents.14
Most popular industries for Braven Fellows13
Braven defines a strong first job as one that requires a bachelor’s degree and is full-time, and also includes some combination of promotion pathways, employee benefits, and a market-competitive starting salary.
Six months post-graduation, NIU Braven Fellows in the class of 2024 are earning above the national average salary of all early career college graduates.
Compared to a national average of $42,537 of recent college graduates aged 23-24 who were employed in 202315
Compared to a national average of $49,630 of recent college graduates aged 23-24 who worked full-time in 202315
ARE IN ROLES ALIGNED WITH THEIR LONG-TERM CAREER INTERESTS13
HAVE A JOB WITH EMPLOYER PROVIDED
BENEFITS13
Paired with Leadership Coach PJ Martin, Independent Software Consultant and Owner of Wade Solutions who provided Sterlen with 60 hours of mentorship.
The Braven experience
equipped Sterlen with
5 key career competencies:
Self-driven leadership • Working in teams • Problem solving • Networking and communicating • Operating and managing
After the Braven course, Sterlen secured a high-quality internships:
Digital Assurance Transparency Intern, PwC &
Tax Intern, Crowe LLP
“Thanks to Northern Illinois University and Braven, I gained the confidence and skills to stand out in my career journey. Braven helped me build meaningful connections. Their guidance gave me the edge to land my current role, and I now step into my career with confidence and a powerful network behind me.”
Internships prepare students to launch strong careers by helping them:16
Signal to employers their acquired knowledge and skills17
Paid internships result in better career outcomes.18
The highest quality internships share these characteristics:16, 19
Higher Education Partners
BravenX Partners
Employer Partners
LEAD
(250K+ and programmatic support)
ANCHOR
($100K+ and programmatic support)
KEYSTONE
($25K+ and programmatic support)
INNOVATION
($10K+ and programmatic support
IMPACT
($5K and/or programmatic support)
In Chicago, Braven pilots a version of our core model with National Louis University, an open access school founded to expand access to higher education to those who may face greater geographic, demographic, or economic barriers.
In 2024, 124 Braven Fellows graduated from National Louis University (NLU), and we’re encouraged to see that 77% are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of college graduation.23
a full-time role that requires a bachelor’s degree and includes some combination of promotion pathways, employee benefits, and a market-competitive starting salary, or enrollment in graduate school
a role that does not require a bachelor’s degree but helps students’ financial sustainability, is aligned with career interests, and will likely lead to more career-accelerating possibilities through skill development
a role that does not require a bachelor’s degree, offers limited runway to additional career-accelerating opportunities, and is not aligned with students’ career interests
This program is fully virtual and identical in length, content, and cohort structure as our university-for-credit model. However, it is made possible through partnerships with college access and success organizations.
Braven helps empower their alumni to build the foundation for their careers. BravenX Fellows earn a financial stipend upon completion of the program in lieu of academic credit. In some cases, BravenX is added as a scholarship requirement.