Abstract
Although alumni surveys frequently include questions about work experiences, little information is available about the relationship between work experiences and alumni satisfaction with college. The results of the present research indicate that work experiences are significantly related to alumni ratings of their college experiences. Specifically, alumni who are satisfied with their jobs are more likely to report being satisfied with their education experiences. The results of this research also indicate that women are less satisfied with their pay than men. Compared to men, women are neither more dissatisfied with the types of work they are performing nor more likely to be looking for another job. Counter to expectation, dissatisfaction with pay has a more significant effect on ratings of college experiences for women than for men.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adelman, C. (1991).Women, at Thirtysomething: Paradoxes of Attainment Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Banta, T. W., (1988). Assessment as an instrument of state funding policy. In T. W. Banta (ed.),Implementing Outcomes Assessment: Promise and Perils (New Directions for Institutional Research Series, No. 59, pp. 81–94), San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bechtel, D. S. (1984). Early career patterns of humanities college graduates: One institution's perspective of the “lean years”, 1972–81. Unpublished manuscript, University of Illinois, Career Development and Placement Center, Champaign-Urbana, IL.
Beutell, N. J., and Breneer, O. C. (1986) Sex differences in work values.Journal of Vocational Behavior 28: 29–41.
Benner, R. S. and Hitchcock, S. T. (1986). Life after liberal arts. Unpublished manuscript. University of Virginia, Career Planning and Placement Office. Charlottesville, VA.
Bishop, Y. M. M., Fienberg, S. E., and Holland, P. W. (1975).Discrete Multivariate Analysis: Theory and Practice. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.
Blau, F. D. (1984). Occupational segregation and labor market discrimination. In B. F. Reskin (ed.),Sex Segregation in the Workplace: Trends, Explanations, and Remedies. (pp. 117–143). Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Hulin, C. L., and Smith, P. C. (1964) Sex differences in job satisfaction.Journal of Applied Psychology 48: 88–92.
Jackson, L. A., Gardner, P. D., and Sullivan, L. A. (1992). Explaining gender differences in self-pay expectations: Social comparison standards and perceptions of fair pay.Journal of Applied Psychology 77: 651–663.
Kennedy, J. J. (1983).Analyzing, Qualitative Data: Introductory Log-Linear Anlysis for Behavioral Research New York: Praeger.
Litten, L. (May 1989). Comparative data for alumni outcomes assessment: A twelve institution follow-up survey. Paper presented at the annual, forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Baltimore, MD.
Major, B. (1989). Gender differences in comparisons and entitlement: Implications for comparable worth.Journal of Social Issues 45(4): 99–115.
Major, B., and Konar, E. (1984) An investigation of sex differences in pay expectations and their possible causes.Academy of Management Journal 27: 777–792.
Maves, K. K. (1988). Managing information on alumni. In G. S. Melchiori (ed.),Alumni Research: Methods and Applications (New Directions for Institutional Research Series, No. 60, pp. 13–24). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Melchiori, G. S. (1988a). Alumni research: An introduction. In G. S. Melchiori (ed.),Alumni Research: Methods and Applications (New Directions for Institutional Research Series. No. 60, pp. 5–12). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Melchiori, G. S. (1988b). Applying alumni research to fundraising. In G. S. Melchiori (ed.)Alumni Research: Methods and Applications (New Directions for Institutional Research Series, No. 60, pp. 51–66). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Moden, G. O., and Williford, A. M. (1988). Applying alumni research to decision making. In G. S. Melchiori (ed.),Alumni Research: Methods and Applications (New Directions for Instutional Research Series, No. 60, pp. 67–76). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
National Committee on Pay Equity (April 1986).Newsletter. Washington, DC: Author.
Office of Institutional Research (1990).For your information: 1990 alumni survey for the university. Unpublished manuscript. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Office of Institutional Research, Knoxville, TN.
O'Neill, J. (1985). Role differentiation and the gender gap in wage rates. In L. Larwood, A. H. Stromberg, and B. A. Gutek (eds.)Women and Work: An Annual Review, vol. 1 (pp. 50–75). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Pace, C. R. (1979)Measuring the Outcomes of College. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Pettit, J. (1991) Listening to your alumni: One way to assess academic outcomesAIR Professional File 41: 1–10.
Pettit, J. (May 1992). Listening to your alumni in assessing learning outcomes. Paper presented at the annual forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Atlanta.
Phillippi, R. H. (1990).Differential Item Functioning on the 1988 Tennessee Alumni Survey. Unpublished manuscript, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Center for Assessment Research and Development, Knoxville, TN.
Pigge, F. L. (1978). An approach to program/product evaluation in teacher education. Unpublised manuscript, Ohio State Department of Education, Columbus, OH.
Pigge, F. L. (1983) An appraisal of my preparation as a teacher at Bowling Green State University [and] A programmatic evaluative follow-up of a sample of the 1975–80 graduates of the basic programs. Unpublished manuscript, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Pigge, F. L. (February 1984). Follow-up evaluation studies and procedures, Bowling Green State University Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, San Antonio, TX.
Pigge, F. L. (1987) A follow-up of BGSU's teacher education graduates of 1980–85: Their on-the-job performance and their evaluation of elements of their teacher education programs. Unpublished manuscript, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Pike, G. R. (April 1990). Dimensions of alumni perceptions of cognitive and affective growth during college. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Boston.
Pike, G. R. (April 1992). Student's perceptions of their learning and development at graduation and two years later: A preliminary investigation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco.
Pike, G. R. (1993). The relationship between perceived learning and satisfaction with college: An alternative view.Research in Higher Education 34: 23–40.
Sauser, W. I., and York, M. (1978). Sex differences in job satisfaction: A re-examination.Personnel Psychology 31: 37–547.
Sharp, L. M., and Weidman, J. C. (1986). Early career patterns of undergraduate majors in the humanities. Unpublished manuscript, University of Pittsburgh, School of Education, Pittsburgh, PA.
Sillars, A. L., Pike, G. R., Jones, T. S., and Redmon, K. (1983). Communication and conflict in marriage. In R. N. Bostrom (ed.),Communication Yearbook, Vol. 7 (pp. 414–429), Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Williford, A. M., and Moden, G. O. (May 1989). Using alumni outcomes research in academic planning. Paper presented at the annual forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Baltimore.
Wishart, P., and Rossmann, J. (1977). Career patterns, employment and earnings of graduates of 11 ACM colleges. Unpublished manuscript. Associated Colleges of the Midwest, Chicago.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pike, G.R. The relationship between alumni satisfaction and work experiences. Res High Educ 35, 105–123 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02496664
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02496664