2016-2017 APSA Graduate Placement Report

The 2016-2017 APSA Graduate Placement Report analyzes doctoral candidates and graduates seeking placement in the 2016-2017 academic year. It includes the characteristics of job candidates, reported placements, and the departments in which these candidates are placed.

 The proportion of candidates placed in post-doc jobs as their first placement rose over the past eight years we tracked placements, while placement in other academic positions declined as an overall share of placements reported, from 62.5% in 2009-2010 to 48.1% in 2016-2017. We observed contraction in the number of tenure-track placements this year, with a 5.6% fall on 2015-2016 and a 15.0% decline since 2009-2010. Placement appears to vary by a number of contributing factors, most significantly by degree status of the candidate. 9.1% of candidates with a PhD were not placed, compared to 36.8% of ABD candidates, and, as in 2015-2016, candidates with a PhD placed better in all categories.

 The January 2018 Chart of the Month on Graduate Placement can be accessed here. For more information on APSA’s research program and to view other reports, visit the Data on the Profession page.