Author: Oleks Movchan
Every June, thousands of North Carolina high schoolers toss their graduation caps into the sky and step into the unknown. But where do they actually land? We dug into the data of more than 950,000 students who graduated from NC public schools between 2014 and 2023 to find out. Thanks to the NC TOWER which tracks employment and higher education outcomes, we can follow the journeys of about 92% of these grads through jobs and colleges both in and out of state.
The results? A fascinating mosaic of ambition, opportunity, and decision-making. Within just a year of graduation, a solid 74% of students were employed in North Carolina1. Meanwhile, 31% enrolled in community colleges or universities aiming for Certificates, Diplomas, or Associate’s degrees. Not to be outdone, another 38% set their sights on a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution either in North Carolina or elsewhere across the country2. Keep in mind, these categories aren’t mutually exclusive as many students are enrolled in multiple institutions within a year or hit the ground running in both work and school, including paid internships and on-campus jobs.
The following chart illustrates the paths these young adults take: work, colleges, universities, and often a bit of everything. It’s a reminder that there’s no single road after high school, just a highway of choices. And with the right data, we can see exactly where that road is heading.
More data and insights are available on NC TOWER. The dataset underlying this story can be downloaded here.
1Includes all individuals working for employers subject to North Carolina's unemployment insurance tax laws, as specified in Chapter 96, Article 2 of the North Carolina General Statutes.
2Postsecondary enrollment counts include enrollment in both public and private institutions nationwide, as reported by the National Student Clearinghouse.