Beyond the Hype: Using PSEO Data to Tackle Higher Ed’s Tough Questions

Session Abstract: In an era of declining enrollments, ROI skepticism, and rising demands for accountability, institutional researchers need tools that move beyond descriptive reporting to powerful storytelling. The Postsecondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) data which are free, accessible, and easy to use, link graduates’ fields of study with actual earnings and employment by industry/geography. This session will highlight practical applications of PSEO data that respond directly to executive, accreditor, parent, and student questions about the value of higher education. Use cases will include partnering with career services to communicate outcomes, equipping boards and executives with credible evidence to address ROI and workforce alignment, and using outcomes data to inform both the development of new academic programs and the review of existing ones. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies to incorporate PSEO into decision-making and to elevate IR’s role in shaping the institutional narrative.

Keywords: PSEO, earnings data, career outcomes, data system, US Census