For the 2019-2020 academic year, 90% of domestic graduates found full time placement. In spite of a difficult job market and unpredictable economy, no reported full time offers to LER graduates were lost due to COVID. Most found their positions through Career Services at the School of Labor & Employment Relations.
Graduates work in all aspects of human resources at companies around the world. In addition to the salaries reported below, most companies pay relocation expenses, some offer stock options immediately, and if you convert your internship to full-time employment, some companies will adjust your start date to reflect your intern work. The full LER Placement Report can be downloaded here (PDF).
Full-Time Employment
For full-time entry-level hires, the average private sector salary was $77,756 with a range of $55,000 – $90,000. Forty percent accepted offers of employment where they interned.
Salary Acceptance by Region, 2019-2020
(full-time, private-sector)
| Regional Locations | Salary Average | Salary Range |
| West | $83,189 | $55,000 – $96,000 |
| South | $75, 492 | $72,000 – $85,900 |
| Northeast | $82,260 | $80,000 – $84,000 |
| Greater Midwest | $80,386 | $55,000 – $90,000 |
| Illinois | $72,413 | $52,000 – $87,500 |
Top Full-Time Employers
(based on number of students hired)
- PepsiCo (6)
- DuPont, Eaton Corporation (5)
- Boeing (4)
- AbbVie, General Mills (3)
- Alcon, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, International Paper, Sargent & Lundy (2)
Internships
This year, 15% of accepted internships were lost due to COVID, and many searches were suspended due to lack of hiring. LER partnered with seven organizations to create eight consulting projects for credit that gave 29 students a meaningful summer opportunity. These students included international students unable to return to their home country, students waiting to hear the fate of their planned internship, and students who were unable to secure an internship due to the suspension of hiring. Of the students who were able to participate in their summer internships, the average private sector salary was $5,369/mo with a range of $2,720 – $6,500/mo.
Top Internship Employers
(based on number of students hired)
- PepsiCo (8)
- General Mills(4)
- AbbVie, Boeing, DuPont (3)
- ExxonMobil, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, General Electric, IBM, International Paper, NXP, Texas Instruments (2)