In June 2016, Gallup, a leader in public opinion polling and research, released the findings of its “Great Jobs and Great Lives” study, surveying graduates of U.S. colleges and universities to examine the question, “How can college promote lifelong well-being and engagement?” Approximately 2,500 Manchester alumni took part in the study. See Gallup methodology.
The survey measured:
- College (undergraduate) experiences
- Workplace engagement
- Affinity and attachment to alma mater
- Overall well-being
Gallup’s study revealed that graduates who experienced emotional support and experiential learning during their college experience had increased odds of lifelong well-being and workplace engagement.
Manchester’s results were impressive when compared to data gathered from Indiana institutions, as well as all U.S. colleges and universities. See complete Gallup report.
Highlights:
90 percent are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the education they received from MU.
95 percent report they are satisfied with their personal lives today.
MU respondents all agree or strongly agree with the following:
- 89 percent are satisfied with the education they received.
- 85 percent say it was worth the cost.
- 81 percent took out student loans and say that was worth the cost.
- 81 percent say they were well-prepared for life outside of college.
- 90 percent were challenged academically.
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index asks a series of questions that gauge well-being in five elements. Purpose Well-Being, Social Well-Being, Financial Well-Being, Community Well-Being, and Physical Well-Being. Based on the answers to these questions, Gallup calculates whether individuals are thriving, struggling or suffering in each element. The table below indicates Gallup’s assessment of who is thriving in all five elements, then four elements, three elements, two elements, one element and zero elements.
Gallup Study Methodology
Results for the Manchester University study are based on Web surveys conducted January 25–
February 23, 2016 with a sample of 2,500 Manchester University undergraduate degree alumni. The
sample of alumni email addresses was provided by Manchester University. Alumni were included in
the study if the institution had an email address on file.
Results for the Gallup-Purdue Index, the national study used for comparison purposes, are based on
Web surveys conducted December 16, 2014–June 29, 2015, with a random sample of 30,151
respondents with a bachelor's degree or higher, aged 18 and older, with Internet access, living in all
50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
The Gallup-Purdue Index sample was recruited via the Gallup Daily tracking survey. The Gallup Daily
tracking survey sample includes national adults with a minimum quota of 50% cellphone respondents
and 50% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline
and cellular telephone numbers are selected using RDD methods. Landline respondents are chosen
at random within each household on the basis of which member had the most recent birthday. Gallup
Daily tracking respondents with a college degree, who agreed to future contact, were invited to take
the Gallup-Purdue Index survey online.
Gallup-Purdue Index interviews are conducted via the Web, in English only. Samples are weighted to
correct for unequal selection probability and nonresponse. The data are weighted to match national
demographics of gender, age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, education and region. Demographic weighting
targets are based on the most recent Current Population Survey figures for the aged 18 and older
U.S. bachelor's degree or higher population.
All reported margins of sampling error for the Gallup-Purdue Index of all college graduates include the
computed design effects for weighting.
For results based on the total sample of those with a bachelor’s degree, the margin of sampling error
is +/-0.9 percentage point at the 95% confidence level.
For results based on employee engagement of those with a bachelor’s degree, the margin of
sampling error is +/-1.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
For results based on the sample of those with a bachelor’s degree from an institution in Indiana, the
margin of sampling error is +/-4.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
For results based on employee engagement of those with a bachelor’s degree from an institution in
Indiana, the margin of sampling error is +/-6.4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can
introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.