WGU designs degrees around the skills employers need and measures success by what happens after graduation. In the 2024 Harris Poll Employer Study (FY25 annual report), 100% of employers said WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs, and 86% said very or extremely prepared. In the 2025 survey (FY26 annual report), 87% of employers said they would hire another WGU graduate, and employers rated WGU graduates equal to or better than graduates from other institutions in workplace soft skills (95%).
Employer partnerships and work-based learning connect that readiness to opportunity. WGU maintained 1,934 active workforce partnerships in FY26, and more than 23,000 students earned their degrees through partnerships with employers and organizations. The School of Business engaged 3,300 students in work-based learning, and the new School of Technology Applied Experience Program places students in virtual workplaces to do real work with real tools.
The WGU Achievement Wallet helps graduates show what they can do: more than 140,000 students used it in FY26, documenting 1.7 million verified skills. Career coaching, WGU Handshake, and employer events remain available at no cost to students and alumni for life.