Results from the National Student Clearinghouse Data Match: New Methods for Assessing AmeriCorps Alumni Outcomes

Building on previous work around the alumni outcomes survey, CNCS engaged researchers to address an additional question - What are the educational and employment outcomes of AmeriCorps alumni, and does national service serve as a pathway to educational and employment success?                                  

To address this question, researchers executed a data match of a sample of three cohorts of AmeriCorps alumni (who completed their last term of service in 2005, 2010, and 2013) to postsecondary enrollment and graduation records held by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC).

The study found high levels of enrollment and degree completion for alumni in the NSC match:

• AmeriCorps alumni had significantly higher levels of degree attainment than did the general adult population in the United States.
• Alumni with two terms of service had the highest levels of enrollment and educational attainment.
• Female alumni and those with higher levels of prior education had higher overall levels of enrollment. Female alumni had higher degree attainment than male alumni across the board, except for doctorates.
• The most common major associated with an alumnus’ highest degree was education, followed by social sciences, public administration and social services, business, and health professions.

It should be noted that due to several factors, a 100% data match was not possible. Results should be interpreted accordingly.