Which colleges do Facebook, Google and other top employers recruit from? (2024)

Facebook and Google hire more than 80 per cent of their employees from the top 200 schools in the US, according to a new report.

In fact, more than half of Facebook employees graduated from a top 10 college, taken from a sample of public LinkedIn profiles.

In comparison, just under 50 per cent of Amazon employees were hired from colleges outside the top 100 of Forbes’ list of the top schools in the US. Less than 10 per cent of its employees are from a top 10 college.

Scroll down for a list of the top 200 universities

The “Welcome to the Real World” report by With My Degree suggests that the data show that “the tides are changing” so that a graduate’s alma mater does not necessarily dictate the companies that will consider hiring them.

It also breaks down the top colleges sending alumni into various industries. Unsurprisingly, Stanford University produces the most graduates working in technology, but Purdue University also boasts a significant number, and leads the way for graduates working in the automotive sector.

The University of Phoenix, which offers degrees online and on campus, is one of the top 5 universities for setting graduates up with careers in technology, aerospace, banking and finance, and military careers.

For students aspiring to make it in the entertainment industry, a college in California or New York is likely to be a good choice. Three of the five schools with the most graduates working in TV, movies or music are based in California, one in New York and the last in Florida.

Graduates of top-tier colleges are likely to be picked up by consultancies such as Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Accenture, or else the dominant technology and computing companies (Google, IBM, Microsoft and Apple) if the sheer numbers are anything to go by.

But interestingly, some of the very same companies – including IBM, Deloitte, Intel Corporation and Microsoft – are the top employers of graduates from so-called “party schools”, classified as such by a reported prevalence of drug and alcohol usage, active fraternities and sororities and a minimal level of studying among students.

Some of these party schools, such as the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, also ranked highly in traditional league tables, and so the success of its graduates with top employers is not particularly surprising.

The authors of the report also postulate that the graduates of party schools have learnt to practise self-restraint, developed a strong network and honed impressive social skills, all of which recommend them to top employers.

Ultimately, graduates cannot rely on a degree from a top university to do all the work for them to secure the career of their dreams. But, as the authors advise: “Enter college with a game plan, know the types of employers you want to get the attention of, and make sure you’re at a school where they’ll be watching.”

Top 200 colleges in the United States 2015 (Forbes)