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GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT

DATA BOOK 2026

5 YEARS AFTER

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

Every year Politecnico di Milano carries out an employment survey on graduates 5 years after degree completion in order to understand the value of the degree in the job market.

The 2026 survey analyze the employment situation of graduates who obtained their degree in 2020 and PhD candidates.

The survey was carried out through mixed methodology (CAWI: online and CATI: phone).

The response rate to the questionnaire is defined as the ratio between the number of graduates who completed the survey and the total number of graduates who obtained their degree.

SAMPLE OF ITALIAN BACHELOR GRADUATES OF 2020

There are 1,465 Italian graduates with a Laurea (Bachelor) who chose not to continue their studies in 2020 and gave their consent to be contacted. 912 people answered the survey.

The response rate was 62%.

SAMPLE OF ITALIAN MASTER GRADUATES OF 2020

There are 3,842 Italian graduates with a Laurea Magistrale (Master) in 2020 who gave their consent to be contacted. 2,373 people answered the survey.

The response rate was 62%.

SAMPLE OF INTERNATIONAL MASTER GRADUATES OF 2020

There are 1,521 international graduates with a Laurea Magistrale (Master) in 2020 who gave their consent to be contacted. 454 people answered the survey.

The response rate was 30%.

The survey was carried out at the beginning of 2026 through mixed methodology (CAWI: online and CATI: phone). Graduates were asked to answer a multiple choice questionnaire of about 30 questions.

OVERVIEW

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES 5 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION

WHAT IS THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION OF ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES 5 YEARS FROM GRADUATION?

EMPLOYED

NET MONTHLY SALARY (12 MONTHS) 98%

MONTHLY SALARY HAS INCREASED BY +52% IN 4 YEARS

EMPLOYEE

WORK IN A SMALL - MEDIUM ENTERPRISE

HAVE A PERMANENT CONTRACT + 31% IN 4 YEARS

WORK IN ITALY

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES 5 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION

WHAT HAVE MSC GRADUATES DONE IN THESE 5 YEARS?

HAVE WORKED ABROAD FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS*

17% 3% 9% WORKS IN A START-UP

* SWITZERLAND, GERMANY,UK,

HAVE OBTAINED A NEW DEGREE WHILE WORKING OR BEFORE

AMONG THOSE WORKING IN A START-UP, THERE ARE SOME FOUNDERS.

THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR JOB/EMPLOYER AN AVERAGE OF

1.9 TIMES

IN THE 5 YEARS SINCE GRADUATION

MAIN REASONS:

18% 14%

PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

BETTER PAY

DISSATISFACTION WITH WORK ENVIRONMENT

33%

DIFFERENT SECTOR

17%

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES 5 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION WHAT HAVE MSC GRADUATES DONE IN THESE 5 YEARS?

THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY OVER: PEOPLE PRODUCTS

66% 31% 20% 32%

PROJECTS PROCESSES

THEY HAVE IMPROVED THEIR PROFESSIONAL SITUATION:

ECONOMICALLY

BY DEVELOPING SKILLS

BY ACCESSING A BETTER POSITION IN THE ORGANIZATION

A COMPARISON: ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES, INTERNATIONAL MSC

GRADUATES AND BSC GRADUATES

EMPLOYMENT AND CONTRACTUAL ASPECTS

5 years after graduation

Employment status: employee

Type of contract: permanent

in a SME (up to 250 employees)

WORK CONTEXT

Would choose Politecnico di Milano1 again Degree fits work3 Satisfied with current work4

with specific degree2

SATISFACTION WITH STUDIES

1 Percentage of graduates who would enrol again at the Politecnico; 2 Education and training acquired at the university is adequate for the current job; 3 In order to carry out their job, they need their qualification or an equivalent one; 4(Scale 1-10)

A COMPARISON: 5 YEARS VS 1 YEAR AFTER

MSc GRADUATES 5 YEARS AFTER MSc GRADUATES 1 YEAR AFTER*

Employed

Employment status: employee

€2,356

*Master’s degree graduates who obtained the title in 2019.

Type of contract: permanent

Work in Italy

Net monthly salary (12 months)

€1,550

FOCUS: WHERE THEY WORK

ITALIAN MSc GRADUATES

3% Veneto 4% Emilia Romagna 81% Lombardy 72% Milan

INTERNATIONAL MSc GRADUATES

GRADUATES, INTERNATIONAL MSC GRADUATES

€2,190

€3,166

2,707 € 2,589 € 2,481 € 2,714 € 2,205 € 2,457 € 2,462 € 2,279 € 1,922 € 2,489

* NET MONTHLY SALARY: salary received each month, after taxes, considering only the 12 months of the year, therefore excluding any 13th- or 14th-month payments or other annual bonuses. ** only areas with at least 10 employees

SUBJECT AREA

BSc graduates

1 Percentage of graduate students who would enroll again at Politecnico di Milano

Italian MSc graduates

International MSc graduates BSc graduates

2 Education and training acquired at the university is adequate for the current job

FITS WORK3

Italian MSc graduates

International MSc graduates

BSc graduates

3 In order to carry out their job, they need their qualification or an equivalent one

Italian MSc graduates

International MSc graduates

BSc graduates

4(Scale 1-10)

FOCUS BY AREA

ARCHITECTURE

ENGINEERING DESIGN

ARCHITECTURE

• ARCHITETTURA - ARCHITETTURA DELLE COSTRUZIONI

• ARCHITECTURE - BUILT ENVIRONMENT - INTERIORS

• ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN

• ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND HISTORY

• LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. LAND LANDSCAPE HERITAGE

• SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN

• URBAN PLANNING AND POLICY DESIGN

• PROGETTAZIONE DELL’ARCHITETTURA

• URBANISTICA: CITTÀ AMBIENTE PAESAGGIO

EMPLOYEES

EMPLOYED

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES

SECTOR

COMPANY SIZE

94% EMPLOYED

EMPLOYEES

INTERNATIONAL MSC GRADUATES

Permanent

SECTOR

COMPANY SIZE

€2,092 Std Dev 678

97% EMPLOYED

EMPLOYEES

€1,794

BSC GRADUATES

SECTOR

COMPANY SIZE

€2,005 Std Dev

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES

Employed

Employment status: employee

Type of contract: permanent

Work in Italy

Net monthly salary (12 months)

DESIGN

• DESIGN DELLA COMUNICAZIONE

• DESIGN & ENGINEERING

• DESIGN FOR THE FASHION SYSTEM

• DIGITAL AND INTERACTION DESIGN

• INTEGRATED PRODUCT DESIGN

• INTERIOR AND SPATIAL DESIGN

• PRODUCT SERVICE SYSTEM DESIGN

• DESIGN DELLA MODA

• DESIGN DEGLI INTERNI

• DESIGN DEL PRODOTTO INDUSTRIALE

COMPANY SIZE

€1,761

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES

Type of contract: permanent 5 YEARS AFTER 1 YEAR AFTER

Employed

Employment status: employee

Work in Italy

Net monthly salary (12 months)

€2,028 €1,311

ENGINEERING

• AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

• AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

• AUTOMATION AND CONTROL ENGINEERING

• BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

• BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING

• CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

• CIVIL ENGINEERING

• CIVIL ENGINEERING FOR RISK MITIGATION

• COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

• ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

• ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

• ENERGY ENGINEERING

• ENGINEERING PHYSICS

• ENVIRONMENTAL AND LAND PLANNING ENGINEERING

• FOOD ENGINEERING

• GEOINFORMATIC ENGINEERING

• INGEGNERIA DELLA PREVENZIONE E DELLA SICUREZZA NELL’INDUSTRIA DI PROCESSO

• INGEGNERIA DEI SISTEMI EDILIZI

• MANAGEMENT ENGINEERING

• MANAGEMENT OF BUILT ENVIRONMENT

• MATERIALS ENGINEERING AND NANOTECHNOLOGY

• MATHEMATICAL ENGINEERING

• MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

• MOBILITY ENGINEERING

• MUSIC AND ACOUSTIC ENGINEERING

• NUCLEAR ENGINEERING

• SPACE ENGINEERING

• TELECOMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING

EMPLOYED

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES

EMPLOYEES

SECTOR

COMPANY SIZE

EMPLOYEES

INTERNATIONAL MSC GRADUATES

Permanent Fixed-term

Research

Other

SECTOR

COMPANY SIZE

€2,376 Std Dev 737

EMPLOYEES

€2,306

BSC GRADUATES

SECTOR

COMPANY SIZE

€2,315

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES

Type of contract: permanent 5 YEARS AFTER 1 YEAR AFTER

Employed

Employment status: employee

€2,449

Work in Italy

Net monthly salary (12 months )

€1,662

SOFT SKILLS

GROWTH OF SOFT SKILLS - ITALIAN MSc GRADUATES

AIUC 1 year after graduation 5 years after graduation

Number of graduates with excellent skills* * number of graduates out of the total who believe they have good / excellent skills

Autonomy DecisionmakingabilityAnalysisskillsEffectivecommunication Flexibility StressmanagementInnovationTeamworkLeadershipNegotiationResultorientationPlanningandorganizationProactiveapproachProblemsolving

DESIGN

1 year after graduation 5 years after graduation

Number of graduates with excellent skills* * number of graduates out of the total who believe they have good / excellent skills

GROWTH OF SOFT SKILLS - ITALIAN

MSc GRADUATES

ENGINEERING

1 year after graduation 5 years after graduation

Number of graduates with excellent skills* * number of graduates out of the total who believe they have good / excellent skills

UNIVERSITY

GENDER VIEW

ITALIAN MSC GRADUATES

FOCUS BY GENDER - ITALIAN MSc GRADUATES

Employed

Employed status: employee

Type of contract: permanent

Net Monthly salary (12 months)

DESIGN

MAN

Employed

Net Monthly salary (12 months)

2026 Employment Survey of 2020 graduates. The employment survey is carried out by the Career Service, in collaboration with the Assessment commission office and the Alumni Office of Politecnico di Milano.