Measuring Alumni Career Outcomes

Colleges and universities use surveys like the National Alumni Career Mobility (NACM) to evaluate how well they prepare graduates for careers. This study tested two NACM scoring models—a five-factor model and a bifactor model—and evaluated whether results were consistent across first-generation and non-first-generation alumni. Findings supported the simpler five-factor model (i.e., support for computing five subscale scores), suggested removing a problematic item, and showed that the survey functioned consistently across groups. These findings provide the first peer-reviewed guidance on NACM scoring and support the use of subscale comparisons to inform student career development efforts.