As the cost of college rises and policy shifts reshape state and federal funding, more students and families are asking a tough but fair question: Is college still worth it?
At the same time, institutions are facing pressure to prove return on investment—to show how academic programs connect to meaningful careers, in industries that are growing and hiring.
The good news? Career services teams are in a powerful position to help answer that question and rebuild confidence in the value of a degree.
That’s where Career Intelligence Data comes in.
Powered by Labor Market Insights (LMI) and Outcomes Data Visualization (ODV) modules, Career Intelligence Data gives students and families clear, relevant, and real-time information about career pathways and outcomes—specific to your institution’s programs and graduates. And with tools like LMI and ODV, it’s easier than ever to deliver this data when students, families, and advisors need it.
Here are five ways Career Intelligence Data helps students and families feel informed, confident, and set up for long-term success.
1. Delivers easy-to-access, easy-to-understand insights in seconds
Students don’t have time to sift through outdated spreadsheets, complex databases, or vague career blogs. They need answers and they need them fast.
With Career Intelligence Data, students get instant access to real-time labor market trends and alumni outcomes through intuitive, self-serve tools—no digging or guesswork is required. Whether embedded in advising materials, academic pages, or your Virtual Career Center, the data is right where they need it.
They can see:
- What employers are hiring now
- What industries are growing in their region
- What skills are in demand
- Where graduates from their major are landing jobs
It’s the kind of clarity that helps students plan with purpose and helps families feel confident in the investment they’re making.
2. Supports career exploration from day one
Students shouldn’t wait until junior year to start thinking about careers. With Career Intelligence Data embedded across your institution’s digital career ecosystem they can explore job paths, industries, and opportunities early and often, based on data—not assumptions.
Whether a student is choosing a major or changing direction, they’ll have insight at their fingertips to make informed, confident decisions.
3. Empowers students to evaluate ROI for themselves
Families want to know: Will this degree pay off?
And students want to know: Is this path right for me?
With the right data tools in place, you can help them answer both. Students can:
- Search for real jobs based on skills or interests they already have
- Explore career trajectories tied to industries aligned with their intended major
- Compare salary ranges and hiring demand across different roles
- See where recent alumni from their program have landed jobs
Unlike generic rankings or anecdotal advice, Career Intelligence Data offers clear, credible ROI insight grounded in your institution’s outcomes and real-time labor market trends.
4. Reduces reliance on “questionable” sources
Let’s be real: students are already Googling career advice. They’re turning to influencers, Reddit threads, and AI chatbots—often without context, support, or real connection to their academic path.
Career Intelligence Data equips your institution to be the trusted source of career guidance—backed by real-time labor market signals and outcomes from your own grads. When this data is embedded into the platforms students already use—like academic websites, advising tools, or your Virtual Career Center—they don’t need to go searching elsewhere.
5. Creates a consistent message across campus
When faculty, advisors, admissions teams, and even parents have access to the same set of labor and outcomes data, it reinforces trust and clarity for students. Everyone is speaking the same language and pointing to the same sources of truth.
That kind of alignment builds student confidence, improves decision-making, and positions your institution as a transparent, outcomes-focused leader.
Proving the promise of higher education
Students and families are making high-stakes decisions. They’re asking for clarity, confidence, and proof of success.
Career Intelligence Data delivers exactly that—when it’s accessible, embedded, and aligned with your institution’s programs and mission.
Institutions like Wentworth Institute of Technology are already doing this well, embedding Career Intelligence Data into academic and career content so students can clearly see the opportunities tied to their degree. Check out one of their career path pages to see how LMI and ODV bring data-driven confidence to the student journey.
Want to dive deeper? Download the full guide to learn how to bring Career Intelligence Data to life at your institution.
