Measuring ROI in Career Services: A Data-Driven Approach

Career services deliver significant value to organizations, but demonstrating that value can be challenging. This whitepaper provides a framework for calculating and communicating the return on investment of career development programs.

Whether you're seeking budget approval, justifying existing investments, or optimizing resource allocation, understanding ROI is essential.

Accurate ROI calculation starts with understanding true costs. This includes direct costs like staff salaries, technology, and facilities, as well as indirect costs like administrative overhead and opportunity costs.

We provide templates and guidance for comprehensive cost accounting.

Career services generate both tangible and intangible benefits. Tangible benefits include improved employment rates, higher salaries, and reduced time to employment. Intangible benefits include improved satisfaction, reputation, and alumni engagement.

We provide methods for quantifying both types of benefits.

With costs and benefits quantified, calculating ROI is straightforward. But the real challenge is communicating results effectively to different stakeholders. We provide guidance on tailoring your ROI story for executives, boards, funders, and other audiences.

Regular reporting and continuous improvement are key to maximizing long-term ROI.