Would managers recommend University of Phoenix graduates for greater responsibility? Harris Poll finds 96% say yes

95% of managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates also report high potential for advancement or promotion

PHOENIX, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New research conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix finds that managers who directly supervise University of Phoenix graduates report high levels of confidence in their potential to take on greater responsibilities. Ninety-six percent of managers supervising at least one University of Phoenix graduate agree they would recommend them for greater responsibility, while 95% say graduates have very or somewhat high potential for advancement or promotion. Additionally, 93% agree that University of Phoenix graduates generally demonstrate qualities they would like to see more broadly across their workforce.

The findings provide a view of how managers assess the contributions and potential of college graduates based on direct supervisory experience while employers are placing growing emphasis on leadership, adaptability and continued learning. According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, 61% of surveyed employers globally identify leadership and social influence as core workforce skills, while curiosity and lifelong learning are also among the capabilities employers consider important. The Harris Poll findings provide a view of how managers assess related qualities among University of Phoenix graduates they directly supervise.

What qualities do managers observe in University of Phoenix graduates?

Managers assess employee contributions through more than individual job performance. Taking on greater responsibility can also involve demonstrating initiative, sharing expertise, collaborating with colleagues and responding effectively to feedback.

The survey finds managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates report positive assessments across these workplace behaviors:

• 99% say colleagues or supervisors seek graduates' input because of their expertise or training at least sometimes
• 94% agree graduates show initiative and accountability
• 94% agree graduates contribute positively to team morale and collaboration
• 93% agree graduates generally demonstrate qualities they would like to see more broadly across their workforce
• 91% agree graduates handle feedback well and use it to improve their performance

"Taking on greater responsibility involves more than technical knowledge. It requires initiative, accountability, an ability to collaborate with others and a willingness to learn from feedback," said John Woods, Ph.D., provost and chief academic officer of University of Phoenix. "What makes these findings meaningful is that they reflect the perspectives of managers who directly supervise our graduates. Their feedback, that 93% agree that University of Phoenix graduates generally demonstrate qualities they would like to see more broadly across their workforce, shows employers recognize our graduates' skills."

How managers' assessments of future potential compare

The study also surveyed managers supervising graduates from benchmark colleges and universities, providing additional context for how managers assess workplace contributions and potential for greater responsibility.

Recognizing potential as workplace responsibilities evolve

The findings offer another perspective on the value of continued professional development, including the importance of applying expertise, collaborating with others and using feedback to improve performance.

University of Phoenix focuses on career-relevant education designed around the realities of working adults. Associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs incorporate career-relevant skills through skills-mapped curricula, helping learners identify and develop skills throughout their coursework. University faculty also bring professional experience and practical perspectives to the classroom.

These institutional practices provide context for the University's approach to connecting education with workplace needs, while the employer survey separately measures managers' reported experiences supervising University of Phoenix graduates.

What employers say about University of Phoenix graduates

The findings build on earlier announcements from the Harris Poll employer survey examining graduate performance, workplace readiness and employer confidence.

The first survey announcement shared that 98% of managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates report overall satisfaction with the employee at their organization, while 97% say they are likely to hire someone with a University of Phoenix degree in the future.

The second survey announcement reported on workplace readiness and applied skills, sharing that 90% of managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates describe them as extremely or very prepared to perform their responsibilities.

Additional findings and the complete survey methodology are available at https://www.phoenix.edu/about/employer-survey.html.

About the research

The research was conducted online in the United States from June 4–25, 2026, by The Harris Poll on behalf of University of Phoenix among 204 U.S. adults age 21 or older who are employed as a manager or higher and have at least one direct report who is a graduate of University of Phoenix ("managers who currently supervise University of Phoenix graduates") and 204 U.S. adults age 21 or older who are employed as a manager or higher and have at least one direct report with college/university degrees from institutions other than University of Phoenix ("managers supervising graduates from benchmark colleges and universities").  Of the 1796 individuals contacted, 96% satisfied the screening requirements (n=1728) and 24% of the qualified sample completed the survey.

Data are weighted where necessary by employee and employer type — employers of University of Phoenix graduates versus employers of graduates of other colleges and universities — to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. "Actual proportions" refer to the real-world distribution of U.S. employers by company size, among employers with two or more employees, based on Dun & Bradstreet data. All qualified survey respondents were weighted to match the national distribution of employer-size segments, and those same weights were applied to the final qualified sample, adjusting the two quota groups to reflect their expected real-world incidence.

The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within ±8.6 percentage points for managers who currently supervise University of Phoenix graduates and ±8.0 percentage points for managers supervising graduates from benchmark colleges and universities, using a 95% confidence level. The credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed populations of interest.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is Built for Real Life. 50 Years Strong. The University innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world through flexible online learning, relevant courses, academic AI pillars, and skills-mapped curriculum for associate, bachelor's and master's degree programs. Active students and alumni have access to Career Services for Life® resources including career guidance and tools. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. 

MEDIA CONTACT
Sharla Hooper
University of Phoenix
[email protected]

SOURCE University of Phoenix