Managers who directly supervise University of Phoenix graduates report strong satisfaction, performance and willingness to hire degree holders again, according to new research conducted by The Harris Poll for the university.
Employer expectations are putting greater emphasis on what workers can do with their education, rather than simply where they earned a degree. New research from The Harris Poll, conducted on behalf of University of Phoenix, offers one measure of that relationship by examining the experiences of managers who directly supervise the university’s graduates.
The survey found that 98% of managers supervising at least one University of Phoenix graduate are satisfied overall with that employee, while 97% say they are likely to hire someone with a University of Phoenix degree in the future.
The online survey was conducted from June 4–25, 2026, among 204 U.S. managers who supervise at least one University of Phoenix graduate and another 204 managers who supervise graduates from other colleges and universities.
The results are notable because they focus on direct workplace experience rather than general perceptions of the institution. At the same time, the findings should not be interpreted as a controlled comparison of individual graduates or colleges.
Employer perceptions favor workplace performance
Managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates reported consistently positive assessments across several measures.
Ninety-eight percent said they had a positive perception of University of Phoenix graduates at their organization, while 94% rated the graduates they supervised as excellent or above-average performers.
The corresponding figures among managers supervising graduates from the survey’s benchmark group were 88% for positive perception and 79% for excellent or above-average performance.
Overall employee satisfaction also showed a gap between the two groups. Ninety-eight percent of managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates reported satisfaction, compared with 90% among managers supervising graduates from other colleges and universities.
Those differences provide an interesting data point for the broader debate over how employers evaluate college credentials. However, because the research measures two groups of managers rather than randomly assigning or otherwise controlling for employee characteristics, the results cannot establish that a University of Phoenix degree itself caused the differences.
For HR leaders, that distinction matters as companies increasingly use skills, experience and demonstrated performance alongside traditional educational credentials when evaluating candidates.
Hiring decisions increasingly connect education with skills
The strongest signal for recruitment may be the survey’s question about future hiring.
Among managers currently supervising University of Phoenix graduates, 97% said they were likely to hire someone with a University of Phoenix degree in the future.
That figure suggests that positive workplace experiences can influence how managers view a credential when considering future candidates. In practical terms, a degree’s perceived value may increasingly depend on whether employers believe graduates arrive with skills that can be applied immediately and developed over time.
This is particularly relevant as organizations adopt skills-based hiring practices. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, employers expect 39% of workers’ existing skill sets to be transformed or become outdated between 2025 and 2030. The report also identifies skills gaps as a major barrier to business transformation.
That environment puts pressure on higher education providers to demonstrate how academic programs translate into workplace capabilities.
The rise of career-focused education
University of Phoenix has positioned its degree programs around working adults and career-relevant education. The institution says its associate, bachelor’s and master’s programs incorporate skills through skills-mapped curricula, while faculty bring professional experience and practical perspectives into instruction.
That model reflects a broader transformation in higher education, where online learning, employer partnerships, microcredentials and skills-based education are increasingly being used to connect education with labor-market needs.
For HR departments, the development has implications beyond candidate screening. As skills change more quickly, employers may increasingly need to evaluate whether education providers are helping workers acquire adaptable capabilities rather than treating a degree as a static qualification.
The University of Phoenix survey provides one perspective on that question, based on managers’ reported experiences with graduates already in their organizations.
What the findings mean for HR teams
The findings reinforce the importance of looking at education credentials in the context of actual workplace performance.
A degree can help establish a candidate’s educational background, but HR teams still need to assess technical capabilities, communication, problem-solving, experience and role-specific skills. Employer satisfaction data can provide additional context, but it should not replace structured hiring criteria.
For education providers, meanwhile, the results highlight the importance of demonstrating career outcomes and employer relevance. As competition grows across traditional universities, online institutions and alternative credential providers, evidence of workplace application could become an increasingly important differentiator.
University of Phoenix plans to release additional research examining job readiness, applied workplace skills, trusted contribution and workforce alignment.
The broader issue extends beyond one institution. As employers confront changing skill requirements, the relationship between higher education and employment is becoming more measurable—and more important to HR decision-making.
4. Market Landscape
The higher education and HR technology markets are increasingly converging around skills-based hiring, workforce readiness, employee development and skills intelligence.
Employers are moving toward more granular assessments of what candidates can do, while education providers are under pressure to demonstrate how programs translate into employable capabilities. HRTech platforms can support this shift through skills taxonomies, talent intelligence, learning management and internal mobility tools.
The World Economic Forum’s 2025 research underscores the scale of the challenge, with employers anticipating substantial changes in worker skill requirements through 2030.
5. Top Insights
- Ninety-eight percent of surveyed managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates report satisfaction with the employees they currently supervise.
- Ninety-four percent rate University of Phoenix graduates they supervise as excellent or above-average performers in the workplace.
- Ninety-seven percent of managers supervising University of Phoenix graduates say they are likely to hire someone with the degree again.
- The findings highlight how direct workplace performance can influence employer perceptions of education credentials and future hiring decisions.
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