(POMONA, Calif.) – The California State University graduation rates have increased 4.4 percent during the 2005-06 academic school year with more than 87,000 students receiving CSU degrees.

According to the recent statistical reports on the Cal State Web site, graduates are earning degrees in fields that are beneficial to California’s developing economy. There were 2,500 more bachelor’s degrees awarded in 2005-06 than in the 2004-05 school year. Approximately 60 percent of the bachelor’s degrees and 63 percent of the master’s degrees were awarded to women.

“I hope it’s due to a greater number [of students] enrolling and graduating,” said Milton Randle, director of Maximizing Engineering Potential.

The Cal State statistics also reported that the graduation rates for all ethnicities have increased. This past school year’s graduates had the largest increase in Asian Americans and Latinos. These statistics reportedly mirror the ethnic students in CSU to the demographics of our state.

“I think that there are more resources available and there is more of an acceptance of minorities” said Oronne Wami, president of the African American Student Union and fourth-year psychology student. The CSU says its graduates are highly trained in the fields they pursue.

“That’s what we represent,” said Randle. “The ability to enroll students to graduate and obtain careers in those fields.”

Some people consider what type of impact the graduation rates would have on the employment rate.

“I think that it will have a negative effect because many jobs are either going overseas or machines are doing the jobs now,” said Bruce Jackson, a fifth-year sociology student. “People will have a tougher time getting certain jobs in the future.”

With more people graduating and receiving higher degrees the question then becomes, will they be able to obtain a career in the field they studied? “I cannot speak on other fields, but I know students in the engineering major will get hired,” said Randle. “The engineering employment levels do have an impact.”

According to the CSU Web site, one out of five graduating students earns his or her bachelor’s degree in business and management fields, making them the largest majors. While one out of every eight students continues studying for his or her master’s degree in a business field, the most popular graduate field of study is education.

Approximately one-third of all degrees awarded were received by students between the ages of 25 and 29, reflecting the new trend of older students entering the CSU system. These reports are based on data submitted by CSU campuses in Enrollment Reporting System-Degrees systems.

“Presumably, if more people enroll, they will graduate,” said Randle. “There seems to be a growing trend in women in higher studies.” Because the CSU receives so many questions regarding the graduation rates, it has developed a FAQ page on its Web site with their replies to the most commonly asked questions called “A Primer for Understanding Graduation Rates at The California State University.”