BR Area Chamber: STEM Grads Leaving the State

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In the 2020-2021 academic year, Louisiana State University awarded 921 baccalaureate degrees in engineering. Based on historical data, it’s estimated that just 553 of these students (roughly 59%) will still live and work in Louisiana one year after graduation. Five years after graduation it’s estimated that 544 of these graduates will remain in-state, and roughly 512 will remain 10 years after walking across the stage.

Louisiana universities produce high-quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) talent. According to data from the National Science Foundation, the state produced more science and engineering graduates in 2018 than 20 other states, including regional competitors like Arkansas and Mississippi. However, much of this talent is leaving Louisiana after graduation.

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According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5.7% of the Baton Rouge metro’s labor force is employed in a STEM occupation. This figure is above the national median of 4.1% and similar to peer metros like Birmingham (5.7%), Greenville (5.6%), and Little Rock (5.6%). Annual median earnings for these occupations in Baton Rouge are also comparable with these other metros. Demand for STEM occupations remains strong – labor analytics firm EMSI estimates that there were 2,800 unique job postings for STEM occupations in December, accounting for 9.7% of all job postings in the Capital Region that month.

Despite the strong demand for STEM talent, Louisiana is having a tough time retaining these graduates.

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Programs at LSU for which the percentage of graduates who remained in Louisiana was equal to or lower than 60% and, for Southern, equal to or lower than 40%.

We found that at LSU, five of the nine programs with the highest percentage of graduates leaving the state are largely STEM-based programs. At Southern, four of the seven programs are STEM programs. Some of these figures are particularly worrying: Louisiana is losing more than half of the computer and information science graduates produced by major four-year institutions in Baton Rouge.

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Retaining more STEM graduates in the Capital Region who are produced by Louisiana’s state institutions will require continued funding and perseverance in addressing many of the quality-of-life issues present in Baton Rouge. Expanding the quality and quantity of recreational opportunities, developing truly walkable communities, addressing public safety concerns, and increasing the availability of affordable quality housing options will help keep our young talent here.

Louisiana may not be able to offer the Pacific Northwest climate desired by many STEM emigrates; however, our state can continue to work with local governments and civic institutions to implement plans that address key quality-of-life issues and create a more attractive Louisiana.

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