Executive Summary (DATA)

Walden University, one of the leading providers of online education, has released updated information that tracks its students and alumni, their opinions of the university, and their eventual outcomes. The project, Demonstrating Accountability, Transparency, and Assessment (DATA), provides detailed information about Walden’s students as well as student learning, student and alumni satisfaction, and the social impact of students and alumni in their communities and workplaces.

DATA is part of Walden’s ongoing commitment to communicate information about who its students are, what they are expected to learn at Walden, and how they are applying this knowledge to advance their careers and effect positive social change. The following information is a snapshot of the larger project that can be found in full at www.WaldenU.edu/DATA.

Demographics: Women are leading the way. According to survey respondents, Walden’s total student population is more than three-quarters female (76.6%), with women representing 75.2% of students in undergraduate programs. Walden graduate students are 41.3% black, 37.9% white, and 5.7% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, while 43.3% of undergraduates are white, 34.2% are black, and 7.8% are Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Walden students continue to be most heavily represented in the 30–39 age demographic (34.9%), followed by those ages 40–49 (28.4%), but there is also significant representation among those ages 25–29 (14.4%) and 50–64 (17%).

Walden students are satisfied with the university. More than eight out of 10 (88%) Walden students who responded to our survey are satisfied with Walden. In addition, a majority of Walden international students (90%) are satisfied with Walden, according to survey results.

They’re developing skills and achieving. Alumni who participated in our survey assessed themselves on a variety of skill sets before and after their Walden experiences. Self-ratings differed at a statistically significant level, showing improvements on skills, most prominently in oral communication, teamwork, working well with diverse populations, critical thinking skills, and using ethical standards in their field.

They’re prepared: Walden alumni report a direct impact on their careers. More than eight out of 10 (84%) alumni survey respondents report that their Walden degree enhanced their professional performance.

Walden alumni are effecting positive social change. Part of Walden’s mission is to provide a diverse community of career professionals with the opportunity to transform themselves as scholar-practitioners so they can effect positive social change. The majority of Walden alumni survey respondents (79%) report that Walden has helped them effect social change to a very great, great, or moderate extent. Walden alumni who responded to our survey also have a 67% average rate of volunteerism.

Updated March 2021