Student Outcomes

Customized learning and possible career trajectories based on an individual's interests are key benefits of interdisciplinary study.  Given that breadth and depth, MACSS graduates accept positions across a diversity of positions, organizations, and industries.

MACSS places more graduates in data and research, in both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, than any other field. In a survey of the Class of 2023, with 84% responding, 98% of those graduates accepted full or part-time employment or were accepted into doctoral programs within 9 months of graduation. 

PhD Outcomes

MACSS was launched in 2016, and we first began placing our graduates for the PhD in 2017.

Overall, 48 of 52 (92.3%) MACSS applicants have been accepted for the PhD with full funding. On average, our students received 3 PhD offers each. 9 students were accepted at the University of Chicago for PhD study.

In Economics, 10 of 17 applicants were accepted for the PhD, at University of Texas (Austin), University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), University of Illinois (Chicago), HEC Paris, University of California (Los Angeles), University of Michigan, University of California (Santa Barbara), University of Pittsburgh, University of Washington (Seattle), University of Notre Dame, Boston College, University of Chicago, Harvard University, Northwestern University, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin (Madison), University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), University of Rochester, University of Pennsylvania, University of California (San Diego), Cornell University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, Penn State, CEMFI, Columbia University, Princeton University, Boston University, and University of Toronto.

In Political Science, 4 of 4 applicants were accepted for the PhD, at Penn State, Princeton University, Stanford University, Yale University, University of California (San Diego), University of Pennsylvania, Emory University, University of Rochester, Washington University in St. Louis, Rice University, University of Toronto, and University of Iowa.

In Psychology, 5 of 5 applicants were accepted for the PhD, at Duke University, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt University, Yale University, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Western Ontario.

In Sociology, 8 of 12 applicants were accepted for the PhD, at University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, SUNY Albany, University of New Mexico, Rutgers University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), University of Washington (Seattle), University of Oregon, Cornell University, Duke University, Emory University.

In Business, 17 of 20 applicants were accepted for the PhD, at New York University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of California (Los Angeles), University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), MIT, University of Michigan, Cornell University, University of California (Berkeley), University of Minnesota, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), University of Utah, University of Notre Dame, Arizona State University, University of Western Ontario, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston University, Stanford University, Harvard University, University College London, Imperial Business School, University of California (San Diego), INSEAD, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, Columbia University, University of Texas (Austin), University of Washington (Seattle), and London Business School.

In other disciplines, 15 MACSS graduates were accepted for the PhD in Communication (University of Pennsylvania), Technology and Social Behavior (Northwestern University), Computer Science (University of Toronto, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Lausanne, University College London, Northwestern University, Boston University), Criminology (University of Pennsylvania, University of California (Irvine), University of Maryland, University of Illinois (Chicago)), Information Science (Cornell University, University of Washington (Seattle), Indiana University (Bloomington)), Network Science (Northeastern University), Education Policy (University of Wisconsin), Media Technology and Society (Northwestern University), Sustainable Development (Columbia University), and Public Policy (Cornell University).

Professional Outcomes

This list is a comprehensive look at all the organizations that hired MACSS graduates for roles upon graduation from 2018-2023. It is organized by most common industries, and the “Other” categorization captures companies that do not fall into one of the other fields.

Students seeking employment are always encouraged to visit the SSD MA Career Resources Website, where you can find various Career Guides and Employers by Industry lists that compile top employers from a variety of fields. 

Becker Friedman Institute, Center for Data Spatial Science, Columbia University, Duke University, Energy Policy Institute, George Washington University, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, International Innovation Corps, Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Business, New York University Stern School of Business, Northwestern University, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Princeton University, Sciences Po, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Tobin Center, University of British Columbia, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Chicago, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, University of Chicago Harris School for Public Policy, Urban Institute, Urban Labs, Yale University.

See: Introduction to UX Career GuideMarket Research Career GuideUChicago GRAD Academic Career Guide

Blueprints Lab, Boston Consulting Group, Charles River Associates, Circana, Cornerstone Research, Guidehouse, McKinsey & Company, MGT, RCF Economic and Financial Consulting Inc.

See: Political Risk Consulting Career GuideUChicago GRAD Management Consulting Career Guide

Accenture, Amazon, Apple, Astellas Pharma Inc., BDA, Cockroach Labs, Comscore, Crowe, Decode_M, Fair Health, Haver Analytics, Holistic Index, Intelligent Automation Corp, IRI, Microsoft, Oracle, Stax, TransUnion, Walmart, Women in Machine Learning and Data Science. 

See: Business Analytics Career GuideData Science Career Guide

AIG, Baker Tilly, BBR Partners LLC, Capital One, China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation, CITIC Capital, Community Loans of American, GF Holdings Corporation Ltd., Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Huaxia Bank, Invesco, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, Ovata Capital, Voya Financial. 

AbbVie, Alibaba Group, Amazon, ByteDance, China Telecom Corp., Chowbus, Epic Systems, Etsy, Facebook, Google, LeaseLock, Meta, Morningstar, MultiMediaLLC, Pactiv Evergreen, PayPal, Pinecone Tech Solutions, RX Live, UpContent, Wayfair, Wish, X. 

Agoda, Bertelsmann SE &Co. KGaA, Choice Hotels International, Cook County Government, Department for International Trade U.K., FexEx, Global Youth Mentorship Program, Health Care Service Corporation, Keller Postman LLC., LEAP Innovations, Library of Congress, Maisonette, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Nordstrom, Proctor & Gamble, REMI, Samsung Life Insurance, The Nature Conservancy, Translators without Borders, U.S. Forest Service, Zurich North America.