Life After the Grind: Life Beyond Graduation for Division I Athletes
A Pew Research Center study found that three in every five (62%) Americans watch college sports. These games and events are often brought up in casual conversation. Sport fans know athletes by their names and follow their professional and personal life closely, much like how international fans would with professional players. At times, it even seems as though these players have become celebrities as they get featured on ads and create their own brands. People watch NCAA sports like they are professional teams but in reality only 2% of D1 athletes move up to that level.
This may seem diabolical to those who consistently watch collegiate sports teams as their level resembles those of pro athletes. many athletes themselves think that they have a higher chance of playing after graduation than they do. According to a 2019 NCAA survey, a large amount of the D1 community, more than 22,000, stated that they thought they are "somewhat likely" to continue their athletic career and eventually play in the Olympics. This is clearly unrealistic as a very low number of them will actual go on to do so. Mens basketball and hockey had the largest amount of players who responded in this manner with the ratio being every three out of four. In fact athletes that come from minorities or families form lower incomes often base their whole lives on the lie that they will most likely go pro.
Shaun Harper, a DEI scholar in USC conducted a study in 2018 that found that Black men are constantly encouraged by fans and the media to continue their careers. The results explain how overly represented Black athletes are, completing 56% of men's basketball teams and 55% in football while making around 2 percent of undergraduate class. The study includes a caution from Harper that states "I advise Black male student-athletes and their families to resist the seductive lure of choosing a university because it appears to be a promising gateway to careers in professional sports. It can be for a very small number of student athletes, but not for the overwhelming majority."
So if college players do not continue their lives as athletes, what do they go pro in? Athletes now a days constantly need to keep their academics in check for the after graduation part of their lives. Numbers show how players give value to education, as well. A 2024 article by NCAA states that the overall graduation rate for D1 athletes was currently at a 91% rate, a very impressive increase from the 74% in 2002. Specific ethnicities with jumps such as this one can be found in the Black (56% to 82%) ans Hispanic/Latino (64% to 89%) communities. Sports with major increase are baseball (66% to 91%), men's wrestling (61% to 88%), and men's basketball (56% to 87%). A notable observation is that women's sports have also risen but were already extremely high in the beginning. Women's basketball's initial graduation rate of 80%, now increased to 93%, serves as an example. Comparing all women's and men's sports' overall minimum graduation rate also shows this gap as women's stand at 92% while men at 80%. The gap decreases when the maximum's are compared; women at a 99% and men at 95%.
Majors that are often pursued by college D1 athletes include business, social sciences, communications, media studies, education, and healthcare. because of its career opportunities and flexibility business is selected by around 26% of the higher level collegiate athletes. It is followed by a 13% in social sciences such as psychology, sociology, and political science. STEM is considered one of the least favorable majors, although it would not necessarily be considered rare.
So if you are wondering where to find your favorite college athlete it is more than possible to see them at a local business. And if you are planning to be an athlete yourself take this as a reminder to always keep your academics strong.
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