Career Services

Events & Programs
Career Counseling
Job & Internship Search Tools
Mentoring & Networking
Resource Library
Life After Luskin

Events and Programs

UCLA Luskin Career Services offers programs and resources that are tailored to areas of interest within the fields of Public Policy, Social Welfare, and Urban Planning. Please see below for our upcoming workshops and additional information about the workshops we offer every academic year. If you are interested in more general career services topics (e.g. resume & cover letter workshops, LinkedIn workshops), please see the workshops held by UCLA’s Central Career Center.

Upcoming Luskin Professional Development Events and Workshops

Visit CareerHub for more information and to RSVP.

Luskin Day at City Hall Info Session, 11/19/2025, 12-1pm

Winter Quarter career development workshops will be posted in December.

UCLA Luskin Career Center Workshops Info

Alumni Career Panels (1x/quarter)

We invite Social Work, Urban Planning, and Public Policy alumni to speak with current students about their career trajectories and the processes involved when applying for public and private sector positions.

Career & Internship Fair (2x/year)

Typically held in Fall and Spring quarters, we invite 40-60 employers to come discuss their graduate-level internships and opportunities post graduation exclusively with UCLA Luskin graduate students.

Career Planning and Management Course: M297F (1x/year)

A 2-unit graduate level course that covers professional branding, job search strategies, networking, and interviewing all with a public affairs lens and is typically offered in fall quarter.

City Hall Day

Each year, a City Hall legislator hosts UCLA Luskin graduate students to study an urban social policy issue important to his/her constituents. The purpose of this event, co-sponsored by UCLA’s Office of Local Government Relations, is to promote careers in politics and public service as well as to engage UCLA with local government.

Conference of Mayors

Recipients of the Bohnett Fellowship are invited to participate in the annual United States Conference of Mayors’ Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C.

DEI in Career Development workshops (1x/quarter)

We partner with D3 initiative to offer culturally responsive career development workshops. (e.g. salary negotiations as a woman of color, navigating the workplace as a first generation professional, etc.)

Employer Information Sessions (4x/year)

Organizations and agencies that are of interest to our graduate students are invited to campus to talk about internship and career opportunities.

Intro to Networking with Employers & Luskin Alumni: Ca (2x/year)

These workshops shed light on best practices to network in in-person and virtual situations including networking events, career fairs, LinkedIn, and more!

LinkedIn Headshots (1x/year)

We host a professional photographer to take our graduate students’ photos to use for their LinkedIn profiles and for graduate student research presenters to use at professional conferences, symposia, etc.

Professional Development Certifications, Societies and Pipelining Programs (1x/quarter)

Student learn about opportunities for post graduate fellowships and certifications.

Senior Fellows Tea (1x/year)

The kick-off to the Senior Fellows mentoring program- the premiere mentoring program connecting UCLA Luskin graduate students to executive-level professionals in the public affairs field. This occurs in Fall Quarter.

Yearlong & Summer Fellowship Information Sessions (2x/year)

Students will learn about yearlong fellowship opportunities (Bohnett Fellowships & Office of Child Protection) summer internship and fellowship funding opportunities, including the Michael S. Dukakis Internship, Public Service Fellowship, Liberty Hill Foundation Fellowship, Climate Resolve Internship, and the US Conference of Mayors Fellowship.

Leadership in Public Affairs Graduate Certificate of Completion

The Leadership in Public Affairs Graduate Certificate of Completion is comprised of intentionally curated OSAAR and school-wide events and programs that are designed to enable Luskin Graduate Students to:

Network with employers, staff, faculty, and Luskin Alumni,
Enhance competencies in diversity, equity, and inclusion,
Augment understanding of the issues and opportunities that exist in the Public Affairs sphere, and
Actively engage with the Luskin’s cutting-edge research, resources, and services

In order to obtain the certificate of completion, students must complete the requirements by Friday of Week 7 of the student’s graduating quarter. Students will attend 14 events and programs from different categories.

**If you attend an event and do not sign in to record your attendance, we will be unable to count the event towards your certificate progress. Please make sure to sign in at every event you attend.**

Criteria

1 LinkedIn Photos Event OR Intro to Networking/UCLA ONE Session
1 Luskin Academic Career Course (M297F OR 291A)
1 Luskin Sacramento Briefing OR participation in Luskin Senior Fellows Program
1 Luskin Career Fair OR 1 OSAAR Career Tour
1 City Hall Day OR Luskin Summit
1 Luskin Lecture
1 Senior Fellows Lecture OR Fellowship Info Session
2 OSAAR Employer Info Sessions
2 OSAAR Alumni Panels
1 Luskin D3 Event
2 OSAAR Student Support/Wellness Events

Certificate Perks

Students who complete the Luskin Leadership Development Certificate of Completion will receive:

A physical certificate,
Notation in the Luskin commencement program,
A LinkedIn certification, and
An exclusive Luskin swag item

FAQS

How do I find out about these events?

All events will be advertised in the OSAAR weekly newsletter and you can find and RSVP for most events on CareerHub. Schoolwide events such as D3 events, Luskin Summit, and Luskin Lectures can be found on the main Events calendar: https://luskin.ucla.edu/events.

How do I get credit for attending a workshop?

Students must sign in to receive credit for the workshop towards their certificate of completion. There is a 15-minute grace period at the beginning and end of the workshop. If a student arrives after or leaves before the 15-minute grace period, their attendance for that workshop will not count towards the certificate of completion.

How do I check on my progress towards the certificate?

Please email our office at careerservices@luskin.ucla.edu.

Are event/program substitutions accepted?

No.

UCLA Central Career Center Events & Programs

UCLA Central Career Center Events

Luskin Graduate Students may also attend events from the UCLA Career Center. They host events specifically for Masters Students and PhD/Doctoral Students. These tend to cover generalist topics from resume/cover letter to interview strategies; salary negotiations to “how to best use your first 90 days on the job.” To view their upcoming events and to register please visit: https://career.ucla.edu/events

Additional UCLA Luskin events and programs

To view other events hosted by other UCLA Luskin departments that may be of interest, please visit: https://luskin.ucla.edu/events

Career Counseling

Appointments

Make a 30- or 45-minute appointment with a Luskin Career Counselor for Public Affairs-specific guidance on your career and internship search, in-person and digital branding (including elevator pitch, resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn), networking, offer negotiation, and other career-related topics. If you are interested in an appointment to discuss your resume, we highly recommend first using UCLA’s VMock prior to your appointment.

VMock will offer preliminary suggestions on your resume so we are able maximize your career counseling appointment to take your resume to the next level.

Please attach your resume to your appointment in CareerHub. If you choose to make an appointment first and email your resume later, please do so no later than 24 hours in advance of your appointment so that we have ample time to provide intentional feedback on your resume.

If you do not send us your resume in advance to your appointment, we will cancel your appointment and ask you to reschedule at a later time.

To sign up for a career counseling appointment with either career counselor, follow the instructions below:

Login to CareerHub.
Click “Appointments” on the left-hand navigation bar.
You are assigned a Career Counselor based on your last name to ensure an equitable caseload.
Select a time block that has your preferred time in it, which works for your schedule.
Click “Book Appointment” and you’ll be prompted to select the appointment type, select the time, and attach any relevant documents (resume/cover letter) directly to the appointment.

Note: Appointment availability is updated on CareerHub one week prior to the beginning of the subsequent academic quarter.

If you want us to conduct a secondary review of your resume or cover letter after your career counseling appointment with us, you are welcome to make a follow-up appointment with us OR you can email us your updated resume or cover letter with the incorporated edits from our first appointment. We will provide our feedback on your updated resume via email within three business days.

UCLA VMock

What is VMock?

VMock is a 24-7 online resume review tool
Leverages data science, machine learning, natural language processing, criteria gathered from employers to provide instant personalized feedback on your resume
The system analyzes three areas – impact, presentation, and soft skills and offers feedback on highlighted areas to help make your resume stronger
Use the SMART Resume Editor to build a resume from scratch, or to edit a resume after receiving feedback. This feature is recommended only for those who are at the beginning stages of resume development

Why use VMock?

Receive an aggregate resume score to assess the strengths of your resume benchmarked against your own UCLA peer group
Improve the overall content of your resume with actionable and targeted bullet-by-bullet feedback

Additional Information on VMock

Focus on the feedback, not the score your resume is given. While the system will help you develop your resume with concrete feedback, the scoring is subjective
Students have 10 opportunities to upload a resume or rescore a resume each academic year
VMock is only able to process PDF files that were created using conventional word processing applications such as Microsoft Word

Job and Internship Search

Luskin CareerHub

CareerHub is Luskin’s career management system. You will find internship and job opportunities specifically for Public Affairs graduate students. You can also register for workshops and programs in CareerHub.

UCLA Handshake

Handshake is UCLA’s campus-wide platform that connects Bruins with internships, jobs and career opportunities. Use Handshake to find workshops, events, other career development programs hosted by the UCLA Career Center and to schedule counseling appointments with Career Center advisors.

Fellowships & Internship Funding

Visit our comprehensive Fellowships & Internship Funding page for more information on academic and professional Fellowships. This includes post-graduate full-time opportunities.

Public Job/Internship Search Databases

For a comprehensive list of search databases and tools grouped by geographic area and industry, Luskin graduate students and alumni can access our resource page through BruinLearn. Alumni who graduated prior to Fall 2023 can self-enroll for the page here.

Sample of Past Internship Sites

Career Exploration and Planning Tools

For a comprehensive list of planning tools and assessments, Luskin graduate students and alumni can access our resource page through BruinLearn. Alumni who graduated prior to Fall 2023 can self-enroll for the page here.

Working at UCLA

Graduate programs at UCLA offer employment opportunities to graduate students including teaching and research assistantships. Additional work resources are available here, such as special readers, departmental scholars, postdocs, and internships.

Mentoring and Networking Opportunities

Senior Fellows Program

Then, Congresswomen Karen Bass with her then mentee, Veronica Calkins (MSW candidate in 2015).

The Senior Fellows Program is the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs’ premier mentorship and networking program. Established in 1997, the Senior Fellows Program connects current graduate students in the Public Policy, Social Welfare, and Urban Planning masters programs to prominent community, government, and business leaders in the public service arena. These influential executive-level professionals provide graduate students with: industry-specific guidance on preparing for a career in public service, an expanded professional network, access to professional spaces they may not have otherwise had access to, and opportunities to apply, synthesize, and critique the theory they learn in the classroom to the real-world.

Opportunity Examples

Each fellow-mentee relationship is different, as each mentee’s needs differ. However, some sample activities of past mentorship relationships included:

Discussing the Fellow’s career path/ informational interview
Shadowing the Fellow at work/committee meeting(s) or conference(s)
Seeking career development advice on resume, cover letter, job searching, elevator pitch, interviewing, and/or negotiating
Discussing leadership, management, and/or influence approach
Discussing identity/community specific issues (e.g. being a woman of color in a leadership role at the organization, discussing starting an LGBTQ employee resource group, etc.)
Discussing their professional response to current events and how that may differ from their personal response
Meeting additional individuals in your Senior Fellow’s network

Timeline

Early Fall (September-October): Application period opens (applications are open only once a year)
Mid-October: Mentors/Mentees are matched an kick-off event takes place
October-June: Mentors and Mentees meet either monthly or every other month

The Luskin Senior Fellows program is only open to current Luskin graduate students, who apply to the program in early Fall quarter via CareerHub.

The complete list of former UCLA Luskin Senior Fellows Mentors from 1997 onward can be found here.

If you have any nominations for future senior fellow mentors that are not on the above list, please email Kevin Medina at kmedina@luskin.ucla.edu.

City Hall Day Program

Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure, Randall Winston, welcoming Luskin students to Los Angeles City Hall in February 2024.

Program Overview

Since 2004, select Luskin graduate students visit Los Angeles City Hall every spring to meet with local government officials, nonprofit leaders, and business executives to explore careers in local government and discuss pressing policy issues affecting Los Angeles residents. Previous topics include: housing and homelessness, green technology, first/last mile investments, the digital divide, impacts of a football stadium in Los Angeles, and the privatization of the LA Zoo. This program is organized in collaboration with UCLA Government & Community Relations.

Program Goals

The Luskin Day at City Hall Program aims to provide Luskin graduate students with:

the opportunity to network with high-level leaders in public affairs, including Luskin Alumni
information on how to pursue an internship or job with the City of Los Angeles
the experience of attending a Los Angeles City Council meeting with their peers
an in-person introduction to the physical spaces of Los Angeles City Hall

Program Timeline

City Hall Day info session and program registration can be found on CareerHub

Fall: Info Session & Application
Winter: City Hall Day

Are you interested in learning more about this program? Please contact Luskin’s Managing Director of Student Affairs & Alumni Relations, Kevin Medina: kmedina@luskin.ucla.edu

Examples of Past Programs

2025 Luskin Day at City Hall: Policymaking & Public Service Careers in Los Angeles City Government

2024 Luskin at City Hall: First/Last Mile Investments

2023 Luskin at City Hall: Homelessness Governance Reform

2020 Luskin at City Hall: Alternative and Affordable Housing

2013 Luskin at City Hall: Creative Solutions to LA’s Transportation Needs

2010 Luskin at City Hall: Privatization of the Los Angeles Zoo

Alumni Career Panels

UCLA Luskin alumni often return to campus to share specialized skills or areas of expertise with current Luskin students. Topics of recent career panels include Careers in Transportation, Long Beach Management Training, Capital Fellows, Careers in Education Policy, Careers in Social Welfare, and Environmental Sustainability. Check CareerHub and the Luskin Events Calendar for any upcoming alumni Panels.

UCLA ONE

UCLA ONE (Opportunity, Network and Experience) is your ONE-stop-shop for your professional needs and to connect with UCLA. Created to engage UCLA alumni and students, UCLA ONE serves as a resource for opportunities, events and professional development for Bruins worldwide. Please join the Luskin School of Public Affairs Group once you register.

Luskin community members can connect with our LinkedIn page for updates on OSAAR programming, alumni spotlights, and job opportunities. To access a free course from LinkedIn Guys on how to “Land the Perfect Job with LinkedIn”, Luskin graduate students and alumni can access our resource page through BruinLearn. Alumni who graduated prior to Fall 2023 can self-enroll for the page here.

Business Cards

Luskin Business Cards

As Luskin graduate students, you can order UCLA branded business cards! You must display your relationship with UCLA on the business card for your card to be approved. For order instructions, current Luskin graduate students can access our resource page through BruinLearn.

Digital Business Cards

For a dynamic business card, you can explore a service such as Blinq, which has free and paid options. You can personalize your own digital business cards with your headshot, your logo and design templates, while keeping your information instantly up to date. Cards and contact information can be shared digitally with anyone, even without the app, though QR code, LinkedIn, or even email.

Another option is a one-time purchase of a dot.device, which transfers all of the information on your dot.Profile with a single tap onto someone else’s phone, with no app required. Your dot.Profile is fully customizable —including a bio, social media links, payment info, and more— and enables you to share every important detail about you and your business with your network.

Public Affairs Professional Associations

For a comprehensive list of professional associations grouped by industry, Luskin graduate students and alumni can access our resource page through BruinLearn. Alumni who graduated prior to Fall 2023 can self-enroll for the page here.

Career Development Resource Library

UCLA Luskin Career Services offers resources that are tailored to areas of interest within the fields of Public Policy, Social Welfare, and Urban Planning. Luskin graduate students and alumni can access our resource page through BruinLearn. Alumni who graduated prior to Fall 2023 can self-enroll for the page here.

The resource page contains an extensive library of information related to topics such as:

Identity and Community Specific Resources
Networking
Resumes and Cover Letters
Job Search Strategies
Interview Preparation
Salary Negotiation
and more!

UCLA Luskin is committed to taking a holistic approach to career services. We understand that we must be culturally responsive in order to provide the best career preparation support possible to Luskin graduate students with myriad intersectional identities and experiences. Please explore our resource library and reach out to careerservices@luskin.ucla.edu with any questions.

Life After Luskin

Luskin Alumni Relations

The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs has a global network of more than 9,000 alumni living and working in more than 40 countries. UCLA Luskin’s Office of Student Affairs and Alumni Relations seeks to engage all Luskin alums in a meaningful way that facilitates a lifelong connection with each other and the School and encourages support and guidance for future generations of Luskin students and fellow alums.

Send Us Your Updates

Interested in speaking on a panel, serving on a committee, or helping with recruitment? Have you moved or changed jobs? Please take a moment to update your contact information and tell us how you’d like to get involved.

We would love to hear from you! Update us with your professional milestones, your day-to-day victories, as well as your ideas.

Dr. Karina Mascorro
Director of Alumni Engagement
kmascorro@luskin.ucla.edu

Connect With Us

Network with fellow alumni & students via UCLA Luskin Office of Student Affairs and Alumni Relations page on LinkedIn.

Connect with hundreds of UCLA Luskin alumni and students in four easy steps by updating the education section in your personal LinkedIn profile:

In the Education section of your profile, add “UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs” as your school (not UCLA, the undergraduate college)
Add your “Dates Attended”
Add your “Degree”
Click “Save,” and your profile will automatically connect to UCLA Luskin alumni & student profiles via the UCLA Luskin Office of Student Affairs and Alumni LinkedIn university page so you can network with fellow Luskin-ites!

Post career promotions, and job opportunities, learn about other group members, and keep up-to-date on all things Luskin.

Alumni Career Resources

Luskin Alumni are invited to continue using CareerHub to access our public affairs job postings. If you do not yet have access to this system, don’t hesitate to contact careerservices@luskin.ucla.edu with your name, email, Luskin program, and graduation date to request account activation. We also invite you to connect with our LinkedIn page to connect with fellow alumni, current students, and employers. You can also continue to access our BruinLearn resource page for our career development library. If you graduated prior to Fall 2023, you can self-enroll in the page here. As a Luskin Alum, you have lifetime access to these resources.

Recent Luskin graduates have continued access to Luskin Career Services for three months after their last academic term. Recent Luskin Alumni may also attend the next career fair after graduation. For example, if you graduate in June 2022, you can access Luskin career counseling appointments and workshops through September and you may attend the Fall Internship and Career Fair. However, alumni can continue to access campus wide resources for career development through Alumni Career Engagement resources provided by the UCLA Alumni Center. Lastly, in your first year as an alum, you have one year of free access to UCLA’s campus-wide “Handshake for Alumni.” After your first year, a six months subscription is available.

UCLA ONE

Connect: Find Bruins you know or meet Bruins you should know in a trusted UCLA environment.Give back: Introduce, employ and offer to mentor current students and recent grads.Expand: Leverage your Bruin network to further your knowledge and career aspirations.Re-connect with old classmates: UCLA ONE allows you to find and re-connect with old classmates and expand your professional network.Build Community: This is your community, where Bruins help Bruins. Leverage the collective power of the vast alumni network and cultivate a culture of helping and giving back.

Please join the Luskin School of Public Affairs Group once you register.

Class of 2024 Employment Survey Results

Public Policy

The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs prepares its students to enter the workforce with a broad range of practical and professional skills. Luskin graduates are ready to take on leadership roles and effect change as practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in the public, private, and non-governmental sectors. The survey results provide information and statistics regarding where our Class of 2024 Public Policy graduates work, the industry and position within the organization, location, modality of employment, and salary ranges. The data below is from the February 2025 survey, which is approximately seven months after they graduated. Among the graduating Class of 63, 54 were surveyed, and 9 graduates completed the survey, about 16.66%.

Percentage Employed

While this year’s response rate was lower, 89% of the respondents are currently employed full-time, and 11% are actively seeking employment. The employers of our employed graduates are listed below and marked with an asterisk (*).

In addition to the survey data, we gathered information from LinkedIn and Internet searches to provide the most recent employment statistics. Among the cohort of 63 graduates, we found via our search that twenty-nine graduates have secured full-time employment within 9 months after graduation and four have secured part-time employment, one is in medical school, another one is in law school, two are working under contract, three are completing internships and seven are actively seeking employment. We could not locate the sixteen graduates’ employment information; therefore, their employment status is unknown.

Class of 2024 Employers

ACLU California Action

Alibaba.com

American Academy of Family Physicians

Assistance League of Los Angeles

Bank of Thailand

Black in AI

California Department of Housing & Community Development

California Public Utilities Commission

California YIMBY

Catalyst California

City of Los Angeles

City of Santa Clarita

City University of New York School of Law

Coachella Valley Association of Governments*

Common Cause California*

Creative Solutions for Kids and Families*

David Geffen School of Medicine

Dolores Huerta Foundation

Enterprise Community Partners

GRACE & End Child Poverty California

Institute for Research on Labor & Employment (IRLE)

Joule One Inc

Kidsave

Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy

Los Angeles Metro

Miracle Plus

National Congress of American Indians

North Rock Consulting*

PwC*

RCAC*

SJN Media Global LLC

St. Joseph Center

The Borgen Project

The Hawaii State Senate

UCLA Academic Senate

UCLA Center for Community Engagement*

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

UCLA Luskin Social Welfare

United States District Court, Central District of California

West Valley College

Sector

Among employed respondents from the MPP Class of 2024, approximately 37% are employed by community-based organizations (CBOs), non-profits, or NGOs. An additional 25% selected ‘Other,’ while 13% reported working in the private sector, 13% in government, and 12% in education.

Position Level

75% of respondents hold an analyst /coordinator position, and 25% have a senior analyst role.

Location

75% of employed graduates who responded to the survey work for a California employer. 33.3% of those employers are in Los Angeles, 16.6% in Palm Desert, CA; 16.6% in Riverside, CA; 16.6% in San Jose, CA; and 16.6% in West Sacramento, CA. 12.5% of employers are located in Washington, D.C., and 12.5% work for an entirely remote employer.

Modality of Employment

These results provide insights into the evolving landscape of work preferences among our recent graduates. It’s fascinating that 45% of individuals opt for hybrid work arrangements, reflecting the increasing flexibility and adaptability within the modern workforce. 33% are remote, only 11% are in-person, and 11% are unemployed.

Salary

The gross salary ranged from $57,000 to $90,000. The average gross salary is $74,850, and the median gross salary is $76,100.

Social Welfare

The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs prepares its students to enter the workforce with a broad range of practical and professional skills. Luskin Graduates are ready to take on leadership roles and effect change as practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in the public, private, and non-governmental sectors. The following survey results provide information and statistics regarding where our Class of 2024 Social Welfare graduates work, the sector(s) and position within the organization, location, modality of employment, and salary ranges. The data below is from the February 2025 survey, which is 7 months after they graduated. Among the graduating cohort of 109, 88 were surveyed and 13 graduates completed the survey, which is about 14.78%

Percentage employed

According to the survey responses from the 2024 Social Welfare graduates, 84% of the respondents are currently employed full-time, 32 hours or more per week; 8% are employed part-time, 31 hours or less; and 8% are actively seeking employment. Their employers are marked with an asterisk (*).

In addition to the survey data, we gathered information from LinkedIn and Internet searches to provide the most recent employment statistics. Among the graduating class of 109 students, we found via our Internet search that sixty-seven graduates have secured full-time employment, 32 hours or more, about two are working part-time, 31 hours or less, one is freelance, two are completing an internship, and two are actively seeking employment. We could not locate the remaining thirty-five graduates’ employment information; therefore, their employment status is unknown.

Class of 2024 Employers

A New Horizon Bilingual Family Therapy

California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Centers

Center for Empowered Politics Education Fund*

Center for the Pacific Asian Family

Child and Family Guidance Center

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children’s Institute*

County of Riverside

DaVita Kidney Care

Department of Children and Family Services*

DMH Santa Clarita Community Mental Health Clinic

El Rancho Unified School District

Exceptional Children’s Foundation

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Implematix

Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles

Juntos Community Wellness/Lennox School District

Kaiser Permanente

KIPP Texas*

Koreatown Youth and Community Center

Long Beach Unified School District

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services*

Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health

Los Angeles LGBT Center

Los Angeles Unified School District*

Magnolia School District*

Mantee

Mariposa Women and Family Center

Men’s Health Foundation

Mercedes Cusick Therapy & Associates

Pacific Clinics*

Para Los Niños

Reasons Eating Disorder Center

San Fernando Valley Community Mental Health Center

Santa Monica Psychotherapy Group

Saugus Union School District

Scripps Memorial Hospital

Seneca Family of Agencies

Senior Concerns

SHIELDS For Families

Special Service for Groups

St. Joseph Center

Stadford Children’s Health/ Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

Sutter Health

Sycamores

The Help Group

Torrance Unified School District

UCLA Depression Grand Challenge

UCLA Health

UCLA*

University of Connecticut

Villages of CA

Vista del Mar Child & Family Services*

Wellnest

Westside DBT

Wilshire Adult Day Health Care

Zen and Health Inc

Sector(s)

According to the survey responses from the Class of 2024 Social Welfare graduates, the distribution of employment sectors reveals a diverse range of career pathways. Notably, 31% work in educational roles, indicating involvement in teaching, counseling, or social work within academic settings. Another 23% of respondents are employed in Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Non-Profit organizations, or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), reflecting a commitment to social impact and advocacy. Furthermore, 23% hold government roles, 15% are employed in health care, and another 8% actively seek employment.

Position

The survey findings from the Class of 2024 Social Welfare graduates shed light on the distribution of position levels within their respective fields. A significant majority, 92% of respondents, reported holding positions at the analyst, coordinator, counselor, and social worker level, indicating that most graduates have entered into roles involving direct service provision, program coordination, or policy analysis within social welfare organizations. Conversely, a smaller yet notable 8% hold non-profit community organizing positions.

Location

The survey results from the Class of 2024 Social Welfare graduates offer insights into the geographic distribution of their employers, with a predominant presence in California. Notably, 92% of respondents indicated having employers within California, underscoring the state’s significance as a hub for social welfare employment opportunities. Within California, Los Angeles emerges as the primary location for employers, with 58.33% of respondents reporting their employers being based there. Additionally, smaller percentages of respondents listed their employers in various other locations within California, including Anaheim, Oakland, Palmdale, and Van Nuys. These diverse geographic locations within California reflect the breadth of social welfare work undertaken across different state regions.

Modality of Employment

The survey responses from the Class of 2024 Social Welfare graduates provide valuable insights into their employment arrangements, with a notable distribution between in-person and hybrid work setups. Specifically, 50% of respondents reported having hybrid employment arrangements, suggesting a blend of both in-person and remote modalities. 38% of respondents reported having in-person employment, indicating a significant portion of graduates working in traditional office settings or on-site locations. Conversely, only 8% of respondents reported having a remote work arrangement.

Salary Range

The survey responses from the Class of 2024 Social Welfare graduates provide insights into the salary distribution among respondents, showcasing a diverse range of earnings. The salary range spans from $25,000.00 to $98,000.00, with the lowest salary representing a half-time position of less than 32 hours per week. The average salary among respondents is calculated to be $70, 667.00 indicating the mean earnings within the cohort. Additionally, the median salary, representing the middle value in the salary distribution, is reported as $76,500.00, which measures central tendency in the salary data.

Urban Planning

The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs prepares its students to enter the workforce with a broad range of practical and professional skills. Luskin Graduates are prepared to take on leadership roles and effect change as practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in the public, private, and non-governmental sectors. The following survey results provide information and statistics regarding where our Class of 2024 Urban Planning graduates work, the sector(s) and position within the organization, location, work modality, and salary ranges. The data below is from the February 2025 survey, which is 7 months after they graduated. Among the graduating cohort of 82, 54 were surveyed, and 18 graduates completed the survey, which is about 33%.

Percentage employed

According to the survey responses from the 2024 Urban Planning graduates, 72% of the respondents are currently employed either full-time, 32 hours or more per week, about 17% are actively seeking employment, and 11% are pursuing further education. Their employers are marked with an asterisk (*).

In addition to the survey data, we gathered information from LinkedIn and Internet searches to provide the most recent employment statistics. Among the graduating class of 82 students, we found via our Internet search that 64 graduates have secured full-time employment, 32 hours or more and 2 have secured part-time employment 9 months after graduation. 4 are completing internships, 4 are enrolled in a PhD program, 2 are completing a Postdoc, and 3 are actively seeking employment. We could not locate the remaining 6 graduates’ employment information; therefore, their employment status is unknown.

Class of 2024 Employers

Adobe Communities

Arellano Associates*

Better World Group

BRIDGE Housing Company*

Caltrans

CARB*

City of Austin

City of Pasadena

City of Long Beach

City of Sacramento

City of South Pasadena

Communities for a Better Environment

Constant Associates*

Council for Watershed Health

Council of San Benito County Governments

County of Ventura

C Trees

Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.

Environmental Law Institute*

Environmental Policy Innovation Center

Estolano Advisors*

Fehr & Peers

Festival Trail

Genesis LA

Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate

HNTB

Inclusive Action for the City

Kimley-Horn*

Kosmont Companies*

LA County Planning

LADOT

Leland Consulting Group

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Los Angeles LGBT Center

Los Angeles City Planning

Los Angeles Metro

MBTA

McCune Law Group

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

MIG

NUS Cities

Office of Community Revitalization

Opticos Design, Inc.

Project by Project

RuckusRoots, Inc

Santa Barbara County Association of Governments*

SCAG

SFMTA

Somos Group

Strategic Actions for Just Economy (SAJE)

Tenemos Que Reclamar y Unidos Salvar la Tierra – South LA

The Community Climate Collaborative

UCLA*

UCLA Economics*

UCLA ITS*

UCLA Labor Studies

UCLA LPPI

Urban Freight Lab, University of Washington

WATURA

Weingart Center Association*

Sector

The survey responses from the Class of 2024 Urban Planning graduates offer insights into their employment distribution. Notably, 42% of respondents are employed in government positions, indicating a significant presence within public sector planning initiatives. Another 33% have found roles in the private sector, showcasing the demand for urban planning expertise in industries outside of government and nonprofit sectors. Additionally, 17% of graduates are contributing their skills to Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Non-Profit organizations, or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), underscoring a commitment to community development and social impact. 8% are in Private and CBO/Non-Profit/NGO roles.

Position Level

The responses from the Class of 2024 survey of employed respondents provide insights into the distribution of position levels within their respective fields. A majority, comprising 59% of respondents, reported holding positions at the analyst, coordinator, counselor, planner, or specialist level. This high percentage indicates that many graduates have entered mid-level roles, likely engaging in hands-on work and contributing directly to projects and initiatives. Additionally, 33% of respondents listed holding senior analyst and senior planner level positions, suggesting a progression to more specialized or leadership roles within their fields, and 8% listed a director, principal, or professor level role.

Location

The survey responses from the Urban Planning Class of 2024 graduates shed light on the geographic distribution of their employers, with a notable concentration in California. Specifically, about 83% of respondents currently employed indicated that their employers are located within California, indicating the state’s prominence as a hub for urban planning opportunities. Within California, Los Angeles emerges as the primary location for employers, with 70% of respondents reporting their employers being based there and smaller percentages in Chino Hills, Orange, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, and Riverside. This underscores the importance of Los Angeles as a focal point for urban planning initiatives within the state. Additionally, 11% of respondents listed their employers in Washington, DC.

Modality of Employment

The survey responses from the Urban Planning Class of 2024 provide insights into the work arrangements of graduates, reflecting a diverse range of work schedules. About 41% of employed respondents reported a hybrid work schedule, indicating a blend of both in-person and remote work arrangements. This flexibility in work arrangements suggests adaptability to changing workplace dynamics and a willingness to accommodate both remote and in-person work preferences. Only 17% reported working exclusively in-person, suggesting a commitment to on-site work environments or roles that require physical presence. 42% of respondents stated that they work remotely, highlighting the prevalence of remote work opportunities within the urban planning field, especially in light of technological advancements and changing workplace norms.

Salary

The survey responses from the Urban Planning Class of 2024 provide an overview of the gross salary distribution among employed graduates. The salary range spans from $62,000 to $105,000. The average gross salary across all respondents is calculated to be $85,615.38. Additionally, the median gross salary, which represents the middle value in the salary distribution, is reported as $85,000.00.

Undergraduate Program

The following survey results provide information and statistics regarding where our Class of 2024 Undergraduate Program in Public Affairs graduates work, the sector(s) and position within the organization, location, work modality and salary ranges. The data below is from the February 2025 survey, which is 7 months after they graduated. Among the graduating cohort of 114, 103 were surveyed, and 14 graduates completed the survey, which is about 13.5%

Percentage employed

According to the survey responses from the BA in Public Affairs Class of 2024 graduates, 86% of the respondents are currently employed either full-time, 32 hours or more per week, 7% are actively seeking employment, and 7% are pursuing further education. Their employers are marked with an asterisk (*).

In addition to the survey data, we gathered information from LinkedIn and Internet searches to provide the most recent employment statistics. Among the graduating class of 114 students, we found via our Internet search that sixty-one graduates have secured full-time employment, 32 hours or more, and seven have secured part-time employment 9 months after graduation. Five are in law school, five have internships, and one is pursuing a PhD in Chemistry, one is pursuing a Master’s in Urban Planning at UCLA, and another one is pursuing a Master’s in Educational Organization at UCLA. One is actively seeking employment, and one is unemployed. We could not locate the remaining thirty-one graduates’ employment information; therefore, their employment status is unknown.

Class of 2024 Employers

Abundant Housing LA

Alpha Sights

Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health System

Apple*

Asian Health Services*

Booz Allen Hamilton*

Boston Herald

Bryson

California Science Center Foundation

California Science Center Foundation*

CBC Education Inc.

Central Contra Costa Sanitary District

Children’s Institute

City and County of San Francisco

City of Avenal

City of Los Angeles

Communications and Media Management Consultants

COPE Health Solutions

Coro New York

Coro New York Leadership Center

Coro Southern California*

Doll Amir & Eley LLP

Dr. Shannon Chavez

French Squirrel

Global Network of Women Peace Builders (GNWP)

Global Parents for Eczema Research

Herold & Sager*

JMI Sports

JP Morgan Chase*

Juni Learning*

Kay and Quintero LAwLawPC.

Kid City Hope Place

Kobre & Kim

LA River Arts

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

Lighthouse Community Public Schools

Los Angeles Metro

Luskin School of Public Affairs

Maune Raichle Hartley French and Mudd LLC*

Mehlman Jacobs, LLP

Microsoft

Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC

National Public Radio*

Northwest Administrators, Inc

Penguin Random House

Proskauer Rose LLP

Public Counsel

PwC*

Ringle

Rose Debate Institute

Skadden LLP

Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center

The Institute for College Access & Success

The University of Texas at Austin

Times Square Alliance

Town of Moraga

Tree People

UC College of Law San Francisco (Formerly Hastings)

UCLA

UCLA Office Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – BruinX

UCLA Pritzker

UCLA School of Law LL.M. Program

UCLA Student Affairs*

University of Virginia

USC Gould

Vela Scarves/ Pratt Institute

Ventura Port District*

WSP in the U.S.

Sector

The survey responses from the Class of 2024 BA in Public Affairs graduates offer insights into their employment distribution. 50% of employed respondents are in the private sector, 8% in CBO, Non-Profit, or Non-Profit Governmental Organizations (NGO), 9% in Education, 8% in Foundation, 8% in Government, 8% in Health Care, 7% in a combination of Private/Government.

The responses from the BA in Public Affairs Class of 2024 survey respondents provide insights into the distribution of position levels within their respective fields. A majority, comprising 67% of respondents, reported holding positions at the analyst, coordinator, counselor, planner, or specialist level. This high percentage suggests that many graduates have transitioned into mid-level roles, where they are likely engaging in hands-on work and contributing directly to projects and initiatives. Additionally, 25% of respondents listed holding senior analyst and senior planner level positions, suggesting a progression to more specialized or leadership roles within their fields, 8% have managers, supervisor, or team leads.

Location

The survey responses from the BA in Public Affairs Class of 2024 graduates shed light on the geographic distribution of their employers, with a notable concentration in California. Specifically, about 75% of respondents currently employed indicated that their employers are located within California, indicating the state’s prominence as a hub for urban planning opportunities. Within California, Los Angeles emerges as the primary location for employers, with 67% of respondents reporting their employers being based there and 8% in Cupertino, Encinitas, Oakland, San Francisco, and Ventura. Additionally, 16% of respondents listed their employers in Washington, DC.

Modality of Employment

The survey responses from the BA in Public Affairs Class of 2024 provide insights into the work arrangements of graduates, reflecting a diverse range of work schedules. About 58% of respondents, reported working on a hybrid schedule, indicating a blend of both in-person and remote work arrangements. This flexibility in work arrangements suggests adaptability to changing workplace dynamics and a willingness to accommodate both remote and in-person work preferences. Only 25% of respondents reported working exclusively in-person, suggesting a commitment to on-site work environments or roles that require physical presence. 17% of respondents stated that they work remotely, highlighting the prevalence of remote work opportunities within the urban planning field, especially in light of technological advancements and changing workplace norms.

Salary

The survey responses from the BA in Public Affairs Class of 2024 provide an overview of the gross salary distribution among employed graduates. The salaries ranged from $48,800 to $100,000. One employed respondent opted not to disclose his salary. The average gross salary across all employed respondents is calculated to be $74,561. Additionally, the median gross salary, which represents the middle value in the salary distribution, is reported as $78,000.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program is a federal program created for those in public service jobs, offering the opportunity to have their federal loan balances forgiven after 120 qualifying monthly payments.

Where do Luskin alumni work?

Our alumni work across many different industries, with organizations across the country and globe. Below is a non-exhaustive list of some companies and agencies that alumni report working with.

Sample of Organizations that Employ Luskin Alumni

17 Asset Management
A Community of Friends
ACLU California Action
Active Transportation Division, City of Los Angeles
Acumen LLC
AECOM
Alta Planning
APLA Health & Wellness
Arellano Associates
Arizona State University
Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)
Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT)
Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers (APCTC)
Better World Group
Boston Consulting Group
Brilliant Corners
Buro Happold
Busara Center for Behavioral Economics
CalBike (California Bicycle Coalition)
California Collaborative for Educational Excellence
California Department of Finance
California Department of Housing and Community Development
California Immigrant Policy Center
California Legislative Analyst’s Office
California State Assemblymember, 55th District
California State Senator, District 20
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Sacramento
Cambridge Systematics
Castillo Consulting Partners
Catalyst California
Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Center for Court Innovation
Center for Global Sustainability – University of Maryland at College Park
Center on Policy Initiatives
Chattel, Inc.
Children’s Defense Fund
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
China Electronic Systems Engineering Corporation
Chutzpah Deli
City of Albuquerque
City of Culver City
City of Houston Mayor’s Office
City of Jurupa Valley
City of Long Beach
City of Los Altos
City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Street Lighting
Cityfi
Climate Resolve
College of the Redwoods
Common Cause
Community Corporation of Santa Monica
Community Health Councils
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute
Connectics Transportation Group
Connecting Capital and Community (3C) Initiative, Genesis LA
Corporation for Supportive Housing
County of Marin
County of Orange Health Care Agency
Crete Academy Charter School
Delta-EE
Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS)
Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center
Dignity Health-California Hospital Medical Center
Dolores Street Community Services
Dudek
Dyett & Bhatia
Eagle Rock Therapy
East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice
ECONorthwest
Eden Housing
Ehlers
El Rancho Unified School District (ERUSD)
Emas Herbs
Emory University Brain Health Center
Employment Development Department
Entertain Impact
Environment California
Epiphany Counseling, Consulting, & Treatment Services
Estolano Advisors
Expeditors
Fair Rep LA Coalition
Federal Public Defender
Fehr & Peers
First 5 LA
Flexus
Forward
Foundation for CA Community Colleges
Fulbright/COMEXUS Public Policy Initiative
Garment Worker Center
Gensler
Grassroots Asians Rising
Hagerty Consulting
Healthright 360
Here LA
Heritage Psychiatric Foundation
Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation + Blue Ridge Corridor Alliance
Hirsch Philanthropy Partners
Homebase Center for Common Concerns
Homeboy Industries
ICF Environmental Consulting Firm
Imagine LA
Inland Empire United
Institute of Finance and Sustainability
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Japanese Ministry of Finance
Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Jarrett Walker + Associates
Jewish Family Service
Just Solutions
Kaiser Permanente
Keany Associates
Kearns and West
Kidsave
Kittelson & Associates
L.A. Works
LA City Council District 7
LA County Department of Mental Health
LA County Department of Public Health
LA County Dept. of Health Services, Office of Diversion & Reentry
LA County Development Authority
Leavitt Partners
Lenarra Therapy
Liberty Hill Foundation
London School of Economics
Los Angeles City Administrative Officer
Los Angeles City Planning Department
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles County Deptartment of Youth Development
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)
Los Angeles Housing Department
Los Angeles Mayor’s Office
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital
M + R
Masada Homes
MEF Associates
M-Group
Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea
Miracle Mile Law Group
Mizuho – IT & System Planning Department
Montana State University National Park Service
Multnomah County
National Association for Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)
National Labor Relations Board
National Nurses United
Natural Resources Defense Council
NeighborWorks America
Nelson/Nygaard
New York City Department of Transportation
New York City Housing Development Corporation
NGIN
NICOS Chinese Health Coalition
Northrop Grumman
Oak Grove Center
OCAPICA
Off The Saw
Olson Remcho
Oregon Housing and Community Services
Oregon State University
O’Reilly Public Relations
Pacific Asian Counseling Services (PACSLA)
Pacific Clinics
Pacoima Beautiful
Pain Psychology Center
PATH Ventures
Peace Corps
Pierre Fabre Group
PlaceWorks
Plymouth Housing
Populus
Prevention Institute
Primary Health
Prototypes- Healthright 360
Providence St. Joseph Medical Center
RAND
Redistricting Data Hub
Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation
Revolve Impact
Robert Walters
Rutgers-Camden
Safe Passages
San Diego Youth Services
San Fran Municipal Transportation Agency
San Francisco Unified School District
Santa Monica College
SB Friedman Development Advisors
SCAG (Southern California Association of Governments)
SCHARP
Seattle Department of Transportation
SEIU-UHW
Seneca Family of Agencies
Shared Use Mobility Center
SoCalGas
Sonoma County Transit
St Joseph Center
St. Anne’s
Standard Communities
STAR of CA
State Bar of California
Step Up
Strategic Concepts for Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE)
Summit Consulting Group
Sunrise Therapy Center
Telecare
Texas House Democratic Caucus
Texas Jail Project
The Bucket List Project Foundation
The Greenlining Institute
The National Center for Child Traumatic Stress
The Nature Conservancy
The People Concern
The Ramsay Group
The Trust for Public Land
The University of Pennsylvania
The World Bank
Thomas Safran & Associates
Thrive Psychology Group
Toole Design
Transdev
TRUST South LA
Tsinghua University
UCLA
UCLA Asian American Studies Center
UCLA Center For Health Policy Research
UCLA city LAB
UCLA Ciudades
UCLA College Corps Program
UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
UCLA Health
UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS)
UCLA Labor Center
UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute
UCLA Law
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
UCLA School of Education and Information Studies
UCLA Voting Rights Project
United States Space Force
University of California – Santa Barbara
US House of Representatives – Office of Congresswoman Becca Balint
USC Marshall School of Business
Vaughn Next Century Learning Center
Veteran Affairs
Visions Dual Diagnosis Adolescent Treatment Center
Water Education for Latino Leaders
Wellnest
West LA VA Medical Center
White House Internship Program
World Resource Institute
Yale New Haven Hospital
Yale School of Medicine Child Study Center

Events and Programs

Upcoming Luskin Professional Development Events and Workshops

Leadership in Public Affairs Graduate Certificate of Completion

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