Many plan to leave Ohio after graduation

By Marc Kovac

The survey, released Monday, was taken online by about 800 college students.

COLUMBUS — More than half of Ohioans enrolled at state colleges and 78 percent of their out-of-state counterparts plan to leave Ohio after graduation.

Their main reason: the search for good-paying jobs with opportunities for advancement.

That’s according to an online survey of about 800 college sophomores, juniors and seniors conducted in February and March by the Thomas Fordham B. Institute, an education policy think tank.

The institute released a study Monday titled “Losing Ohio’s Future” that gauged students’ opinions of the state and their after-graduation intentions. Responses were gathered through random student samples provided by several campuses and contacts made through social networking site Facebook. Kent State University was among the seven campuses that participated.

Among the results:

UEighty-nine percent of respondents said job opportunities and career advancement were very important in terms of determining their states of residence following graduation. Fifty-one percent said Ohio was not close to becoming “a high-tech economy of growth innovation.”

UMore than half said they would be interested in co-ops or internships at local businesses and organizations.

USixty-five percent said a state income tax credit of up to $3,000 per year for 10 years would be “very appealing” as a means of staying in Ohio after graduation. Another 60 percent said they liked the idea of state grants for housing down payments. And 59 percent said an online database of jobs available in the state in their field of study or more graduate school scholarships and fellowships could tip the balance in Ohio’s favor.