By Service Year

  |  August 26, 2025

Service Year Alliance's 2025 State of Alums Report affirms that service years are a strategic investment in career readiness, civic renewal, and economic mobility.

AUGUST 26, 2025 (Washington, DC) - Service Year Alliance, a national nonprofit organization working to make a service year a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans, shared a new report today detailing the unique benefits of national service to those who serve. The 2025 Service Year Alums Survey, conducted earlier this year, and the accompanying State of Alums Report provides new evidence that service years benefit young people, our communities, and the nation. 

From February to March 2025, Service Year Alliance conducted a survey of more than 2,000 Americans who completed at least one year of paid, full-time service through service year programs like AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. Respondents shared insights validating national service as a life-changing experience that ignites personal growth, professional success, economic mobility, and civic responsibility. 

Key findings from the survey include:

• 87% of service year alums gained skills during their service year that helped prepare them for future employment 
• 63% of alums found full-time employment within six months of completing a service year, surpassing the 57% average for new college graduates
• Alums reported gaining critical, workforce-ready skills, including adaptability (84%), communication (82%), collaboration (82%), and problem-solving (76%). 
• 91% of alums vote regularly, compared to 64% of the general population
• After service, 77% of alums reported they were likely to engage in conversations with people they disagree with, compared to just 52% before service.

“These findings reinforce a belief we’ve long assumed but often lacked the data to substantiate: expanding access to service years is a smart investment in preparing the next generation to lead, serve, and connect across divides,” shared Maureen Eccleston, Chief Impact Officer of Service Year Alliance, and a leader on the survey and report. “For decades, programs like the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps have equipped service year alums for professional success in the public and private sector, continued education, and civic engagement. We are hopeful that this data will equip our partners with the tools they need to protect national service at a critical moment for the sector."

In addition to the survey data, the States of Alums Report includes recommendations for national service leaders and practitioners. These recommendations include strengthening connections with post-secondary institutions to better support the service-to-education pathway for alums, and calling on government, philanthropy, and the private sector to better recognize service year alums for the experience and values they bring to the workforce. 

“It’s clear from our data that service years are a high‑impact, scalable strategy for workforce development, education access, and civic renewal,” said Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “Service years are good for Americans and good for America. It’s time to treat service years as a national priority and opportunity for all.”

To read the full report and recommendations, visit: https://www.serviceyearalliance.org/alums_survey

About Service Year Alliance

Service Year Alliance is a national nonprofit organization working to make a year of paid, full-time service — a service year — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans. We envision a future in which national service is an integral part of growing up in America, with one million young people serving their communities each year. To make this vision a reality, we partner with states, agencies, and local organizations to expand the number of service year opportunities through new models and funding sources. To enhance the corps member and alumni experience, we develop partnerships to build and scale key national service innovations to demonstrate how service transforms lives. At the core of our work is a commitment to raising up the voices and experiences of young people, corps members, and alumni. Learn more at serviceyearalliance.org.

Media contact: Nick Zevely, [email protected]