A national context marked by a sharp decline in executive employment

After three years of growth, the executive job market experienced a sharp contraction in 2024. According to the APEC barometer, executive recruitment in France fell by 8% (303,400 recruitments in 2024 compared to 329,000 in 2023), a trend that is continuing in 2025. 

Young graduates are particularly affected: hiring of executives with less than one year of experience fell by 19%.

In this tense context, iaelyon nevertheless boasts an employment rate of 89% six months after graduation, a limited decrease of 5 points compared to last year.

Sectors that are still thriving

Certain fields continue to enjoy exceptional employment rates:

• Accounting and Auditing: 100% employment rate for the  Master's Financial Auditing, the Master's Accounting, Auditing & Management Control and the DSCG
• Wealth Management: 100% employment rate for the Master's in Wealth Management, the Master's Corporate Account Management in Banking
• Logistics - Purchasing: 97% employment rate for the Master's in Purchasing Management and the Master's in Industrial Management and Logistics

Cooperative education: a major asset

In the face of market difficulties, cooperative education programs are proving to be a springboard to stable employment.
 

• Only 7% of cooperative education program graduates are looking for work, compared to 14% of Pre-Experience program graduates.
• 59 % of cooperative education students find management positions after completing a Master's degree, compared to 53% of graduates from classical programs.

This confirms iaelyon's strategic decision to make cooperative education programs a priority: the school now has 1,200 cooperative education students enrolled in 33 master's programs, 9 professional bachelor's programs, and the DCG-DSCG program.
 

Key figures for 2025

• Time to employment: 89% of graduates are recruited within 6 months, including 82% within 3 months.
• Link with work experience: 43% are hired by their cooperative education or internship company (-6 points), but an additional 21% have received a job offer that they declined.
• Type of contract: 73% of graduates in employment are on permanent contracts.
• Type of company: 28% in a large company (-4 points), 24% in a mid-sized company, 38% in an SME/SMI (+3 points), 7% in a micro-enterprise.

Salaries generally stable

• After a Master's degree: €40,200 on average (median salary: €38,000)
• After a professional bachelor's degree: €28,000 on average (median salary: €30,000)

A strong regional presence and international reach

• 74,4 % of graduates in employment work in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, a stable rate compared to 2024.
• The region's appeal is confirmed: 67% of students are from the region, but 74.4% choose to stay there after their studies.
• 12,2 % of Master's graduates start their careers internationally.

CSR and professional missions

• 83 % of host companies integrate societal and/or environmental issues.
• 55 % of young graduates say that their assignments include a societal or environmental dimension (+5 points).

Increased satisfaction

• 91 % of graduates feel that their job matches their education (+1 point).
• 90 % say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their job (+4 points).
• Excellence remains the value most associated with iaelyon, based on the quality of teaching, the relevance of its educational content, and its professionalization.