For over 100 years, UC’s cooperative-education (co-op) program has helped students graduate with a career already waiting for them.
The University of Cincinnati invented co-op more than 100 years ago and we continue to innovate all aspects of experience-based learning.
Today, our approach to experience-based learning is embedded through the Bearcat Promise — our commitment to provide the people, tools and experiences that ensure every Bearcat graduates on time with both a degree and a resume.
This promise delivers true educational ROI: real-world experience, career readiness, and a lifelong advantage as a Bearcat.
Cooperative education, or co-op, is an educational model that connects academic learning with paid, career-relevant workplace experience. These experiences are intentionally aligned with a student’s major so classroom knowledge is applied to real projects, teams, and challenges.
At the University of Cincinnati, co-op refers both to the students who participate and the professional experiences they complete. UC co-op students work with partners across industry, government, nonprofit organizations and the university while continuing to make progress toward their degrees.
Through co-op, students build professional skills, expand their networks and contribute meaningfully to today’s workforce, graduating with experience that sets them apart.
For the University of Cincinnati, our return on investment lies in our co-op student outcomes. Every semester, UC students go to work — at Nike, at Google, at any one of the university’s 1,700-plus employer partners. Our co-op students not only earn an average of $11,220 per semester, they graduate with 12.2% lower student loan debt compared to peers at other schools. Almost all students (98%) are employed or continue their education at the time of graduation.
$94M
collective student co-op earnings
The University of Cincinnati is leading urban public universities into a new era of innovation and impact. We're engaging people and igniting ideas, ultimately transforming the world — one Bearcat at a time. UC by the numbers:
98%
employment or continuing education rate following graduation
Behind every dream is proof that it’s possible. Our numbers show how pathways, outcomes, and opportunities add up — giving you the confidence that your future is built on results.
1700+
co-op employee partners
$94M
in student co-op earnings
$11,220
avg student earnings per semester
Meet Keller
Biomedical Engineering Co-op
Kinetic Vision | Cincinnati, OH
January 14, 2026
The Ohio Federal Research Network highlighted the work of UC College of Engineering and Applied Science graduate student Rebecca Gilligan, who is working an internship in aerospace engineering at Northrop Grumman.
January 14, 2026
Discover how the University of Cincinnati’s new Robotics, Automation, and Mechatronics sub-plan in Electrical Engineering Technology prepares students for cutting-edge careers in smart manufacturing, autonomous systems, and Industry 4.0 through hands-on learning and co-op experiences.
January 14, 2026
Through UC’s ADAAPT Innovation Studio, DAAP students moved ideas off the page and into the marketplace during a December 2025 holiday pop-up shop, gaining hands-on experience with product development, pricing, marketing and sales while learning what it takes to launch a business.
