LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against the operators of DeVry University, claiming that the university’s advertisements deceived consumers.
The FTC alleges that DeVry misled consumers about the likelihood that students from DeVry would find jobs in their field of study and earn more than those graduating from other colleges or universities with bachelor’s degrees.
“Millions of Americans look to higher education for training that will lead to meaningful employment and good pay,” FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said. “Educational institutions like DeVry owe prospective students the truth about their graduates’ success finding employment in their field of study and the income they can earn.”
DeVry has claimed in advertising since 2008 that 90 percent of its graduates actively seeking employment land jobs in their field within six months of graduating. Since 2013, it has claimed its graduates earn a 15 percent higher income one year after graduation than the graduates of all other colleges or universities. The FTC alleges that both of these claims are deceptive.
The complaint states that numerous graduates were counted as “working in their field” when they were actually not and cites specific examples. One 2012 graduate who majored in business management with a specialization in health services management was working as a server at a restaurant. Another graduate who majored in business administration with a health care management specialization worked as a car salesman.