Based on the results of the Rosstat survey of graduates of HE and SPO, the article considers the processes of transition from education to work of three groups of young people. For the first time on a properly comparable basis of empirical analyses a number of characteristics: participation in the labour force in the learning process, timing and methods of seeking work, the impact of employment in accordance with the obtained specialty / outside link gain status; level of employment and unemployment, size of average wages by major groups of occupations.