1.8 Million 2013 Four-Year College Grads Entering Improving Job Market

John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas

With college seniors around the nation returning to their respective campuses following spring break recess, many will undoubtedly turn their attention to their impending graduation and the search for their first post-collegiate job.  A new analysis of the entry-level job market estimates that while the job market continues to strengthen for college graduates, the environment remains highly competitive, which may force some to pursue unexpected career paths.

In its annual college graduate job-market outlook, global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. says this year’s crop of 1.8 million bachelor’s degree recipients will be able to take advantage of the 36 consecutive months of private-sector employment growth that has occurred since the jobs recovery began in earnest in March 2010.

“Job creation has been slow, but it has been steady.  Over the past 14 months, private payrolls have grown by an average of 190,000 new workers per month.  There are a growing number of opportunities for job seekers, but the search definitely requires an aggressive approach.  This is especially true for new graduates, who are likely to have less real-world experience to point to in job interviews,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Continue Reading

Most CIOs Say Their Companies Don’t Capture Customer Data

Does your company collect customer data?  If not, it is not alone.  Find more information in the following post.

Big data is not without big obstacles for some CIOs. In a survey from Robert Half Technology, 76 percent of CIOs (chief information officers) said their companies don’t presently gather customer data such as demographics or buying habits. Less than one in four (23 percent) executives interviewed for the study said their firms do collect this type of information. Among those that do, more than half (53 percent) said they lack sufficient staff to access customer data, and generate reports and other business insights from it. Continue Reading

Top Paying Liberal Arts Majors

Three liberal arts majors had average starting salaries that topped $40,000 in 2012, according to a new report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE’s January 2013 Salary Survey (see Figure 1) found that the top-paying liberal arts majors in 2012 were: Continue Reading

Payoff for Master’s Degree Evident in Starting Salaries

If you are looking to increase your earning potential beyond your bachelor’s degree, then consider getting a master’s degree.

Master’s degree graduates in many fields realize significantly higher starting salaries than their counterparts who hold bachelor’s degrees, according to a new report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE’s September 2012 Salary Survey indicates that there can be a significant “payoff” for the higher-level degree. Continue Reading

Starting Salaries Up 1.7% to $44,259 for Class of 2012

Class of 2012 bachelor’s degree graduates are better paid than their Class of 2011 counterparts, according to a new report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

In its September 2012 Salary Survey, NACE reports that the overall average salary for Class of 2012 bachelor’s degree graduates inched upward 1.7 percent to $44,259 from the overall average of $43,521 posted by the Class of 2011. Continue Reading

Salaries Up 4.5% for 2012 College Grads

The overall median salary for Class of 2012 college graduates is up 4.5 percent over the median posted by the Class of 2011, according to a new survey published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE’s April 2012 Salary Survey report—the first report on salaries for the Class of 2012—shows the overall median starting salary for a bachelor’s degree graduate has risen to $42,569 for the Class of 2012 from the final median salary of $40,735 for the Class of 2011. Continue Reading

Higher Starting Salaries Seen by Class of 2011

The college Class of 2011 outpaced the preceding class in average starting salary. Overall, 2011 graduates at the bachelor’s degree level began their first post-graduation job with an average salary of $41,701—up 2.3 percent over the average salary for Class of 2010 graduates, according to NACE’s Winter 2012 Salary Survey report.

In fact, the report shows that average starting salaries grew across the board, albeit modestly in most cases. “Graduates in the engineering and computer science disciplines fared best in terms of overall average starting salary, and computer science graduates saw the largest overall increase,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. (See Figure 1.)

As a group, the average starting salary for engineering graduates is $61,872—up 1.5 percent over the 2010 average ($60,971). For students earning degrees in the computer science majors, the average starting salary now stands at $60,594, a 4.1 percent increase over the $58,229 posted in 2010.

Starting Salaries Up 2.3% to $41,701 for Class of 2011

The overall average salary for Class of 2011 graduates is up to $41,701, which is 2.3 percent higher than the Class of 2010 average of $40,766, according to results of the Winter 2012 Salary Survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

In addition to the increase in overall average salary for the class, the average salaries have increased across the board for individual disciplines, as well. Computer science graduates have seen the biggest increase in average salary over 2010—4.1 percent to $60,594. Continue Reading

2012 Starting Salaries Projected to Rise 3.4%

If you are in certain career fields, such as technology, you could see an increase in your starting salary in 2012.

The newly released 2012 Salary Guides from Robert Half International show U.S. starting salaries will increase an average of 3.4 percent next year. Technology positions are projected to see the largest gains among all fields researched, with an anticipated 4.5 percent increase in base compensation. Accounting and finance professionals can expect starting salaries to rise an average of 3.5 percent, according to the research. Continue Reading