Ask the Experts: Finding Salary Information
Question:
Where do I go to look for beginning salary information?
First Answer:
There are a lot of places to look for beginning salary information. If you
are looking for generic information check out the Occupational Outlook
Handbook or the Occupational Briefs published by Chronicle of Guidance.
Both these publications will give the national average for both entry level
and experienced positions. If you are looking for information that is more
area specific, check with the Department of Labor for the state(s) you are
interested in. States will have documents that list by occupation and
education average salaries for positions within their state. Many states
will also list salaries for large metropolitan areas. An internet search
for information on specific careers will also provide salary information.
— Linda Wyatt, Career Center, Kansas City Kansas Community College
Second Answer:
Many of the internet job hunting sites have salary information. My advice would be to start with Monster.com or the National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates from the U.S. government.
Because much of this information is a mean average on a national base, you may want to call the human resources department at a few local companies in your field of interest. Tell them you’re a recent graduate and while you know the national range for the jobs you’re looking for from the internet, you were interested in what they start people at in a particular field. They may or may not tell you but it’s worth a try. Also, contact your local college where you went to school. They may have a record of salaries that students have gotten from the previous year in various fields.
Good luck with your search.
— David E. Gordon, Advertising/Promotions Internship Office, Columbia University in Chicago, Illinois
Third Answer:
The best place for salary information is the federal government. Try going to
http://www.bls.gov/oco/. It is a comprehensive site and I’m sure you’ll find what you are looking for.
Good luck with your search.
— Anita Moses, Careers & Education Department, New2USA.com
