Average Starting Salary for College Grad at $44,928

Marilyn Mackes of NACE

The average starting salary for new college graduates earning bachelor’s degrees has increased 5.3 percent over last year, according to a new report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE’s April 2013 Salary Survey—the first look at starting salaries for the Class of 2013—found that the average starting salary for these college graduates stands at $44,928, up from the 2012 average salary of $42,666.

“The sizable gains in several disciplines—particularly in health sciences and business—have helped to drive up the average starting salary for the Class of 2013,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

With an increase of 9.4 percent, health sciences garnered the highest increase among the disciplines. This jump brings the average starting salary for these graduates to $49,713. Business also saw a large gain—7.1 percent—bumping the average salary for these graduates to $54,234. (See Figure 1.)

Likewise, education and computer science saw ample increases. The average starting salary for education majors climbed 5.1 percent to $40,480, while the average salary for computer science majors jumped to $59,977, 4.3 percent higher than last year.

Engineering (4.0 percent, to $62,535), communications (3.8 percent, to $43,145), and math and sciences (3.1 percent, to $42,724) all saw increases that exceeded 3 percent.

Meanwhile, graduates with degrees in humanities and social sciences saw the smallest gain (1.9 percent, to $37,058).