WASHINGTON — This time of year, a whole new class of college graduates prepares to hit the job market and one major may fare better than others in the job hunt, according to a new survey.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers found employers plan to hire 8.6 percent more graduates this year than they did last year, USA TODAY reports.
The rate of increase is about the same as in previous years, the study found.
Engineering majors may be in luck when it comes to starting salaries. The overall average increased by 0.3 percent to $62,719, the survey found.
College grads with health sciences and education degrees should brace themselves for salaries on the lower end of the spectrum and less demand in hiring. The two fields ranked as the lowest starting salary jobs with starting salaries near $51,000 and $40,000, respectively.
Also, fewer than 5 percent of employers are looking for grads with health sciences and education degrees.
However, the data reflect the types of companies that responded to the survey. The majority of respondents included finance, insurance and real estate industries, according to USA TODAY.
Overall, recent grads should expect an average annual salary of $45,473, they survey found.
After graduation, many students choose to go on to graduate programs. But Malcolm says there is a trend showing students opting out of master’s degrees.
“Some people just don’t want to go on because they don’t want to take on the extra debt,” she says.
Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
