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Although it’s early in the college recruiting cycle, the college Class of 2004 appears to be in a better position than their 2003 counterparts: A new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) shows upward movement in starting salary offers to new college graduates.
NACE’s winter 2004 salary survey report provides “positive signs in the job market for new college graduates,” said Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. “It’s important to recognize that the job market isn’t booming, but we are seeing improvement. Last year at this time, nearly half the disciplines we track were experiencing decreases in their average starting salaries. In contrast, in the winter 2004 survey, just under a third saw average offers drop.”
Offers to computer science, information sciences and systems, and management information systems (MIS) graduates provide clear examples of positive movement. None of these disciplines had posted a salary increase since 2001—and all three lost substantial ground in 2002 and 2003.
Data for the latest survey show that the average offer to computer science majors has risen 8.9 percent, to $48,656, over last year. A key reason for the large increase is that more than half the offers reported exceed $50,000.
Similarly, both information sciences grads and MIS grads posted increases, albeit more conservative ones. The average offer to information sciences grads increased 2.6 percent, to $42,108, and the average offer to MIS grads crept up 1.3 percent to $41,103.
In general, there is positive, but conservative, movement among the business disciplines. For example, offers to business administration/management majors rose 2 percent for an average of $37,368. Marketing/marketing management majors saw their average offer tick up 1 percent to $36,071. Meanwhile, salary offers to accounting majors have remained flat, nudging up a mere 0.1 percent to $42,045.
As is usual this time of year, salary data for liberal arts majors are scarce. Reports indicate a jump of 6.2 percent, to $31,426 for liberal arts/general studies graduates. Offers to psychology majors, meanwhile, are down 8 percent, to $25,032. However, early indications are positive when liberal arts majors are looked at as one group. Last year at this time, the average offer for this category of grads came in at $29,128; this year they’re averaging $30,153—a 3.5 percent increase.
http://www.naceweb.org/press/display.asp?year=2004&prid=186
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