2017 college grads: You’re entering the best job market in 10 years
74 PERCENT OF EMPLOYERS SAY THEY PLAN TO HIRE RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES THIS YEAR, UP FROM 67 PERCENT LAST YEAR AND THE HIGHEST OUTLOOK SINCE 2007.
While employers are looking to hire candidates across various educational backgrounds, some majors stand out more than others. Employers hiring recent college graduates this year state the following majors are the most in-demand at their firms:
- Business – 30 percent
- Engineering – 26 percent
- Computer and information sciences – 23 percent
- Engineering technologies – 16 percent
- Communications technologies – 13 percent
- Math and statistics – 11 percent
- Construction trades – 11 percent
- Health professions and related clinical sciences – 10 percent
- Science technologies – 9 percent
- Architecture and planning – 8 percent
- Communication and journalism – 7 percent
- Mechanic and repair technologies – 7 percent
- Social sciences – 6 percent
- Liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities – 6 percent
- Law and legal studies – 5 percent
- Education – 5 percent
What can you expect to get paid?When it comes to pay, half of employers who plan to hire recent college graduates this year will offer higher starting salaries than they did last year. Forty percent expect no change in salary offers, and 10 percent expect a decrease in starting salaries.
Three in five of these employers (60 percent) say they will make offers to students before they graduate. Expected starting salaries for recent graduates break down as follows:
- Under $30,000: 23 percent
- $30,000 to less than $40,000: 21 percent
- $40,000 to less than $50,000: 18 percent
- $50,000 and higher: 39 percent