October 4, 2011 — BETHLEHEM, PA — The overall average salary offer to Class of 2011 graduates has risen 6 percent over last year’s average, according to a new survey published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
NACE’s Fall 2011 Salary Survey report shows the overall average salary offer to a bachelor’s degree graduate rose from $48,288 for the Class of 2010 to $51,171 for the Class of 2011.
“The overall salary increase is the result of gains across disciplines,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.
Graduates earning business degrees saw their overall average salary rise 4.6 percent above the September 2010 average—from $46,672 to $48,805.
Offers to business administration/management graduates jumped 5.4 percent to $46,372. Both economics and finance graduates saw their average salary offers increase. The average salary offer for economics graduates rose 3.9 percent to $53,690, while the average salary offer for finance majors grew by 4.8 percent to $51,503.
As a group, those earning computer-related degrees saw their overall average salary soar 9.6 percent from $58,189 to $63,760. The overall average offer for those majoring specifically in computer science jumped 9.3 percent to $66,084, while information sciences and systems majors saw their average salary offer increase by 5.9 percent to $55,619.
The average salary offer to engineering majors as a group rose 2.8 percent over last year’s average of $58,669 to $60,291. The average salary offer to petroleum engineering graduates grew 7.1 percent to $82,740, making it the highest-paid major in this report.
Also ranking on the highest-paid list, chemical engineering graduates saw their average salary offer increase 1.8 percent to $66,058. Computer engineering graduates posted a healthy 4.1 percent increase to their average salary offer, bringing it to $62,849.
NACE’s next update on average starting salaries for new college graduates will be available in the January 2012 issue of Salary Survey.
About Salary Survey:
Salary Survey is a quarterly report of starting salary offers to new college graduates in 70 disciplines at the bachelor’s degree level. The survey compiles data from college and university career services offices nationwide. Salary Survey is issued in Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall, with the Fall issue serving as the year-end report. All data in this press release are for bachelor’s degree-level candidates. (Please note: The report does not include data for all industries.)
About NACE:
Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/pressreleases/.
CONTACT:
Andrea Koncz, ext. 121,
Kevin Gray, ext. 139,
800/544-5272
akoncz@naceweb.org or kgray@naceweb.org
