Rising college graduates have high expectations for their starting salaries, but the reality of the job market may fall short of their hopes, according to
a fresh report from ZipRecruiter
.
Students from the class of 2025 anticipate securing their initial employment at an average yearly salary of $101,500, as indicated by a survey conducted among more than 3,000 recently graduated and soon-to-be graduates from February 28 to March 19.
That’s significantly more than what the typical new graduate earns annually, which is $68,400 based on survey information.
Several elements could contribute to the discrepancy between expectations and reality, according to Sam DeMase, ZipRecruiter’s career expert.
Social media undoubtedly changes how many new and upcoming graduates perceive reality,” DeMase explains to careerMake It. “It highlights a great deal of affluence and can distort this perception by focusing on exceptional cases rather than common norms.
Secondly, recent graduates are facing economic challenges such as high rents, student loans, and inflation, and they rightly anticipate having salaries that can handle these costs.
cover their basic costs
They believe that if their cost of living increases, their salaries should also rise, according to DeMase. With growing inflation, this sentiment is becoming more prevalent.
relaxed towards the close of 2024
However, wage growth has decelerated since the period of the 2022 Great Resignation.
Lastly, college seniors could remain unaware of the salary ranges available until they delve deep into their job search process and start receiving multiple offers, she notes.
At which locations are high six-figure beginning salaries most prevalent?
Several fresh graduates might meet their income goals sooner if they enter a few high-paying sectors.
ZipRecruiter crunched the numbers on the top fields, and the most common job title in that field, where soon-to-be grads are most likely to earn $100,000 or more right after graduation, based on job postings and their typical salary ranges for 2025 so far.
They include:
-
Consulting
: Consulting services associate, $50,000 to $105,500 per year -
Program management
Program analyst with annual compensation ranging from $69,000 to $116,000 -
Nursing
Radiology nurse, with an annual salary ranging from ₱73,000 to ₱161,000. -
Industrial maintenance
Hydraulic engineering professional, with an annual salary ranging from ₱98,000 to ₱119,000. -
Telecommunications
Telecommunication expert, with salaries ranging from $60,000 to $112,000 annually. -
Business development
Business development specialist, with a yearly salary ranging from $52,000 to $112,000. -
Data specialist
Big Data Software Engineer, with salaries ranging from ₱112,000 to ₱148,000 annually -
Home health care
Home Health Physical Therapist Assistant, with an annual salary ranging from ₱85,000 to ₱117,000. -
Real estate sales
Real estate agent, with annual earnings ranging from $57,000 to $113,000 -
Procurement
Supply chain manager, with yearly compensation ranging from $79,000 to $133,000.
Consultancy is recognized to be
a high-paying field
, with even those starting at entry-level positions able to earn a six-figure salary immediately upon graduating, according to DeMase.
According to DeMase, new graduates can push for higher initial salary offers by highlighting their past experiences such as performing contract or freelance consulting tasks during college, or handling social media management, part-time ventures, or independent projects throughout their studies.
In addition, DeMase points out that “project management is an often-overlooked area with the potential for high-income at the entry level.” He believes that new graduates and those about to graduate should consider project management roles. “If you’re detail-oriented, have strong leadership abilities, excel at managing multiple tasks simultaneously, and possess excellent communication skills—all of which are highly prized traits in this domain—then project management could be ideal for you.”
Nursing jobs are a
“classic” in-demand
And possibly a well-compensated position, DeMase notes, but the ongoing demand for
more nurses
Over numerous years, “it deserves highlighting.” The U.S. Labor Department forecasts that job prospects for nurses will
grow faster
then more than all other professions up until 2026, particularly as the Baby Boomer generation ages, however, there remains a consistent
shortage of workers
Due to insufficient numbers of prospective teachers, increased levels of job exhaustion, frequent staff changes, and experienced employees leaving their posts.
It’s important to mention that initial salary ranges can vary significantly based on where you’re located. As an illustration, the typical beginning compensation for a consulting services associate stands at approximately $90,000 in both New York and California. In contrast, this figure drops to around $80,000 in Illinois and further decreases to about $60,000 in the Kansas City region, as reported by ZipRecruiter.
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