For 2013 graduates, ‘college hiring to remain relatively flat’

Consistent with a jobless recovery, 2013 college graduates see only a modest uptick in new jobs despite last year’s rosy predictions.

The economy might be improving, but few employers are hiring more new college graduates.

In fact, the hiring situation for new graduates looks about the same as last year, which is to say not very good, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Broadly, projections for hiring plummeted in 2009 but have ticked upward since then. Yet, there is only supposed to be a 2.1 percent increase in hiring graduates from the class of 2013. That’s the smallest increase in five years.

It’s nowhere near last year’s survey estimate that indicated a 13 percent increase in the hiring of recent graduates.

Demand is higher for jobs related to technology, healthcare, education, and business, and lower for graduates in the humanities and social sciences.

In light of  reports about curtailed school funding increases and an oversupply of teachers, it would be prudent for students to look into the details about exactly what types of jobs are included in the “educational services” category.

Salary increases vary substantially.

The college Class of 2013 commands an overall starting salary of $44,928—up 5.3 percent over the average starting salary their Class of 2012 counterparts realized ($42,666).

Figure 1: Average Salaries by Discipline*

Category	2013 Average Salary	2012 Average Salary	Percent Change
Business	$54,234	$50,633	7.1%
Communications	$43,145	$41,550	3.8%
Computer Science	$59,977	$57,529	4.3%
Education	$40,480	$38,524	5.1%
Engineering	$62,535	$60,151	4.0%
Health Sciences	$49,713	$45,442	9.4%
Humanities & Social Sciences	$37,058	$36,371	1.9%
Math & Sciences	$42,724	$41,430	3.1%
Overall	$44,928	$42,666	5.3%

*Source: April 2013 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers

Related:  Don’t pick a college major based on today’s hot jobs (Cost of College)