Full Answer
The national average salary for college graduates (overall) has remained steady over the last few years at around $50,000 to $60,000. Business, mathematics, health science, engineering, and computer science majors are shown to make a higher average salary at between $52,000 and $71,000 per year.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is ranked the 6 th best college in America but has the graduates earning the best average salary after 10 years, $91,000. This world-renowned engineering school has 22% of undergraduates go on to get jobs in their field of study.
The average college graduate salary is $55,260 in 2021. Petroleum engineers have the highest starting salary $87,989. Technical majors have the highest starting salaries with an average of around $80,000. $85,000 was the most common starting salary expected by college students. 39% of students are not worried about COVID impacting their job search.
Many who earn an associate degree tend to go back to earn their bachelor’s and this additional education can add $18,772 to their yearly average earnings. A bachelor’s degree holder earns an average of $1,248 a week and about $64,896 yearly.
The average salary in 2021 for college graduates is $55,260, according to a National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey. This figure is 2.5% higher than the starting salaries of the past year. Technical majors have the highest starting salaries with an average starting salary of $87,989 for petroleum engineers.
Overall, college is seen as an investment in a person’s future. The return on that investment is shown in many ways and is affected by several factors. Three factors that will dictate the success of that investment include sex, educational institution attended, and the level of education that is pursued.
When looking at the role that the sex (biologically speaking) of a graduate has on salary, these figures reflect earnings throughout a graduate’s complete career (average of around 40 years).
Degrees earned by certain institutions carry more prestige, clout, and respect than others and it is shown in the salary. There is much to be said about starting average salaries for those who have recently graduated from prestigious colleges and universities, but the true value of an investment is shown in long-term results.
Education level is another major factor at play when it comes to the average salary for a college graduate. As the level of knowledge grows, so do the earnings that an individual can expect to make.