Salary Survey - Starting Salaries By Academic Major 2016

The NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Winter 2016 Salary Survey is out. It reports starting salaries (excluding: bonuses, fringe benefits, and commissions).

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduates are expected to receive the highest salaries according to the NACE Job Outlook 2016 survey. Of these majors, engineering students are expected to be the most highly paid, with an average salary projection of $64,891. This is a up 3% in pay from engineering graduates from the Class of 2015. Take a look at some of the median starting salaries of the Class of 2016.

Median Starting salaries by Academic Major:

Agriculture and Natural Resources: $52,000

• Agricultural Business/ Management: $52,000
• Conservation/ Natural Resources Management: $35,000
• Animal Science: $53,500
• Food Science: $53,500
• Plant Science: $34,000

Communication Majors: $45,000

• Advertising: $45,000
• Communications: $45,000
• Journalism: $49,000
• Public Relations: $45,500

Computer Science: $65,000

• Computer information science: $65,000
• Computer & Electronics Mfg: $72,000
• Management Consulting: $61,500
• Prof Services: $69,500
• Information Sciences & Systems: $62,000

Education: $35,000

• Elementary Education: $35,000
• Secondary Education: $35,000
• Special Education: $40,000

Engineering: $64,000

• Aerospace/ Aeronautical Engineering: $64,000
• Biomedical Engineering: $63,000
• Chemical Engineering: $68,000
• Civil Engineering: $60,446
• Computer Engineering: $65,000
• Electrical Engineering: $65,000
• Environmental Engineering: $63,250
• Materials Engineering/ Science: $65,000
• Mechanical Engineering: $65,000
• Nuclear Engineering: $65,500
• Petroleum Engineering: $98,250
• Software Engineering: $65,000
• Systems Engineering: $65,000

Humanities: $45,500

• English Language & Literature: $45,500
• Foreign language & Literature:$43,250
• History: $48,000
• Liberal Arts/ General Studies: $45,500
• Visual & Performing Arts: $46,000
• Philosophy:$48,000

Healthcare: $49,000

• Healthcare Administration: $49,000
• Nursing: $48,000

Mathematics and Science:$55,000

• Mathematics/ Statistics: $55,000
• Biology/Biological Sciences: $52,000
• Chemistry: $59,000
• Construction Science:$55,000
• Environmental Science: $54,600
• Geology/Geological Sciences: $40,000
• Physics: $64,500

Social Sciences:$50,000

• Psychology: $45,000
• Political Science/International Relations: $46,000
• Sociology: $40,500
• Social Work: $43,000

Business: $52,236

• Accounting:$54,000
• Actuarial Science:$55,000
• Business Administration/Management:$50,250
• Economics:$54,000
• Finance:$54,040
• Hospitality Management:$45,500
• Human Resources:$50,000
• International Business:$47,500
• Logistics/Supply Chain:$55,000
• Management Information Systems:$60,000
• Marketing:$50,000
• Sales:$50,000

A Note of Caution – Don’t View this in a Vacuum:

• With the current cost of college, students MUST look at their anticipated debt at graduation and their future employment prospects in order to peek into their future. The total look in to that view is a combination of:
• What jobs you are likely to get with that major
• Estimated time to secure said job
• As well as initial compensation
• These are averages; Those who conduct a better job search and bring more to the table always do better
• Finally, I recommend following your heart in college. If your passion is with a major that does not pay as well as you want, if that is your hearts-desire, go for it, BUT:
• Get a minor that leads to high employment and high compensation
• Become a member of a student group that leads to employment

Good luck!