Recent graduates face a decisive split in the job market. Engineering majors earned over $78,000 to start, while arts graduates faced an unemployment rate three times higher than their peers in computer science.
Key Takeaways
- The average starting salary for 2023 college graduates was $60,756 according to NACE
- Engineering majors earned $78,731 average starting salary in 2023
- Computer science grads averaged $75,100 starting pay in 2023 NACE data
- In 2023, 90.5% of bachelor's degree graduates were employed or enrolled in graduate school six months after graduation
- For the class of 2022, 76.9% of college seniors had accepted job offers by graduation, up from previous years
- 82% of 2023 graduates reported being employed full-time three months post-graduation according to Handshake data
- 58% of computer science grads work in software development
- 25% of business majors enter finance roles post-grad
- Engineering grads: 40% in civil/mechanical, 30% software per 2023
- Job market projected to add 11.5 million openings for college-level jobs by 2032
- 65% of grads change careers at least once in first 10 years
- By age 35, 72% of college grads in professional occupations
- Unemployment rate for recent college grads was 5.8% in 2023
- College grad unemployment 2.0% overall vs 3.8% national in Q1 2024
- Under 25 college grads unemployment spiked to 12% in 2020, recovered to 7.9% 2023
College graduates in 2023 earned higher pay and strong employment outcomes, with average starting salaries near $60,756.
Related reading
01 · Category
Average Salaries30 stats
01
The average starting salary for 2023 college graduates was $60,756according to NACE
02
Engineering majors earned $78,731average starting salary in 2023
03
Computer science grads averaged $75,100starting pay in 2023 NACE data
04
Business administration grads started at $60,028in 2023
05
Average salary for 2022 bachelor's grads was $58,140per Handshake
06
Math and sciences majors averaged $66,400starting salary 2023
07
Communications grads earned $55,900average start in 2023
08
Average lifetime earnings premium for bachelor's degree is $2.8 million over high school
09
Finance majors starting salary $65,626in 2023 NACE
10
Accounting grads averaged $61,903start pay 2023
11
Median weekly earnings for bachelor's holders $1,493in 2023 BLS
12
Marketing majors $59,000average starting 2023
13
Economics grads $64,000start salary per 2023 data
14
Nursing BSN grads average $75,000start in 2023
15
Psychology majors $48,500lowest average start 2023 NACE
16
10 years post-grad, average salary $90,200for bachelor's holders
17
Humanities grads mid-career salary $70,000average
18
Education majors start at $47,077in 2023
19
Architecture grads $62,600start salary 2023
20
Social work bachelor's $42,000average start
21
Public relations majors $56,700start 2023
22
Median salary for recent grads in tech $95,000in 2023
23
Arts grads average $46,000start salary per 2023
24
Supply chain management $65,200start 2023 NACE
25
Information systems $69,400average start 2023
26
Criminal justice majors $52,000start salary
27
Early career salary growth 12% annually for STEM grads
28
Gender pay gap for new grads 7% less for women $55k vs $59k
29
Regional variation: Northeast grads average $65k start
30
HBCU grads mid-career salary $75,800average
Interpretation
Average Salaries Interpretation
The data suggests that while a college degree is a powerful financial engine, your choice of major is the throttle, with engineering and computer science launching you into a higher orbit while humanities and arts majors, though valuable, often begin their ascent from a much lower launch pad.
02 · Category
Employment Rates30 stats
01
In 2023, 90.5% of bachelor's degree graduates were employed or enrolled in graduate school six months after graduation
02
For the class of 2022, 76.9% of college seniors had accepted job offers by graduation, up from previous years
03
82% of 2023 graduates reported being employed full-time three months post-graduation according to Handshake data
04
Employment rate for recent college graduates (ages 22-27) was 91.4% in 2022
05
73% of four-year college graduates are employed within one year of graduation per NCES data
06
In 2021, 89% of public university graduates were employed one year after graduation
07
85.3% of STEM graduates secured jobs within six months in 2023
08
Overall postgraduate employment rate reached 93.7% for UK universities in 2022/23
09
79% of community college transfer students achieve employment post-bachelor's
10
87.2% employment rate for business majors six months out in 2023 NACE survey
11
91% of college graduates aged 25-34 were employed in 2023 per Census data
12
HBCU graduates had 88% employment rate within six months in 2022
13
84% of liberal arts graduates employed full-time one year post-grad per 2021 study
14
Employment rate for college grads rose to 92.1% in Q4 2023 per Fed data
15
80.5% of first-gen college grads employed six months after in 2023
16
95.2% employment rate for engineering grads class of 2023
17
78% of arts graduates employed within a year per 2022 data
18
Overall U.S. college grad employment at 89.6% for ages 20-29 in 2023
19
86.4% of public college grads employed post-grad per state reports
20
92% of nursing grads employed immediately upon licensure in 2023
21
81.3% employment for education majors six months out
22
90.8% for computer science grads in 2023 Handshake report
23
83% overall for private nonprofit colleges in 2022
24
87.9% for for-profit college grads employed part/full-time
25
94.1% for health professions grads post-2022
26
76.2% for humanities grads one year out per Strada
27
91.5% for master's degree holders recently graduated
28
85.7% for associate degree holders in 2023
29
89.2% employment rate for 2023 international students staying in US
30
82.6% for women college grads aged 25-34 employed full-time
Interpretation
Employment Rates Interpretation
While these numbers might paint a reassuring picture of post-graduation employment, it's wise to remember that a statistic is just a confident average telling a story that varies wildly for every individual graduate navigating their own messy, hopeful, and uncertain first steps into the real world.
03 · Category
Job Types and Fields30 stats
01
58% of computer science grads work in software development
02
25% of business majors enter finance roles post-grad
03
Engineering grads: 40% in civil/mechanical, 30% software per 2023
04
35% of psych majors go into counseling/social services
05
Healthcare fields employ 22% of all college grads aged 25-34
06
Marketing/comms: 28% grads in digital marketing roles 2023
07
Education majors 65% become K-12 teachers within 5 years
08
42% of econ grads enter consulting or banking
09
Nursing grads 90% in registered nurse positions immediately
10
15% of liberal arts grads in tech sales post-grad
11
Accounting: 70% pass CPA and enter public accounting
12
33% CS grads in data science roles by 2025 projection
13
Biology grads 20% pursue medicine, 30% lab/research
14
50% of MBA grads in management consulting
15
Criminal justice 40% law enforcement, 25% corrections
16
27% humanities grads in education/nonprofit
17
Supply chain grads 60% logistics/transport roles
18
Graphic design grads 55% in design/advertising agencies
19
38% poli sci grads in government/public admin
20
Architecture grads 75% in architectural firms
21
45% finance grads in financial analysis roles
22
Social work grads 80% direct practice roles
23
52% of math grads in actuarial/finance
24
Journalism grads 40% digital media/content creation 2023
25
65% engineering grads stay in engineering fields long-term
26
Public health grads 35% in epidemiology roles post-grad
27
22% history grads in museums/archives
28
HR management 55% grads in recruiting/compensation
29
Environmental science 28% in sustainability consulting
30
48% chem eng grads in chemical manufacturing
Interpretation
Job Types and Fields Interpretation
These statistics reveal that your college major often serves as a professional blueprint, with the data showing remarkably predictable and sometimes surprisingly narrow career trajectories for graduates across nearly every field.
More related reading
04 · Category
Long-term Outcomes27 stats
01
Job market projected to add 11.5 million openings for college-level jobs by 2032
02
65% of grads change careers at least once in first 10 years
03
By age 35, 72% of college grads in professional occupations
04
Lifetime earnings for bachelor's $2.4M higher than high school diploma
05
55% of jobs in 2030 will require college degree or higher
06
Mid-career median salary $100,000+ for STEM grads 20 years out
07
80% of grads report career satisfaction after 10 years
08
Promotion rates higher for college grads: 25% faster advancement
09
40% pursue further education within 5 years post-bachelor's
10
Entrepreneurship: 15% of grads start businesses within 10 years
11
Gender gap narrows: women grads 92% of men's earnings by age 40
12
ROI positive for 90% of colleges over 40 years
13
30% of grads work in field unrelated to major after 5 years
14
Life satisfaction score 7.5/10 for grads vs 6.8 non-grads at age 50
15
85% homeownership rate for grads by age 35 vs 60% non-grads
16
Career longevity: grads average 4.5 jobs in 20 years vs 7 for non-grads
17
62% in leadership roles by mid-career for business grads
18
Health outcomes: grads 50% less likely chronic disease age 50
19
Global mobility: 20% grads work abroad 5+ years post-grad
20
Automation risk low: 25% jobs automatable for grads vs 50% non
21
75% report degree worth cost after 10 years despite debt
22
Earnings mobility: bottom 20% grads reach top 40% by age 40
23
95% employment stability post-recession for grads 2010-2023
24
Diversity in outcomes: top colleges 20% higher earnings trajectory
25
Retirement savings: grads 3x more likely max 401k by 50
26
Community impact: 45% grads volunteer regularly long-term
27
68% achieve work-life balance better than non-grads survey
Interpretation
Long-term Outcomes Interpretation
Your degree offers a remarkably sturdy and flexible springboard into adult life, proving that while you may not land perfectly in your first career, you are statistically poised to bounce into financial stability, varied opportunities, and greater overall satisfaction.
05 · Category
Unemployment Rates30 stats
01
Unemployment rate for recent college grads was 5.8% in 2023
02
College grad unemployment 2.0% overall vs 3.8% national in Q1 2024
03
Under 25 college grads unemployment spiked to 12% in 2020, recovered to 7.9% 2023
04
Black college grads unemployment 5.5% vs 2.8% white in 2023
05
Humanities majors had 5.3% unemployment rate post-grad 2022
06
Arts grads highest unemployment at 7.1% six months out 2023
07
Long-term unemployed college grads 1.2% of labor force 2023
08
First-gen grads unemployment 6.2% vs 4.1% continuing-gen 2023
09
STEM fields lowest unemployment 1.8% for grads 2023
10
During COVID, grad unemployment peaked at 18.3% for ages 20-24
11
Women's college grad unemployment 3.1% vs men's 2.9% 2023
12
Associate degree holders 3.5% unemployment rate 2023 BLS
13
Liberal arts unemployment averaged 4.5% recent grads
14
Public admin majors 3.2% unemployment post-grad
15
4.8% unemployment for education majors 2023 NACE
16
Computer science grads 2.1% unemployment lowest major
17
Overeducated underemployed affects 41% recent grads 2023
18
Rural college grads unemployment 4.7% higher than urban
19
Master's holders unemployment 1.9% vs bachelor's 2.2% 2023
20
HBCU grads unemployment 4.3% vs national 2.5% 2022
21
Online program grads 5.1% unemployment rate
22
6.3% unemployment for performing arts grads
23
Engineering unemployment steady at 2.5% over decade
24
Social sciences 4.0% unemployment for recent grads
25
Projected unemployment for grads to fall to 4.5% by 2032
26
Underemployment rate 41% for young grads lacking jobs matching degree
27
12% of 2023 grads still seeking employment six months later
28
Unemployment for disabled college grads 7.2% vs 2.4% non-disabled
29
3.9% for business majors unemployment 2023
30
College grads underemployment declined from 45% to 38% 2010-2023
Interpretation
Unemployment Rates Interpretation
While a college degree remains a sturdy life raft in the economic sea, the statistics reveal a choppy and unequal voyage where your major, background, and even your zip code can determine if you're sailing smoothly or just desperately treading water.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Jobs After College Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/jobs-after-college-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Jobs After College Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/jobs-after-college-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Jobs After College Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/jobs-after-college-statistics.
Sources & references
87 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level